Communicate 2016 spreads1

com(m)unícateVolume 3 | Fall 2015-Spring 2016
revised Communicate 2016.indd 1 4/15/2016 7:42:40 PM

RealidadesThe state of things, as they actually exist, rather
than as they may appear or might be imagined
in regards to Latin America and the Hispanic
millenial experience in the U.S.
COM(M)UNÍCATE
EDITORIAL BOARD
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Carolina Chau
CO-EDITOR
Maria Espinoza
LAYOUT EDITOR
Fernanda Martinez
Briana Lirio
PRESIDENT
Amaury Sablon & Greter Gonzalez
VICE PRESIDENT
Zalome Briceño
TREASURER
Robert Lemus
SECRETARY
Nicole Parra & Carolina Chau
DIRECTORS OF MARKETING
Natalia Arteaga
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
HISPANIC COMMUNICATORS
ASSOCIATION
MONICA MORENO
FACULTY ADVISOR
Jordan Fulkerson & Anayansy Hernandez
DIRECTORS OF SOCIAL MEDIA
PHOTO BY: MARIA ESPINOZA
revised Communicate 2016.indd 2-3 4/15/2016 7:42:41 PM

MESSAGE
FROM THE EDITORS
CONTENT
REFERÉNDUM CONSTITUCIONAL DE BOLIVIA
SOFIA COSTAS
EL SUFRIMIENTO DEL CUBANO
MARIA ESPINOZA
AN OPEN LETTER FROM AN IMMIGRANT
ALFREDO RAMIREZ
THE IMAGERY OF SOUND
SAUL TUFINO-ESCALANTE
CROSSING
FERNANDA MARTINEZ
COUNTLESS CULTURES
DARIELLA FONSECA
AM I LATINA ENOUGH?
ISABEL SANCHEZ
ONCE UPON A TIME
FRANCESCA ZEPEDA
BREAKFAST WITH MY ABUELO
CHRISTOPHER WILDE
WHITE PASSING
JORDAN FULKERSON
EL SUEÑO OLVIDADO
CAROLINA CHAU
3, 529 MILES, MORE OR LESS
ROBERT LEMUS
EL CAMBIO NO NOS DETIENE
NATALIA ARTEAGA
LA COSTA DE UN DIAMANTE
AMAURY SABLON
CHOOSING YOUR COUNTRY
BRIANA LIRIO
Hispanic culture has left and continues to leave an impact in
this country. As the number of Hispanics increases, so does
the need for content that communicates the beauty and
uniqueness of our culture. We want University of Florida
students to have a medium to share their professional work.
Ultimately, we want to use this medium to open lines of
communication across cultures.
The purpose of this magazine is to give students a platform
to express themselves. This is a hands-on project that is
meant to benefit students in the College of Journalism and
Communications through storytelling.
The Com(m)unicate team and the Hispanic Communicators
Association would like to extend their appreciation to the
students and faculty who contributed their work and time
to produce this magazine.
This year’s theme focused on realities – the state of things,
as they actually exist, rather than as they may appear or
might be imagined in regards to Latin America and the
Hispanic millennial experience in the U.S.
Our reality is that we are just as underrepresented in the
College of Journalism & Communications as we are in the
mainstream media.
Our reality is that the United States and the other 22 Latin
American nations that make up our home are going through
major social, political and economical changes.
We might not always agree with these changes or with the
status quo, but as Latin@s and as communicators, we have
the power to be heard.
Our words have the ability to forge futures and to change
lives.
We are a minority in the U.S. but with each day that goes
by our voices are being amplified. Journalism and the
communications are about giving a voice to the voiceless.
So the next time you have an opportunity to be heard,
remember your roots and remember the 22 countries in
need of a voice in this one.
FROM IGUANAS TO GATORS
DIANA ILLINGWORTH
MY ROAD TO A NEW HOME
VARIOUS
LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS TAMBIEN...
ROXANA BONACHEA
GROWING UP WITH ABUELA
AMBER PAEZ
IGNORANCE
NATALIE LEON
LATINO AND SOON TO BE LIBERATED
CHRISTOPHER WILDE
ODA AL ÁRBOL
CAROLINA CASARIEGORO & ROXANA BONACHEA
ESTA GENERACION DE VENEZOLANOS
CLARA GARCIA
EN CHINANDEGA
AMBER PAEZ
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS 2015-16
ZALOME BRICENO
La cultura hispana ha dejado y sigue dejando un impacto en
este país. A medida que el número de hispanos aumenta,
también lo hace la necesidad de un contenido que comu-
nique nuestras historias y la belleza de nuestra cultura. No-
sotros queremos que los estudiantes de la Universidad de
la Florida tengan un medio para compartir su trabajo profe-
sional. Fundamentalmente, queremos usar este medio para
abrir las líneas de comunicación entre culturas.
