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In 1981, at just 17 years old, I decided I wanted to go into the Army National Guard Military Police Unit located in my hometown. I remember going to my parents and telling them I wanted to join and serve my country. My father, a Korean War veteran, was very proud  I decided to take control of my life and was honored that I wanted to follow in his footsteps and join the Army. Both of my parents had to sign for me to go because I had not turned 18 years old yet.  The training and discipline instilled in me at …

One thing that I always try to teach my children is that although we are American, understanding our heritage gives us an idea of how our ancestors lived and how and why our traditions came to be. I believe it is very important to learn our culture and where we came from, especially from a familial perspective. Understanding where we came from allows us to share how things came to be–through necessity or through old traditions and beliefs. I learned at an early age to participate in cultural activities because it creates a bond that we all share. Here are …

You can’t talk about Peru without talking about our food. Recognized as one of the best gastronomic destinations in the world, our cuisine has contributed to the growth of social development in our country in the last decades. In the last few years, world known chefs, award winning restaurants, hundreds of community events, new cooking schools, and a whole new perception on how our food represents our culture have been created. Our cooking scene is one that is constantly evolving, while always maintaining the traditional flavors and ingredients. Chefs have brought to our attention the faces of every person involved …

This month is Hispanic heritage month and I‘d like to talk about the amazing country my family is from, Chile. Chile is located between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. It’s the long strip that borders “The strait of Magellan” on one end and the Andes Mountains on the other in South America. Culture In the arts world, Chile is known for its incredible literary tradition. Some of the world’s most widely acclaimed poets came from Chile, including Nobel Prize winners Gabriela Mistral and Pablo Neruda. The poetry scene in Chile is also a major venue for Mapuche artists, who often work …

I have always believed the true sign of a wealthy person is not how large their bank account is, but by the amount of love one has with their family and friends. I come from a proud Hispanic family. My parents worked very hard to ensure that my siblings and I never went without. More importantly, they made sure that we always bonded in making life long memories with each other. I have three brothers and two sisters spread across the state of Texas. Our lives can get pretty busy with everything we have going on– from school, work, and …

Balance: an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady. With more and more moms in the workforce, there is naturally a ton of buzz around attaining the seemingly impossible notion of a work-life balance. I am one of those moms. A working mom to two sweet boys, an almost 3-year-old toddler, Jackson, and an 8-month-old tornado, Rhett. Managing the workload of a career, family responsibilities, friendships, and carving out time for my own self-interests can be at times… daunting. Although this sort of juggling act requires energy, time, dedication, and attention, it’s important to …

“I don’t run. If you see me run, you too should start running because something is probably chasing me,” was something I always said when my friends would ask me if I wanted to go for a run or participate in a 5K road race. Running was not part of my routine life and I was completely okay living my best life without running in the picture. Then came my late-20s-approaching-30s where I found myself gaining weight and feeling uncomfortable in my own skin. My normal routine of lifting weights and dog walking were not helping me sustain the healthy …

*Content may be upsetting to some. Please read with caution. I opened a can of biscuits, all by myself!! Doesn’t sound like a big accomplishment, does it?  To almost 8 million Americans, that simple task could have meant DAYS in the protection of a dark room on high alert. Seems crazy, right?  My name is Bridget and I live with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).  Here’s my story and what I want the world to know… I am a survivor. Make no mistakes, I spent 23 years as a victim living in disgrace, ashamed of what I had been through, …

Pride is defined by Dictionary.com as confidence and self-respect as expressed by members of a group, typically one that has been socially marginalized, on the basis of their shared identity, culture, and experience. Pride to me is a sense of freedom and expression, much like our constitutional right and first amendment: Freedom of Speech. It took me some time to understand the power of pride, being that I “came out” at the age of 16. However, after experiencing my first Pride Parade that same year, it really hit home. These people, my people, celebrating all day and night about Love. …

Deciding to live a healthy lifestyle and to “get fit” is a great decision to be sure. However, turning that decision into a reality is about much more than that. It’s about making the right decision hundreds of times throughout the week when presented with the choice between the easy way and the right way. Should I be disciplined when the alarm goes off at 5:30 AM when I don’t feel like it… Or will I hit the snooze button and regret the decision later? Should I get the waffle fries or the fruit? Soda or water? Keep running or …