The Latino community has been a driving force in shaping the cultural, social, and economic fabric of the United States. Our strength, resilience, and contributions continue to confront challenges such as economic inequality and underrepresentation in politics and media outlets. However, these changes could be made by empowering Latinos to explore higher opportunities, leading to a more inclusive society.

Past films portrayed Latinos as the lower class by casting them as maids and bus servers, to name a few, and not giving them a more visible role. Until the movie “Real Women Have Curves” (2002), the main protagonist lived with her immigrant family in Los Angeles. She is determined to break free from the stereotypes associated with Latinos and be the first person in her family to attend college. Although this was an independent film, it did not get all the accolades it should have. Not long after, they created a Musical to mimic the movie running nationwide.

In 2023, we saw two true stories about Latinos rising to the top, with the first Latino going into space, A Million Miles Away (2023). The Latino who created Hot Cheetos started as the janitor at Frito-Lays, introduced his idea, and then rose to become the top executive for the company, Flamin’ Hot (2023), both of which went right to streaming services. These two great movies highlight the positive strides we Latinos have made, evolving from being portrayed as lower-class to featuring Latinos as pioneers.

We are still far from gaining recognition for our community due to inadequate promotion and limited viability. To achieve this, we need representation from leaders and those in the spotlight with high levels of visibility in many communities who take a stance and advocate for inclusion rather than exclusion for the Latino community. 

The vision for the Latino community reflects our current reality as we strive to reimagine what is possible. We must support policies that assist the working class, demand fair representation, and create opportunities for future generations. While we have progressed in media, storytelling, and activism, systemic barriers persist in education, political influence, and a cultural shift toward full inclusion. Achieving this will require systemic reforms and technological advancements to empower the Latino community to drive change. Latinos have a rich history of activism, from immigration rights to labor movements, and recognizing our accomplishments in those areas is a powerful reminder of what we have to look forward to in the future.

While it’s important for our stories to be heard, it’s also important to have them told by those who know our culture and who live in the community instead of having someone who might not know the culture incorrectly represent us. We need more authenticity and accuracy in the media and social outlets to ensure we are being described as a thriving community. As we continue sharing our stories, engaging in community initiatives, and creatively addressing these challenges, we must continue building cultural strength and envisioning future possibilities in our schools and neighborhoods.

I will end the course by saying that if you have not had the opportunity to see any of these movies, watch them; you will not be disappointed.

With the millions of Latinos in this country, we are still misrepresented in the media. We are seen as uneducated or unintelligent and face scrutiny on social platforms, putting us in a lower category, but you couldn’t be more wrong. However, I wondered if this could be due to only 53% of those who graduated from an accredited 4-year college. This is why we need more education and support on social platforms to encourage those in the Latino community.

This is why I would like to talk about my sister and how much of an inspiration she has been to my family and her community. Over the years, she has pushed her way to the top as a Latina woman. During her time, it was not known that women with excellent knowledge and strides in Math and Science, which are predominantly men’s fields, broke down barriers many might not see as an accomplishment regarding where she started and where she is in her career.

My sister grew up when women attended college, graduated, or started families, while some began their families right after high school. However, she had bigger dreams for herself. While in college, she thought she wanted to be a veterinarian, so she worked at a veterinary hospital. However, after graduating, she realized it wasn’t her true dream, so she returned to school to pursue her master’s in engineering.

After completing her master’s degree, she began working for an aerospace company, handling classified information for the government. As one of only two women in her workplace, she faced significant criticism as a woman in science. She then earned her PhD and continued her career in aerospace. Her contributions became well recognized, leading to an offer to work on a contract with NASA in Florida and Huntsville, Alabama. A year later, she received a job offer from NASA, where she would work on the Space Shuttle Atlantis.

Only 13% of women work as aerospace engineers, and merely 3% are Latina. She is one of the three percent striving to make a difference in the Latino community and remains dedicated to increasing this percentage. She has collaborated with the Society of Women Engineers and the Latina in STEM program to guide and support young girls interested in engineering and science.

