In honor of Latinx Heritage Month, John Jay College—a Hispanic-Serving Institution—is proudly celebrating the many ways in which Latinx people have enriched our country. As part of our “Latinx Celebration” series, we sat down with a talented group of ¡Adelante! students to learn more about their Latinx identity, what this celebration means to them, who in the Latinx community inspires them, and why they are hopeful for the future of Latinx communities..
Samantha Jimenez ’23, a Criminal Justice major from the Bronx, New York, admits she wasn’t always comfortable with her Latinx identity. “Growing up, I definitely tried to water down my Latinidad background and culture. I would speak English really slowly so that I could suppress my Spanish accent. I would straighten my naturally curly hair and if I couldn’t, I would throw tantrums,” recalls Jimenez, who is Dominican. “But as I grew older, and surrounded myself with other Latinos, I became more comfortable in my skin. It enriched me and I grew proud of being a Latina.” Jimenez now fully embraces her Latinx identity. “The Latinx community is a beautiful, diverse, and caring community. Be proud of who you are and where you come from.”
“As I grew older, and surrounded myself with other Latinos, I became more comfortable in my skin. It enriched me and I grew proud of being a Latina.” —Samantha Jimenez
Why is it important to celebrate Latinx Heritage Month?
Latinx Heritage Month let’s us recognize all of our achievements as a community. It’s a time to recognize the leaders within our community, our music, our culture, and our history. It’s a month to really show our pride for our heritage.
What achievements from within the Latinx community are you most proud of?
I’m really proud of how Latinos are paving the way for more Latinos to be involved in all levels of government. You see people like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) in Congress and Bronx borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. representing Latinx communities, standing up for fairness in systems, and being fearless about using their voices to help promote change. Also, there’s been a cultural shift in how we’re represented in the entertainment world. Latino music has taken over the globe, with Latino artist becoming part of the mainstream. And, even how we’re represented in TV and films is changing. We used to just be the maid or the criminal on a show, now we’re playing powerful lead characters.
“There’s been a cultural shift in how we’re represented in the entertainment world. We used to just be the maid or the criminal on a show, now we’re playing powerful lead characters.” —Samantha Jimenez
How has the Latinx community personally enriched your life?
One of the things I love most about the Latinx community is how family-oriented we all are. Latinos recognize one another right away—it doesn’t matter what country we come from—it’s like seeing long lost family. When you’re Latino, you can walk into any room and immediately spot the other Latinos in the room.
What have you learned about Latinx culture or history that surprised you?
Before John Jay, the only history of Latin America I knew came from reading In the Time of the Butterflies in high school. At John Jay, I’ve taken LLS courses taught by Professor John Gutierrez, Ph.D., and Professor Isabel Martinez, Ph.D, where I’ve learned so much about Latinx history. I’ve learned about the connection between the Spanish and Arabic language. I also learned about the federal court case of Mendez vs Westminster, where Mexican families fought school segregation in Los Angeles. The case was years before Brown vs Board of Education.
“At John Jay, I’ve taken LLS courses taught by Professor John Gutierrez, Ph.D., and Professor Isabel Martinez, Ph.D, where I’ve learned so much about Latinx history.” —Samantha Jimenez
How do you personally embrace your Latinx culture?
For my family, the way we keep our culture alive is by sharing stories about the past with one another. The tradition for decades has been for all of us to go to my grandmother’s house on the weekend. It’s such a big get together you would think we’re celebrating a holiday. We’ll have coffee, eat, share stories, and have conversations. It really brings us all together and it's always an amazing time. I also share what I’ve learned with my younger cousins. I try to teach them Spanish and I’m introducing them to Latinx authors.
“For my family, the way we keep our culture alive is by sharing stories about the past with one another.” —Samantha Jimenez
If you could meet any Latinx thought leader, visionary artist, educator, politician, cultural icon, or any person in history, who would it be and why?
I actually have three people I would want to meet. The first is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The way she holds her ground, stands up for who and what she believes in, and does its all without fear, is inspiring. My second would be Dominican writer Juilia Alvarez. Her book, In the Time of the Butterflies, inspired me to learn more about Dominican history. I went to visit the Dominican Republic the summer after I read the book and saw the country with new eyes. It made me feel more connected to the history of the Dominican Republic and the country. And, lastly, I’d love to meet music artist Bad Bunny. He’s representing the Latino community worldwide. Recently he performed a free concert, while singing on top of a moving truck traveling through New York City. He started the concert in the Bronx, making his way through Washington Heights and then Harlem where he performed for doctors and nurses in front of Harlem Hospital. The concert immediately became an iconic moment for the Latino community. Bad Bunny could have done this free concert anywhere, but he chose to go to the City’s most underserved communities, and the areas hit hardest by Covid-19. It shows how much he cares about our community and about people.
Finish this sentence: I’m proud of my Latinx heritage because…
I’m proud of my Latinx heritage because it’s my identity. It’s my family’s legacy that I’m carrying on within me. And, it’s a pride I’m passing on to future generations like my younger cousins.
