Enrique Rey was seven when he was told his mother had died. She lost her long battle against liver cancer and the world as he knew it changed forever. Enrique’s dad was an alcoholic and never took care of him. After he lost his mother, he went to live with his...
I strongly believe that it is important for women to not only see other women involved in politics, but to see women in positions of power inside the government. Recently, I had the opportunity to interview a front-runner presidential candidate, Sen. Elizabeth...
The end of the year has a way of stirring things in your memory, from family to heroes, to all kinds of inspiration. I have been inspired by books and by movies, and more importantly, I am always inspired by unique individuals who have struggled and came through to...
Occasionally in our lifetime we read something that touches our hearts. In my case, it was a book written by a renowned American journalist, Sonia Nazario, entitled "Enrique’s Journey." Nazario describes the story of a Honduran boy who travels alone to look for his...
I will never forget the movie “Fields of Dreams” and its popular quote: “build it and they will come." It may sound cliché, but it is true; when you build community, people gravitate toward that community or the persons who make that community great, regardless of...
The best weather to grow peppers is at 80 degrees in the daytime and no less than 55 in the evening. Texas was, and remains, a great place for peppers. Martin Perez knows this because was born and raised in Michoacan, Mexico, and came to work in the Texas pepper...
It may be difficult to imagine a young person feeling the weight of their family's future on their shoulders, but at an immigration hearing when he was 15, that was exactly how Giovani Barrios felt. “I remember being in front of the judge, lawyers and other people...
Grand View University has been a welcoming place for Latinos for a long time, not only for students but also for Latino organizations such as Latina Leadership Initiative, !Al Éxito! and ¿Que Pasa Iowa? to mention a few. So, I was curious to learn more about this...
Iowans are used to the enthusiasm surrounding presidential elections, meeting candidates at house gatherings and asking questions on issues that matter to them. This is a frequent occurrence, a chance that at times may be taken for granted. The chance for many to...
Latino Heritage Month in Iowa can be very special. As a longtime Latina resident in Des Moines, I was thrilled to learn I would interview one of my personal heroes. Watching this tiny, 5-foot-tall woman walk toward me amazed me at how she was able to fight for...
