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In this presentation, I will discuss several cultural influences that have shaped me into the person I am today.

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"It smelled like a wet dog, and I hoped that whatever was around my foot was just grass, not insects. I yelled at the top of my lungs, but my mother was across the field. I looked to my right and left, searching for anything I could grab to get out of there. Wearing long sleeves and a big hat hanging around my neck did not help. I kept thinking, "How did I not see the ditch right before me?" I grabbed a big, white pole above me and got out of the ditch. Dirty water soaked more than half of my body, which smelled like fish, and all the blueberries I had picked were floating in it. As if the drainage ditch within the fields smelled bad was not bad enough; sweat soaked the bandana on my forehead. Despite wearing multiple long-sleeved shirts, I could feel the sun's rays stinging my back." -Yanneli Bustos.

I was twelve-years-old years old when I began working in the excruciating hot fields of Bangor, Michigan, with my parents. Although my siblings started at a younger age, I got a taste of what it was like to pick blueberries. I never spoke about my experiences as a migrant farm worker until I received an award for the Albert Lee Wright Jr. National Memorial Migrant scholarship. Part of me felt ashamed of my culture and did not understand the dedication and work ethic that produced within me. Although I may sound like a broken record today, I am proud to say I was a migrant farm worker who helped provide for her family. The image above represents a young girl full of ambition and joy.

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Within a Hispanic culture, there are several gender roles passed on through generations. However, my parents followed them to a certain extent. One crucial value instilled in our family is getting an education. Being a migrant farm worker taught my siblings and me about hard work, ambition, and sacrifice.

My name is Yanneli Bustos, and I am a first-generation Latinx migrant student. I am twenty-three years old, and I began my third year as an elementary school teacher who is pursuing a master's degree in Professional School Counseling. Parental support is a societal factor that plays a role in Latinx women who seek an education. "Cuando me vean volar recuerden que ustedes me pintaron las alas" [When you see me fly, remember: you are the ones that painted on my wings] is a saying on graduation cap that represents gratitude towards my family for their unconditional love and support. Allow me to introduce significant cultural influences that have shaped me into the person I am today.

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Growing up, I lived in a single-family household in a preeminent urban area known as Pharr in El Valle del Rio Bravo [Rio Grande Valley], Texas. This home has several memories, from running around the house playing tag to our weekly carne asadas [cookouts] and watching the football games on Sunday evenings. My family migrated to Michigan or Arkansas in the summer, but as soon as school started, we would return home. They continued supporting our education and ensured my siblings and I would not fall behind due to working.

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My parents raised our siblings and me in a strict catholic household which meant completing all sacraments and attending Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) classes on Wednesdays or Saturdays, leaving Sundays specifically for Church Masses. Although I spent my whole life surrounded by virgencitas [Virgin Mary] and other saints, including pendants on my necklaces or images around the house, my faith in the Catholic religion decreased as I got older. Part of me will always state I am Catholic by association with my culture, but there are several norms within the Catholic religion that I'm afraid I have to disagree with or understand. However, I will not dismiss that the Catholic religion taught me morals as a child, and although I may conflict with the Catholic religion, my faith in God has never let me down. The image above represents the hostia [communion bread] that members of the religion take every Sunday during mass only if they have asked for forgiveness for their sins. This symbol influenced who I am today as it helped me stay out of trouble growing up.

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After mass, Sundays were meant to spend time with family and visit grandparents. Before I was born, three of my grandparents past away. Therefore, my relationship with my only grandmother was solid, and she laid the foundation for my family. In our culture, grandparents are wise and respected by their family. Everyone gathers for their birthdays or anything related to them. It may be one of the events where one may see all of the family in one place, similar to a wedding or a quinceañera [XV]. My grandmother, Dolores, passed away in June of 2018, and since then, I have not seen my family from my mom's side. An important note in Hispanic culture is always to treat elders with respect. The image above represents my grandmother's last birthday celebration. Despite the amount of pain she endured throughout the years, there was always a smile on her face. It reminds me to keep pushing through life and find joy in unexpected events.

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In Latinx culture, a woman has several important milestones, including her baptism, quinceañera [XV], and wedding, which are part of the seven sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church. The celebrations contain several traditions passed on through generations. For example: in baptism, the majority will dress their children to impress, filled with detailed embroidery, followed by a party to welcome the child to the Catholic Religion. The image above portrays a road ahead, symbolizing no specific "right" way to achieve the milestone.