She now travels around the country, speaking at middle and high schools about the importance of increasing the number of women in engineering and science. For those interested, she helps them navigate by getting involved in programs in their community, joining clubs in school, and possibly joining a STEM group if one is available at their school. Since the start of her journey, she has been able to send eight girls who might not have otherwise had the chance to experience Space Camp in Huntsville, AL, on their own.

Despite facing numerous challenges, the Latino community continues to strive for equal representation and opportunities within the educational system while working to eliminate harmful stereotypes and foster a more inclusive environment. Although I don’t feel this affects me personally, as I have received strong guidance from my family, I believe many individuals in the Latin community could benefit from proper guidance and education to help promote a more inclusive narrative. 

https://www.latinasinstem.com

How Many Latinos Graduate College?

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Vaccines and Autism

For many years, we have been hearing both the positives and negatives regarding the connection between vaccines and autism. The controversy stems from a publication by Andrew Wakefield, an anti-vaccination activist. In 1989, he published a paper suggesting that the MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccine was linked to autism in children, which was ultimately false information that led to the revocation of his medical license. Following the release of his publication, many parents began to think it might not be wise to vaccinate their children, fearing it could lead to autism.

The implications of this false publication had instilled fear in many parents, leading them to decide against vaccinating their children, thereby putting them at risk of contracting measles. Measles was a significant issue in 2008 and 2009 in the UK, USA, and Canada, attributed to unvaccinated children. This situation was particularly concerning to doctors, as they observed unvaccinated children falling ill, which could’ve led to a pandemic during that time.

I know about the scarcity of vaccinated children because it has been a topic in my family. When my older brother had his first child, he and his wife were opposed to vaccinating their son to protect him from autism, as she had been hearing such concerns from others. However, this decision meant he could not attend the available traditional preschools because he was unvaccinated. After doing their research and with support from their pediatrician, she reassured them and suggested that my nephew receive his vaccinations in waves rather than all at once.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as many other health organizations worldwide, issued statements and documentation stating that there is no connection between vaccines and Autism. They did this by having thousands of children worldwide tested and studied extensively, and they found no connection between the two. The American Academy of Pediatrics was given guidelines on talking to parents concerned about getting their children the MMR vaccine. They had to do some damage control and release the false findings that Wakefield had stated and that he and his colleagues were incorrect in their conclusions. They went as far as the court, revoking his license and publication.

Many parents still believe there is a connection between the two and have chosen not to vaccinate their children, leading to a decline in the percentage of vaccinated children in 2021. However, many parents are choosing to vaccinate their children, aided by education from the CDC, which has implemented guidelines and extended vaccination shots to the age of three, allowing the child’s body to acclimate. Some states do not require children to receive the vaccine to enter school. Many childcare facilities and schools will not admit children until vaccinated, increasing vaccination rates. I believe this discussion will not have a completion date due to the parent’s right to protect their children.

References:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3136032

https://www.chop.edu/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-safety/vaccines-and-other-conditions/autism

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(97)11096-0/fulltext

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/childhood-vaccines/childhood-vaccine-uptake-continues-decline-while-exemptions-reach-record-high#:~:text=Coverage%20of%20each%20vaccine%20falls,DTaP%20to%2092.7%25%20for%20MMR.

At 5:30 a.m., I Woke up and turned the alarm on my phone. I quickly scrolled through the notifications on my phone to see if anything was necessary to read. I then got ready for work, made coffee and breakfast, sat on the couch, and watched the news to see what was happening with the tragic incident with the airplane and helicopter crash in the Potomac River.

I arrived at work at 7:30 a.m. and checked my email. Knowing I would be working half a day, I logged onto Zillow to see if there were any new listings I could show my clients in the afternoon.  

At 9:42 a.m., I checked my email and noticed Zillow had already sent me two emails with homes in the area I was looking at. Knowing they might be potential houses for my client, I looked at both, then discovered they would not work.

At 12:32 p.m., I left one job and entered another, where I got on the computer and started looking for a home again in the area. I have a tenancy to log onto Zillow and then go to Metrolist to see homes that have been on the market for a bit but do not show up as they do on Zillow.