El objetivo de esta revista es darle a los estudiantes una
plataforma para expresarse. Este proyecto tiene la intención
de beneficiar a los estudiantes de la Facultad de Periodismo
y Comunicación a través de sus historias.
El equipo de Com(m)unîcate y la Asociación de Comuni-
cadores Hispanos expresa su agradecimiento a los estudi-
antes y profesores que contribuyeron su tiempo para hacer
de esta revista una realidad.
Este año el enfoque fueron “las realidades,” el estado de las
cosas como en efecto existen, en vez de como parecen or
pueden imaginarse con relación a los países Latinoamerica-
nos y las vivencias de los Latinos en Estados Unidos.
Nuestra realidad es que tenemos tan baja representación
en la Facultad de Periodismo y Comunicación como en los
medios de comunicación a nivel nacional.
Nuestra realidad es que Los Estados Unidos y los otros 22
países Latinoamericanos que conforman nuestra casa están
pasando por grandes cambios sociales, políticos y económi-
cos.
No siempre estaremos de acuerdo con estos cambios o con
el status quo, pero como latin@s y como comunicadores,
tenemos el poder de ser escuchados.
Nuestras palabras tienen la capacidad de forjar futuros y
cambiar vidas.
Somos una minoría en los EE.UU., pero con cada día que
pasa nuestras voces se amplifican. El periodismo y las co-
municaciones le dan voz a los que no la tienen. Así que la
próxima vez que tengan una oportunidad de ser escucha-
dos, recuerden sus raíces y los 22 países que necesitan una
voz en éste.
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COM(M)UNÍCATECOM(M)UNÍCATE
6 7
La reciente derrota electoral del presidente de Bolivia, Evo Mo-
rales es una gran victoria para la democracia boliviana y la lib-
ertad de expresión. Y aún más importante, es una derrota más
contra los regímenes autoritarios populistas en Latinoamérica.
El pasado 21 de febrero, el pueblo boliviano dijo “NO” en un
referéndum para cambiar la constitución política del estado y
habilitar a Morales para una cuarta reelección.
El partido de Morales no había perdido ninguna elección desde
que subió al poder, hace ya más de una década. La derrota es
un drástico cambio en la opinión pública, considerando que en
2014 fue reelecto por tercera vez con más del 60% de apoyo.
Una de las claves de esta derrota fueron los casos de corrup-
ción denunciados en la prensa que empañaron su discurso iz-
quierdista-populista.
El más reciente caso de corrupción involucró directamente a
Morales. Carlos Valverde, un periodista boliviano, denunció
que Morales tuvo un hijo en 2007 con Gabriela Zapata, la ge-
rente general de una empresa china que se había adjudicado
millonarios contratos públicos.
Morales dijo que su hijo murió poco después de nacer y dijo
haber perdido el contacto con Zapata. Negó también saber que
Zapata tenía contratos con el estado. Esto fue desmentido por
la prensa mostrando fotografías de ambos en una fiesta de car-
naval en 2015 y como padrinos en un bautizo. Esto se complicó
aún más cuando fuentes dijeron que Zapata mantenía una ofi-
cina en el edificio que históricamente había sido usado por la
Primera Dama.
Este caso enfureció a la población, especialmente en la zonas
urbanas, y como dijo Valverde, fue la gota que derramó el vaso.
Esto es una gran victoria para la democracia boliviana, y tam-
bién para el periodismo y la libertad de expresión. El gobierno
de Morales, y otros de la misma línea política como en Ecuador
y Venezuela, han mantenido un discurso agresivo hacia los
periodistas y la prensa independiente, en muchos casos pasan-
do leyes que permiten una descarada persecución a aquellos
que publican información en contra del gobierno.
Que aún hayan periodistas dispuestos a arriesgar su seguridad
personal para denunciar la corrupción que plaga los gobiernos
izquierdistas-populistas como el de Morales es una razón para
no perder la esperanza.
