Isabel Rios-Pulgar
Were there any challenges that you faced when you came to America?
“I remember when I was in New Jersey, when I was younger, my parents and I were speaking in Spanish. We received the stereotypical, ‘This is America. Speak English,’ comment and my dad turned around and said, ‘Shut the hell up.’ Other than that, I have been blessed with less discrimination than other people, because I was able to live in a very Hispanic community.”
How do you think your family’s background has impacted your identity?
“Well, the first thing that came to mind was the spirit of perseverance. My parents tried to instill that in my little and older brother and me - you should work hard for everything that you get. And when I came to Hopkins, it’s also the spirit of family and community. This idea is super prevalent in every culture, but in Hispanic culture, putting family first is important. Not only with blood-related family. Everyone in Doral is considered my family, so coming to Hopkins was a good example of that.”
What are your thoughts on the current President?
“I don’t know where to begin. This is my personal, genuine opinion. The whole DREAMer situation was a lot, especially since a lot of people from my community are DREAMers. To have the President push that aside and forget about it, like…can you please, sir? Lives are on the line, sir. I relate to people that say they don’t have anything at ‘home,’ because the United States is their home. I relate to that, even though I immigrated here legally. I think the political climate is doing exactly what it shouldn’t be doing, and that’s letting people’s differences push them apart instead of pulling people together. It still gives me a glimmer of hope when I see people go out to protests.”
