I love being Latina because I work with people who don't speak a lick of spanish and they don't understand me. I feel like I can be in my own little world. I also love Latin culture and traditions. I think we are very "Special". Nautica

Being a Latina comes from within the heart. It is the way I carry myself in any given situation and people know that I am indeed a true Latina. It is that richness in my smile, the look in my eyes and the verbal communication I openly share with everyone. Being Latina is about culture: our country of birth, our cultural roots, our interest in religion, the exquisite food, our passion for music and the arts, the unity in our family and being able to speak and write the Spanish language many want to learn. I have pride in my culture and have learned to represent all the educated Latina's. A Latina is what I represent from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet.

Honestly being latina is not just something that iam,but it is somethig that i carry within me and in my presence wherever i go! It's extremely simple to say that your latin, but unless you exemplify all of the character traits that a latin individual demonstrates then you are not really living up to the name. Us latina women carry a strenght that that is far beyond imaginable! Obstacles can be thrown our way, but somehow we manage to overcome these hurdles and we always remain to see another day. There is nothing that we cannot surpass. Being brought up in such an auwesome latin family is also a major factor in why i luv my culture.It just makes me want to shout to the world of how PROUD iam to be LATINA. Aside from all of this good stuff that we carry we are also some ridiculously good looking, charasmatic and independent women that absolutly have no limits in life and in whatever it is that we do. Much Thanks! Janet from Cali!!!!!!!

I love being Latina because.....I can talk really loud and it's expected cuz I'm Latina....what other culture names their dance styles after food; salsa and merengue!.....of course being gordita and Cubana is not such a bad thing, a little bit of curviness is always encouraged!! And then of course there's my mom. She was my everything, the one who showed me what it is to be Latina although to her it was just how she lived every day of her life. Coming from Cuba with my dad and my two sisters and then raising me, the "americana" (made in America with Cuban parts!). Working hard day and night for the sometimes elusive "American Dream". The countless people that she helped by hiring them to clean at the company she worked at so they could start a new life in this country. She always had her hair done, nails done, rarely ever wore jeans, never wore sneakers. She knew how to fix any problem I had no matter how bad I thought it was with that Latina charm and intellect! Always greeting everyone with a kiss and a hug and called people "sweetheart" with a thick Cuban accent when talking to someone in English. People always in and out of our house whether it was the parties with close friends that was a ritual for us almost every weekend while I grew up, or someone just coming to visit and having a cup of the neverending cup of cuban coffee that came out of our kitchen. Making sure I never forgot Spanish by telling me she didn't understand me when I spoke to her in English although she could. She's been gone since 2004, and I wish she was still around to be a role model to my son and especially my daughter. Pero le doy gracias a Dios that I had her for as long as I did to teach me that not only is carrying on your cultural traditions and not forgetting the language a way of being proud to be Latina, but it's an attitude and a way of life that is woven into each and every little girl's hearts by their beautiful and strong mami's.

I love being Latina because no matter what color our skin is or where we're from, we are all beautiful. Our language is musical and colorful, our music is diverse and beautiful, our culture focuses on vibrancy and happiness. We are strong, we are intense, we are determined, we radiate inner and outer beauty. We are fearless; we show the rest of the world that we are proud of our curves when most others glorify being too skinny. We not only run households, but we run businesses, and we show ourselves just the way we are and make no apologies. Determination, beauty, fearlessness, courage, diversity are just many of the positive attributes I can make as to why I love being Latina.