My name is Damaris Vega. I’ve always identified myself as a Latina, Its always been important that I correct someone not rudely by how to pronounce my name, that they know that I’m Puerto Rican, 100%,  my children are mixed, but I always make sure that is all also very very well connected to their culture.
            Well… they love all the music, I play it all the time, shows, spanish shows. I show them stuff from my childhood, a Spanish song that reminds me of something, or a movie that that was about our culture and that reminded them of something. Education, and Puerto Rico’s history, the Taino Indians, the African decents in our culture, they’re half black so I like to kind of you know bring it all up around full cycle with the fact that our ancestors are all one. So I always just kind of did the same thing that my father always did with me.

My father always found it important for whatever trips you would take to be kind of educational, teaching us, you know, something about the area so like Washington DC was actually almost became like a regular trip annualy.
So I love learning things. So I always share with them. If I learn something I am sharing with them and I was born on the island but I was raised here so it’s always been a struggle for me to stay connected anyways. I was always nosy I always wanted to know… who is a well-known, the politics, all of that stuff so then I’ll do the same thing with my children so that they can always always always always be able to have a conversation with another Latino and be able to reference that are related to us.
You know ever need someone Spanish or you go to a Spanish house there’s always a plate of food offered to you,  always a place for you to rest your head, it’s just something that in our culture, it’s always been something that comes like second nature and as an adult, my household, my children have always always known that our home is always been open to anyone and we’ve taken in several people and you know we would feed the homeless all the time or next door neighbor who didn’t have a wife anymore. That makes me proud about our culture.
            The Hispanic organization American organization HAO I remember going there and them helping with a security deposit for an apartment. I remember now going to food banks to feed the children, but I’ve always remains confidential, strong, I am always always always looking to better, evolve, what can I do better? stick to my dreams. I always knew that I would go back to broadcasting  and I always knew that I had a greater purpose, but it was just a matter of getting through whatever was in my path to get to it so I’m proud about to being that strong person that my daughters could look up to and hope to be and they make me proud. I have a daughter who’s done great for herself and for my son to know you know that women are strong and that women can bring something to the table as well.