As a proud Hispanic-Serving Institution, and in honor of Latinx Heritage Month, John Jay College is recognizing the vital contributions Latinx people have made to our country and our society through a series of events, web articles, and special features on our YouTube page. In our “Latinx Celebration” article series, we’re connecting with our Latinx students, faculty, staff, and alumni, and learning more about their experiences, identities, traditions, and hopes for the future.

Graduating senior Serena Astudillo ’22, a Political Science major and proud Colombian and Puerto Rican, can confidently hold her own in a room of elected officials. As part of the ¡Adelante! Latinx Leadership Program, she helped lead several panel discussions with Latinx leaders, like New York City Councilwoman Carlina Rivera, New York State Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz ’05, and U.S. Congressman Adriano Espaillat. For Astudillo, those moments of interaction were inspiring and allowed her to see the kind of real-world impact she could have on the Latinx community in the future. “When you’re in a room speaking with someone who is in office or in a position of power, and they look like you, sound like you, or have a similar story to yours, that’s incredibly empowering,” says Astudillo, who hopes to one day become a lawyer and eventually a Supreme Court Justice. “I want to see more Latinx and queer people in our political spaces. We need different voices and points of view in the room to help create the change needed to uplift our communities. Policymakers need to look like the demographic of this country. I hope to one day be in the room creating that positive change.” We chatted with Astudillo to learn more about her Latinx pride and hopes for the future.

Tell us a little bit about your upbringing. Where did you grow up and what are some of your fondest memories growing up there?
I like to say I’m from all of New York. I was born in Brooklyn, lived in the Bronx for a bit, now I live in Queens, and I’ve always gone to school in the City. I’m proud of my upbringing because I’ve always been surrounded by Latinx culture—the music, the art, and the food—and it’s enriched my life. What’s funny is that growing up, I thought everyone was Latinx and ate rice and beans for dinner every day like me. It wasn’t until middle school and high school that I realized different cultures exist and rice and beans isn’t the norm for everyone.

Did John Jay being a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) have an impact on your decision to come to the College?
I actually didn’t know about John Jay being an HSI until I got to the College. When I first stepped foot on campus, I saw how diverse the student body was and that just blew me away. The large Latinx population at John Jay really helped with my transition to a college environment because it felt familiar, like I was coming home.

For Latinx students, so many of us are first-generation college students, and we’re coming into the college environment with no guidance whatsoever. I have friends who went off to predominantly white institutions, and they told me how lost and picked on they felt. They just couldn’t relate or go to any one, and that ruined their academic experience. Knowing that I was having the complete opposite experience at John Jay made me appreciate being at the College even more. There’s a real sense of community and belonging here; there are resources everywhere you turn and support whenever you need it. When you come into an environment like John Jay, where your peers come from similar backgrounds, it helps alleviate a lot of the stress you’re feeling, it enables you to deal with imposter syndrome, and it makes it so much easier to make friends.

Can you describe the positive impact being part of the ¡Adelante! Latinx Leadership Program had on you?
Being part of the ¡Adelante! program provided me with so many opportunities to learn about leadership, build connections, boost my self-confidence, and create lifelong friendships. I was able to take part in so many events, meet Latinx leaders—on the local and national level—and work with other departments at the College to shine a light on our Latinx community. During my time at ¡Adelante! I was a peer success coach and had a chance to work with the Hispanic Federation, a nonprofit organization that empowers the Latinx community through legislation and education.

I learned how to be a leader in the ¡Adelante! program because I was surrounded by leaders who looked like me. It helped shape who I am today and allowed me to envision all that I can be in the future. Because of ¡Adelante! I know I’m going to go to law school, become a lawyer, and one day a Supreme Court Justice.

How do you embrace your Latinx heritage during Latinx Heritage month and throughout the year?
I try to frequent and purchase from small, Latinx-owned businesses. I’m watching where I put my money because I want to help support these small businesses succeed. I know from personal experience how much they give to the community, the value they bring to these neighborhoods. My family owns a restaurant in Manhattan, the Chelsea area, and they’re helping to bring the Latinx culture and food to the community. That’s why it’s so important for me to really show my support.

In your John Jay courses, what have you learned about Latinx culture or history that impressed you, surprised you, or made you think deeper?
I’ve always loved art. I draw and paint and I took a Latin American Art History class at John Jay that really opened my eyes to all the Latinx artists that we don’t know about. Most know of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, but that’s about it. In this class we went into the art of different countries, the different styles, and how the culture influenced the art and vice versa. Even today, Latinx artist are having an impact in their local communities—like Colombia’s Doris Salcedo whose art really makes a statement—but outside of it they go unnoticed because they don’t fit into what the mainstream considers the “norm.”

What are your biggest hopes for the Latinx community?
I want to see more Latinx people in positions of power, especially in our legal, judicial, political, and leadership spaces. I feel that there are so many different subgroups who go unheard and unsupported. If we don’t have those different point of views coming in, providing input, and pitching their ideas, things won’t change.

Finish this sentence: I’m proud to be Latinx because…
I’m proud to be Latinx because our culture is so beautiful, and our people are naturally driven to push forward. For me, that drive to keep going and do right by the community, inspires me to always strive for excellence. I’m proud of my community and want to empower it, that’s why I don’t mind being the first Latinx person in any room because me being in the room means that I can help open the doors for those coming up behind me.