Las derrotas electorales de Cristina Fernández de Kirchner en
Argentina y del partido Chavista en las elecciones legislativas
en Venezuela han marcado un cambio en la dirección política
de la región.
El viejo debate radical demagogo de la izquierda ya no resue-
na como antes en el voto popular. Cuando subieron al poder,
gobernantescomoChávezyMorales,usaronelpodereconómi-
co de sus países, impulsados por el boom de los precios de los
recursos naturales, para ganar el apoyo popular por medio de
proyectos sociales. En muchos casos estos proyectos eran nece-
sarios, en otros casos fueron solo una estrategia política. Y peor
aún, como ha sucedido en Bolivia, usaron su posición en el go-
bierno para enriquecerse con el dinero del pueblo.
Enfrentando la caída del precio del petróleo y otros recursos
naturales que afectan el crecimiento de la economía del país,
Morales se ha visto obligado a reconocer que no es posible se-
guir con el despilfarro de dinero que caracterizó los anteriores
años de su mandato. Gracias a las denuncias de estos actos de
corrupción, el pueblo pudo tomar una decisión informada y
decirle NO a una gestión donde los bolivianos financiaban la
vida de políticos y amigos.
MARIA ESPINOZA
EL SUFRIMIENTO DEL
CUBANO
La Batalla de Playa Girón en 1961 im-
pactó la vida de muchos exiliados políti-
cos de Cuba.
Mis padrinos, quienes me tomaron en sus
dulces manos un día después de mi na-
cimiento, me criaron junto a mis padres.
Ellos dejaron la isla y sus familiares hace
más de 35 años.
En un intento por atacar el gobierno cu-
bano dirigido por Fidel Castro, Estados
Unidos fracasó en la invasión dirigida
por la CIA. En menos de 72 horas, los
mercenarios entrenados por los yanquis
(también conocido como estadounidens-
es) se rindieron en las arenas de Playa
Girón al atardecer del día 19 de abril.
Más de un millar de mercenarios captur-
ados durante las tres jornadas de com-
bates y en los días posteriores tuvieron
que enfrentar el peso de la justicia rev-
olucionaria. El tribunal dictó sentencia a
los capturados, a quienes se les condenó
a pagar altas indemnizaciones y hasta 30
años de cárcel por el delito de traición
contra el régimen Castrista.
Entre ellos, estuvo Pipo. Mimi conoció a
Pipo en una de sus visitas a la cárcel y pu-
dieron casarse durante uno de los pases
que la prisión le daba a Pipo cada mes.
Por razones complicadas, él estuvo invo-
lucrado en el proceso de la invasión du-
rante su tiempo en Cuba. Pero la suerte
estuvo a su favor.
Él fue uno de los 1,200 prisioneros que
Cuba dejó en libertad en un intercam-
bio que comprometía a Estados Unidos a
pagar más de $62 millones en medicinas
y alimentos para niños por el intento de
invasión hacia la isla caribeña.
Con la condición de no poder regresar a
la isla, Pipo y Mimi arribaron a Estados
Unidos legalmente en avión.
Durante esta temporada, Estados Unidos
impuso el embargo comercial, económico
y financiero contra Cuba. Este embargo
hacia Cuba es el más prolongado que se
conoce en la historia moderna, condena-
do 23 veces por las Naciones Unidas.
Según lo declarado en el Cuban Democ-
racy Act, estas sanciones continuarán
mientras el gobierno cubano se negara
a dar pasos hacia “la democratización y
mostrara más respeto hacia los derechos
humanos.”
El 17 de diciembre del 2014, los presi-
dentes de Estados Unidos y Cuba, Barack
Obama y Raúl Castro acordaron mejo-
rar las relaciones políticas entre ambos
países comenzando el inicio del levanta-
miento del bloqueo a Cuba por parte de
Estados Unidos. En un momento históri-
co de acercamiento, Obama pisó la isla el
día 21 de marzo del 2016 dando inicio a la
primera visita de un presidente de Esta-
dos Unidos en posición activa desde 1928.
La ciudad de Havana, Cuba lo recibió con
las banderas de los dos países.
Muchos dicen que los cubano-estadoun-
idenses estuvieron felices con las noti-
cias. Pero en realidad, muchos están en
desacuerdo con el nuevo restablecimien-
to de relaciones diplomáticas.