At 4:00 p.m., I met with my clients to show them a townhome in their target area. When I found it was not what they were looking for, I headed to Zillow, as it’s a better resource than any other home site, to find another house. I checked Metrolist to make sure it was still available. We then went to look at a couple of them.

When I got home at 8:00 p.m., I went back online to Zillow and Metrolist to see if there were any new listings. I then spoke with a colleague who told me to check Realtor.com. They have some of the same listings but don’t track your clicks as much as Zillow.

At 9:30 p.m., I went onto TikTok to see what other RE agents were talking about regarding pricing, interest rates, and what was selling and not selling in the area. The one thing I can count on with TikTok is that they are good at following your algorithms, and I find I get more of the information I am looking for, not only for myself but also for my clients.

It is now 10:30 p.m., and I’m winding down for the night when I am shocked to find out on X there’s been another plane crash in Philadelphia. This makes me wonder why I didn’t see it on my notifications, but then, surprisingly, there it is. I was too busy looking at other things to notice this tragic event.

It’s 7:00 a.m., and it’s now the weekend. I find myself checking my Instagram and then my personal and professional email. I found 13 listings waiting in my email, both new and past ones I have viewed.

This 24-hour experiment is an excellent example of how important it is to protect your privacy on social platforms, and it is pretty concerning when my name is out there. Anyone can find out information about me and my personal life, so I lock down my platforms. The downside to having a professional platform with limited privacy is that it makes it easy to know where the ads, promotions, junk, calls, and texts come from. During COVID, I put a house I was selling on social media. I received 30 DMs from people wanting to marry me and other crazy information that had nothing to do with the house I was selling. It was an eye-opening experience knowing my data was going into different countries and they were the ones who were responding to my Marketing Ad on Facebook. It was then I knew how important it was to make sure you are protecting yourself and your privacy, especially on your platforms.

My 24-hour Social Media Life

6:00 am – Wake up by an alarm, scan through notifications, then check texts.

6:40 am—After getting ready for work, I sat on the couch with my coffee and breakfast and turned on the news to see the status of the fires in the area. I then opened Peacock to watch

7:45 am – Checked my email at work.

8:15 am—I went onto YouTube to find videos on interviewing to present to my high school students. I was late getting this done, so I had to scroll through around 20 videos to find the appropriate one.

9:00 am – I logged into Zoom for my weekly meeting with other colleagues in the district.  

9:48 am—I was bored in my Zoom meeting, so I scrolled through Instagram, reading articles that honestly made no sense. I often wonder how these news reports on social media are able to get away with posting articles where the headline makes no sense. I know it’s a click-bait for the social user.

10:16 am Still bored, I scrolled through TikTok until the meeting ended at 11 am.

1:00 pm Returned from the classroom and lunch and opened Google Mail to see if there were any important emails.

3:00 pm—I returned to my desk after my presentation, checked my email, and then scrolled through Instagram to pass the time before heading home. For some reason, watching cooking ideas seems to be where my algorithms point.

3:30 pm—My brother called to tell me about a show he has been watching that I should check out: Land Man.

4:00 pm—I got home and turned on the Television to watch something while I cooked dinner. After cooking, I sat on the couch and ate dinner while watching Netflix.

At 6:00 p.m., a friend called to ask me to come to his house to watch the basketball game.

8:00 pm: We were talking about Land Man, and he stated he had already seen it but would watch it again if everyone wanted to, so we turned on Paramount + and watched one episode. We talked a bit later and went home.

 At 8:45 pm, I went onto the computer to do some homework.

11 20 pm I got ready for bed, grabbed my phone and scrolled through Instagram and TikTok until midnight when I finally went to bed.

6:00 a.m.: I woke up, turned off my alarm, and looked at my notifications and texts. I prepared breakfast and coffee and headed to the couch to watch the news.

While reading my notes and writing this blog, I spend too much time on social media during the day when I have downtime when, in fact, I should be doing something more productive. Most social platforms are misleading and should not be taken too seriously, but if I were to select one of them, it would have to be the news in the morning, although they, too, have been a little misleading in what they show on the news, for the most part, they are pretty accurate with their information.

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