1 00:00:00,340 --> 00:00:03,230 in elementary school , I did not like 2 00:00:03,230 --> 00:00:06,350 to be separated based on my language 3 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:08,980 proficiency . Yeah , I just like 4 00:00:08,980 --> 00:00:11,260 continue to strive as a kid , I try to 5 00:00:11,260 --> 00:00:14,040 be better at speaking english and 6 00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:16,096 getting out of that like separated , 7 00:00:16,096 --> 00:00:18,207 you know , classroom environment . My 8 00:00:18,207 --> 00:00:20,710 first language was spanish , it didn't 9 00:00:20,710 --> 00:00:22,960 really affect my life too much . I did 10 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:25,127 struggle with a little bit , trying to 11 00:00:25,127 --> 00:00:27,293 balance both english and spanish , but 12 00:00:27,293 --> 00:00:29,071 after a while like right around 13 00:00:29,071 --> 00:00:31,238 kindergarten I picked up on both and I 14 00:00:31,238 --> 00:00:33,349 just took off from there . Originally 15 00:00:33,349 --> 00:00:35,516 my first language was spanish , it not 16 00:00:35,516 --> 00:00:35,170 necessarily affected my life growing up , 17 00:00:35,180 --> 00:00:37,402 but it did affect the fact that some of 18 00:00:37,402 --> 00:00:39,600 the girls in my high school um they 19 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:41,656 spoke more spanish than me because I 20 00:00:41,656 --> 00:00:43,544 was transitioning out to speaking 21 00:00:43,544 --> 00:00:45,711 mainly english . So it kind of made me 22 00:00:45,711 --> 00:00:47,933 feel a little off but I understood what 23 00:00:47,933 --> 00:00:49,933 they were saying but as far as like 24 00:00:49,933 --> 00:00:52,044 speaking it , it just made it made it 25 00:00:52,044 --> 00:00:54,156 feel a little different . My heritage 26 00:00:54,156 --> 00:00:56,100 means everything to me raising the 27 00:00:56,100 --> 00:00:59,590 mexican flag bumping , mexican music 28 00:00:59,590 --> 00:01:02,200 and all that good stuff . I'm proud , I 29 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:04,850 told me right there growing up , I was 30 00:01:04,850 --> 00:01:07,220 taught on our courage commitment from 31 00:01:07,220 --> 00:01:10,170 my family , they practice it within the 32 00:01:10,170 --> 00:01:13,700 culture . So heritage to me means 33 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:16,860 culture , it means ancestors , it means 34 00:01:17,340 --> 00:01:20,300 the whole family regime from start to 35 00:01:20,300 --> 00:01:22,356 finish from the Azteca's because our 36 00:01:22,356 --> 00:01:24,356 heritage is beautiful and I believe 37 00:01:24,356 --> 00:01:26,467 like All of our ancestors are looking 38 00:01:26,467 --> 00:01:28,467 down on us and making sure like hey 39 00:01:28,467 --> 00:01:30,467 you're still going to carry on that 40 00:01:30,467 --> 00:01:32,578 tradition because it's what keeps our 41 00:01:32,578 --> 00:01:34,578 livelihood , it keeps our bloodline 42 00:01:34,578 --> 00:01:36,800 going . It's beautiful . Uh my life has 43 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:38,911 changed dramatically since the Marine 44 00:01:38,911 --> 00:01:41,400 Corps . It's been almost 12 years and 45 00:01:41,410 --> 00:01:43,577 the Marine Corps is my second family . 46 00:01:43,577 --> 00:01:45,521 So aside from my texas family , my 47 00:01:45,521 --> 00:01:48,090 roots , this is my second family . I 48 00:01:48,090 --> 00:01:50,146 love the fact that you can establish 49 00:01:50,146 --> 00:01:51,960 family wherever you go because 50 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:54,182 regardless of where the Marine Corps is 51 00:01:54,182 --> 00:01:56,404 gonna take you , you're always making a 52 00:01:56,404 --> 00:01:58,404 new family and you can put your own 53 00:01:58,404 --> 00:02:00,460 family vibes to everybody else . Our 54 00:02:00,460 --> 00:02:02,349 parents , they came to the United 55 00:02:02,349 --> 00:02:04,571 States of America in search of a better 56 00:02:04,571 --> 00:02:07,060 life , leaving their previous life back 57 00:02:07,060 --> 00:02:10,570 in Mexico . Coming to an area that 58 00:02:10,570 --> 00:02:13,760 they are not familiar with is 59 00:02:13,770 --> 00:02:15,714 definitely a struggle and I saw it 60 00:02:15,714 --> 00:02:17,910 growing up and I want to be able to 61 00:02:17,910 --> 00:02:21,490 show through my service the , it wasn't 62 00:02:21,490 --> 00:02:25,240 for granted mexican 63 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,940 a story or rosa mexicano . I am proud 64 00:02:28,950 --> 00:02:30,820 to be Mexicana Para cm 65 00:02:30,820 --> 00:02:33,360 break