Desde mi punto de vista, creí que la noti-
cia les daría fe a mis padrinos para poder
regresar a Cuba y yo poder conocer una
tierra, que Pipo y Mima siempre me de-
scriben como un paraíso eterno. Esto me
ilusiona.
Pero muchos como ellos, no apoyan la
decisión del presidente Obama porque
creen que es poco realista mientras un
descendiente de la familia Castro gobi-
erne.
“Todo es mentira,” dijo Mimi. “Lo que ha-
cen es vivir del cuento de nosotros, del
sufrimiento del cubano nada más.”
El inicio del restablecimiento de rela-
ciones diplomáticas con un estado que ha
sido comunista por más de cinco décadas
deja a muchos en desacuerdo.
Sin embargo, tal como Mimi y Pipo,
muchos cubano-estadounidenses ex-
trañan la isla después de tantos años
fuera de su país.
Como Mimi siempre dice, “Cuba es la per-
la del mundo en mar, playa, arena y sol.”
Pero Cuba será la perla del mundo en-
carcelada para todos los que no puedan
regresar por temor a un gobierno comu-
nista.
SOFIA COSTAS
REFERÉNDUM CONSTITUCIONAL
DE BOLIVIA
UNA VICTORIA PARA LA DEMOCRACIA Y LA LIBERTAD DE EXPRESIÓN.
“Lo que hacen es
vivir del cuento
de nosotros, del
sufrimiento del
cubano nada más.”

8 9
I am an immigrant. An exile. I am a Venezuelan. And I am an
American. But most of all, I am a human being.
These labels and names which have been ascribed to me are
based on where I’m from and, sometimes, how I look. Despite
any associated benefits and consequences they may carry,
these categories have placed me in the same class as at least
41.3 million other residents of the United States.
Attitudes towards these millions of people have shifted recent-
ly from mostly general indifference to extreme scrutiny and,
in some cases, rejection and hate. This is mostly due to the out-
pouring of refugees from Syria and other parts of the Middle
East. As a fellow immigrant, this post is directed, not to these
unfortunate victims, but to the immigrant who has built their
life in the U.S., though I welcome and encourage all to read it.
It might have had something to do with the fact that I was
raised in a cultural hotspot known as the “Capital of Latin
America,” but my identity as an immigrant and as a Hispanic
was something I never called into question. I always felt I lived
at the perfect intersection between two worlds. One, an An-
glo-American nation which welcomed my family and I with
open arms, allowing us to restart our lives in the U.S. The sec-
ond, a hub of Spanish-speaking immigrants which made up
the majority of my classrooms, neighborhoods, the shops I ven-
tured into and the community where I lived.
This might have been the reason why leaving the “Miami Bub-
ble” was such an eye-opening and insightful experience. I ar-
rived at the University of Florida in Gainesville, the last stop
of the Deep South and home to my first long-term contact with
“Real America” (and not North Cuba). I would like to make it
explicitly clear that Gainesville has been and continues to be
an incredible home to me. Go Gators!
What Gainesville and its daily experiences made crystal clear
was that I, Alfredo Ramirez, was in fact an immigrant, a dis-
tinct term which roughly translates to “I was not born here”
in its most rudimentary context. This difference was apparent
when new friends and strangers asked, once they discovered I
was Hispanic, if I could dance well, what an arepa was, or mis-
took my pronunciation of Venezuela for “Minnesota.”
The experiences also made it that much easier to find other
people similar to myself. During my time in Gainesville, I have
worked and collaborated with UF’s Hispanic Heritage Month,
the Gainesville Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and sever-
al other multicultural student organizations. My experiences
with vastly different kinds of people from all corners of the
globe and walks of life taught me an incredibly important prin-
ciple, applicable to the situation the world finds itself in today:
One individual immigrant is part of a much larger and im-
mense community of immigrants, regardless of where we are
from, what language we speak, what religion we practice or
how we look.
If you take apart the word immigrant and instead choose to
look at the person in corporeal form, you will find that there is
a single, unifying characteristics among all classes and groups
of immigrants. At one point or another, whether we know it or
not, we, as immigrants, were once without a home.
Now I don’t mean that we were all living on the streets. To
some, the reality of the situation is actually much worse. In my
case, as in many cases, it means that my parents decided to seek
a new home, away from their native land, in order to find a bet-
ter life for their new family. If that message didn’t sink in, let
me try again: my mother and father, having lived their entire
lives in Venezuela and knowing it as the only country home to
their friends, family and history, made the conscious decision
to seek a better life away from the one they grew up in, taking
their children with them to a strange, new land.