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There are several traditions within a quinceañera [XV]; for example, the quinceañera will change her tennis shoes into heels to symbolize becoming a woman. The daughter and father will begin the ceremony with their father-daughter dance while he gives her the ultima muñeca [last doll] to represent her childhood. The image above represents me from my quinceañera. Traditionally a quinceañera [XV] is a ceremony to present their daughter to womanhood and prepare them for marriage. However, in my family, my mother explained how I would know to become a woman who would have the opportunity to dictate who I want to become in life. My mother always told me, "echale muchas ganas" [always keep pushing], and her saying will resonate with me forever.

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Moreover, a wedding contains several detailed traditions. An example includes padrinos and madrinos [godparents] who sponsor part of the wedding and are privileged to do so. At the wedding, there are three components, the mass, the ceremony, and the tornaboda [after-party]. Within both a quinceañera [XV] and a wedding, there is a padrino [godparent] that hosts a regalo de sorpresa [surprise gift] to serve as a reminder that life is full of surprises that one can learn from at any time. The image represents an example of a wedding. Although I am not married and have technically not followed the cultural norms since I live with my boyfriend and our four huskies, I have faith that there is no right or wrong way to live. Every timeline is different for each person.

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In Hispanic culture, las fiestas [parties] are a vital component of celebrations. Often, a child's birthdays are more for adults than children. My family celebrates all holidays yearly, filled with beautiful music and dancing. There are a variety of genres played throughout a party. My favorite traditions as a young girl include pidiendo posadas [the Inns] that is a traditional festival that takes place nine nights leading to Christmas, where we have tamales, muñuelos, pozole, piñatas, ponche navideno [Mexican Christmas fruit punch] and posada litany [carols]. The video attached represents a posada in Guadalcazar, San Luis Potosi, Mexico. It was a beautiful night spent with family, consisting of laughter, singing, and enjoying each other's company. Another important holiday is El Día de Los Muertos [the Day of the Dead], where we reunite as a family to celebrate the life of our deceased relatives. My grandmother explained to us how the gates of heaven on October 31 and the spirits of young children pass through the gates on November 1 and adults on November 2. My family creates an altar in memory of our relatives who have passed away.

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Hispanic culture has several customs, but the most important ones practiced in my family include appropriate greetings and respect. For example, greeting all members with a hug and kiss on the cheek when arriving at an event is crucial. When leaving the event, one has to say goodbye to every member as well as a form of respect. The image represents an example of how to greet someone. Greetings influenced me as a person to acknowledge every person in the room and ensure no one leaves anyone out in conversations. In my culture, my family demonstrates affection through several love languages. The men in my family tend to show less appreciation through words of wisdom but instead, show their respect through gifts. The women in my family tend to show their affection through acts of service. I have never heard my dad say, "I love you" or "I am proud of you," but I have seen his affection through small gifts such as "I saw this Tupperware, and I bought it for you to use for lunch." Although it may hurt not to hear words of wisdom, I know he cares through his small tokens of action. In terms of public display of affection in Hispanic culture, it tends to be more reserved for behind closed doors than in front of family, unless it is the bride and groom at their wedding.

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I am twenty-three years old, and as per my culture, I have only completed two of the most important milestones. Upon graduation, my parents expected me to return home and stay until I got married. However, my boyfriend and I had different plans in mind. Through hard work and sacrifice, we had the opportunity to build our first home. It was a beautiful, stressful, but rewarding experience. It was a difficult conversation with our parents as it is not customary to move out of the house before marriage, especially for Latinx women. My parents came on board through tough conversations and reflection and supported my decision. Growing up, I realized there is machismo [toxic masculinity] within Hispanic culture; however, throughout the years, we have been breaking generational cycles to advocate for both Latinx women and men. The image above represents how I plan to continue breaking gender roles and promoting mental health awareness for everyone. It is a custom I hope to instill in my children's lives one day. There are many more important milestones in a woman's life, and it is okay for men to show affection and emotions or even seek professional help. Our culture is beautiful and full of delicious foods and music to dance to, and provides a solid family foundation. Although I may disagree with some norms, I hope to continue practicing my culture and never lose sight of where I come from and who I am.