This is a decision that does not come lightly. It means the life
which you knew, the people you were friends with, the job
you worked, and country you love are not good enough. If you
want something better, you must leave all you know behind in
the hope that it is waiting for you, requiring you to travel an
uncertain amount of distance and time before you can reach
that beacon. Even with the promise of a job and improved life,
this is still a brutally tough decision to make. So much so that
residents of conflict and struggling parts of the world choose to
continue making their livelihood in the only homes they have
ever known.
I can only be grateful my parents had the courage to undertake
this burden and make a decision that has been wholly bene-
ficial to my family. Yet, I still find myself worrying about the
country and people that I left behind. This sympathetic wor-
ry, however, pales in comparison to the worries of my parents
decades ago or to the people who continue living in one of the
murder capitals of the world. It is even less compared to the
trauma suffered by the 59.5 million people forcibly displaced,
according the United Nations.
Now I am not here to advocate an open-door immigration poli-
cy nor amnesty to all who want to enter this country; not only
is this idea naïve, it also fails to consider that many of these
people have no greater desire than to return home to try and
rebuild their lives. But I will ask of my fellow immigrants and
children of immigrants, next time you consider the status of
another immigrant, exile, refugee or whatever you desire to
call these human beings, ask yourself the question: What if
they had said no? What if you had been a victim of the same
treatment and injustice which they suffer now?
If you ruminate on it for more than four seconds, you’ll proba-
bly find out that you don’t like the answer. And neither do those
people which we continue to turn way. A false fear of security
and xenophobia are not valid claims to defend a misguided re-
fusal. I ask then, that you open your arms to immigrants and
refugees alike, proceeding with a normal degree of caution as
before, and have the U.S. shine like a New Colossus once again,
welcoming those “huddled masses yearning to be free.”
The sound of a horse
Racing through the mire.
The thump of remorse
Accompanied by the crackling of fire.
The screams of crows distort
The eccendentesiast melodies of hopes
Trying to deny what had transpired.
The *thimps* and *thomps* of logs
As the entire village burned down, forlorn;
The birds had flown away in a haste of blather.
Lather, desperation strikes, they gather
Hours later laughter never starts, but rather
The omniscient yet shallow voices echo and spatter.
They scutter and batter each other;
The wolves growl, proceed to devour.
Expatriados,
expectantes,
excluidos
Inmigrantes,
Invencibles, pero a veces,
impotentes
We brought our luggage
full of customes, rich of memories
Left out patria,
Left out gente
to see the sunshine,
to reach the stars
For freedom, for better
to chase a promise.
A promise sometimes broken,
our luggage getting rusted
We treasure our language,
our bond
to a place called home
We breathe memories and
we ease our days with songs,
songs from ayer.
SAUL TUFINO-ESCALANTE
THE IMAGERY OF
SOUND
FERNANDA MARTINEZ
CROSSING
ALFREDO RAMIREZ
AN OPEN LETTER
FROM AN
IMMIGRANT
PARACAS, PERU
PHOTO BY: CAROLINA CHAU
AT ONE POINT OR
ANOTHER, WHETHER WE
KNOW IT OR NOT, WE,
AS IMMIGRANTS, WERE
ONCE WITHOUT A HOME.

10 11
Throughout my life, I have been surrounded by Hispanic culture.
I moved to Miami when I was 7, but because Miami is considered
“mini-Cuba,” all of the familiarities that I knew from my home coun-
try of Peru were still there: the friendliness of the people, the deli-
cious food and similar music.
As senior year of high school ended, I received my acceptance let-
ter to the University of Florida and was overwhelmed by all types
of emotions. Of course, I was ecstatic, but at the same time knew I
would have to emerge myself in a new culture that was completely
unfamiliar to me. The first semesters were difficult and consisted of a
lot of “Facetiming” with my friends and family back home. However,
I soon came to realize that coming to the UF was one of the best deci-
sions I have made in my entire life.
The amount of support to expand and push yourself is unbelievable
at UF, or even in the U.S. in general. Back in Peru, it can be a challenge
to be a more successful person as it can be dangerous. Take my par-
ents, for example. My parents were small business owners and, just
when business was going well, everything took a turn for the worst.
They were assaulted at gunpoint and were forced to give away their
hard earned money in return for their safety. Unfortunately, this
was not a one-time occurrence, so my parents decided to pack their
bags and take my siblings and I to the U.S., where they worked min-
imum wage jobs to get us by. Their sacrifice is something that I will
never take for granted.
Of course I miss my beautiful country and its people in it, but thanks
to their sacrifice, my siblings and I are able to pursue our careers and
not have to worry that we will eventually hit a wall that impedes our
success. I have found people that encourage me to push my limits. I
have been given the opportunity to pursue a career that I had been
dreaming of my whole life, while also discovering a new passion for
another language and culture outside my comfort zone. With the
insistence of a mentor, even the opportunity to study abroad has
shown up. All of my accomplishments have occurred with the sup-
port of family and friends that I am grateful to have met at UF.
It has been a difficult ride for me as I’m sure, it has been for others of
different cultures and backgrounds. I miss waking up to un cafecito
y tostada, and I miss family members. But I have come to realize that
although the culture is significantly different in Gainesville, I am still
surrounded by the friendliness of the people, exposed to great Amer-
ican food and have learned to appreciate new music.
Whether it is living in a different city,
state or country from a loved one, long
distance poses a challenge for any
relationship. Although one may want to
give up, there is always a lingering hope
that pushes you through the tough days.
My parents’ remarkable love story is a
genuine example of what it means to
never give up.
And so the story begins:
It was a fine day in Acapulco, Mexico.
My mother was enjoying her vacation
away from her hometown of Miami,
Florida. My father, on the other hand,
was escaping from his daily life in Mex-
ico City.
They met on their way into a nightclub.
Seeing as it was ladies night, the men
could only get into the nightclub if they
were accompanied by a date.
Armed with courage, my father used his
thick Mexican accent to persuade my
mother to join him that night. My moth-
er, who spoke Spanish as a result of her
Cuban heritage, accepted the offer and
glided alongside him to the dance floor.
Between the loud music and intimate
dances, they spoke for hours and shared
many laughs while exchanging their
addresses to keep in touch.
Coincidentally, they ran into each other
again the next day and were able to
exchange a few more smiles before my
mother’s return to the States. Presum-
ing it was just another fling, she did
not expect any further communication.
Yet when she got back to Miami, there
was already a letter from Mexico City
waiting for her.
From that moment on, my parents be-
gan writing letters to each other where
they expressed a mutual and deep
affection. Their correspondence lasted
for months before my mother made the
trip to Mexico City to meet my father’s
parents.
Upon her return, my father began call-
ing her at the same time every day. Calls
overseas were extremely expensive
during this time, so my mother would
let the phone ring without picking it up.
She did not do this out of spite.
She would listen to the phone ring,
silently knowing that it was my father.
This was his way of letting her know he
was thinking of her.
Through romantic words and simple
gestures, they were able to maintain this
long-distance relationship for two years.
Eventually, my father moved to the
U.S.and married my mother.
Thirty years later, they have a house,
two children and one grandchild.
Their love story was not the plot of any
romantic movie or novel, nor did it end
in a dramatic tragedy.
By crossing cultural boundaries and
ignoring stereotypes, my parents were
able to overcome unimaginable obsta-
cles. From a simple dance at a club to
their first dance as newlyweds, they
created a bond unbroken by distance or
time.
With its own imperfections, their story
lives on and stands as a testament to
anyone in need of hope as they define
what it means to truly be in love.
Pride is often defined as a high or inordinate
opinion of one’s own dignity, importance,
or merit. I was born and raised in Florida,
where I’ve spent much of my time being
taught about my Colombian pride. As the
daughter of two Colombian parents, the as-
similation and appreciation of my family’s
culture has been in the forefront of shaping
my character. This multicultural upbring-
ing has instilled in me the belief that I am
Latina—wholly and indefinitely.
Throughout my lifetime, however, I have
often felt subjected to the opinion that I
am not Latina enough because I lack a vital
trait of being “truly” Latina: I do not speak
Spanish.
This fact alone has greatly altered my
experience as an individual of Colombian
descent. I have often been faced with the
Tomorrow my abuelo and I will eat
breakfast.
We’re going to Dunkin’ Donuts.
I will order my childhood glazed
munchkins.
He will bring his fruit.
I will feel at peace.
breakfast.
The paper is going to cover another
shooting in Miami.
They will blame it on the shooter.
My abuelo will blame it on structural
inequities.
CHRISTOPHER WILDE
BREAKFAST WITH MY ABUELO
ISABEL SANCHEZ
AM I LATINA ENOUGH?
DARIELLA FONSECA
COUNTLESS CULTURES,
ONE COMMUNITY
FRANCESCA ZEPEDA
ONCE UPON A TIME
FROM MIAMI TO MEXICO: LONG DISTANCE & LOVE LETTERS
breakfast.
I’m going to bring up problems I’m
having with my father.
He will listen intently.
He will throw in some Latino
wisdom.
breakfast.
He’s going to feel his high blood
pressure.
I will worry.
He will tell a joke about his heart
being too loving.
breakfast.
Except we won’t.
He’s not here.
He’s not allowed.
There will be no peace.
question: How could you possibly affiliate
with a culture when you do not even speak
the language?
The inability to speak Spanish is frustrating
and often makes me feel like an outsider
within my own culture. However, I have
also come to realize the multitude of other
ways that I have been able to explore and
appreciate my heritage. I have been raised
celebrating Latin traditions, indulging in
delicious Latin foods, dancing to Latin music
and sharing a strong familial bond with
my relatives. I have uncovered that the
conventional definitions of being “Latina”
can be far from all-inclusive.
My fellow Latinos who choose to shame
me for my “ignorance” fail to recognize
that they are practicing their own form of
discrimination. Their attitude demonstrates
how discrimination can be just as narrowly
aimed at an individual who shares the same
race, sex, or age, as those that differ from
them.
For those Latinos who share this negative
view, I hope to prove that there is much
more than a language that unites a commu-
nity. Being Latina requires the wholeheart-
ed appreciation of the culture and those we
share it with. Being Latina means commit-
ting to one’s Latin roots, having a deep sense
of respect for our families’ histories and a
shared interest in Latin American tradi-
tions. In this manner, we can approach each
other with the same pride and confidence
that comes from being accepted and sup-
ported within a community.
While I may not communicate in the same
language I certainly come bearing the same
message of pride. For this reason, I have
given myself a free pass to say, with confi-
dence, that “I am Latina enough.”
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO
PHOTO BY: EYKIS CHAVARRO

12 13
JORDAN FULKERSON-
WHITE-PASSING
CAROLINA CHAU
EL SUEÑO OLVIDADO
The term “white-passing” is one that I was exposed to when it
was used to label my physical appearance.
It is used to describe a white-colored person from an Asian,
African, Native American or Latino descent, who is perceived
as fully white some or most of the time. After hearing it, I
researched and reflected on how it has impacted my life.
Being white has given me quite a bit of privilege growing up.
I have never been negatively stereotyped because of my skin
color, and because I have a German last name, most people do
not realize that I am Latina until I tell them.
While I recognize the privilege that I have, being labeled
white-passing has made me feel like I do not fully fit in any-
where. I never really know if people are treating me different-
ly or not once they know I am Latina.
It is frustrating because I feel simultaneously too white to be
a part of the Latino community, but not white enough to be
considered fully American.
Once people learn that I am Latina, there is almost always a
comment along the lines of “But you don’t look Latina,” like
there is some type of defining physical characteristic every
Latino should have. But despite popular belief, the Latino com-
munity is extremely diverse in physical appearance.
When it comes to discussing racial issues, my identity is often
invalidated due to the fact that I do not fit into either cultural
ethnicity. From the white community, I hear “But you’re ba-
sically white” and “Oh, you only got into that school because
you’re Hispanic, and they have to meet a quota.”
They pick and choose what I am, based on what is convenient
in that moment. On the other hand, being white-passing in
the Latino community can be a challenge because it feels like I
have to prove that I am enough to be part of the community.
At the end of the day, I would not change my appearance for
anything. It is a part of who I am. Although I would be lying to
myself if I said that I did not feel somewhat ostracized in both
communities.
Mi realidad is to overcome the obstacle of trying to prove my-
self enough everyday.
Con la maleta llena de sueños llega la gente a los Esta-
dos Unidos. Cruzan la frontera con las esperanzas de
superarse, se bajan del avión con el deseo de comenzar
una vida nueva y de las balsas con un nuevo sentido de
libertad.
Pero, ¿Qué con la gente que se queda atrás?
¿Con los países que se siguen desangrando?
Hablamos de cómo este país nos abrió las puertas para
un mejor futuro y callamos que dejamos a nuestros
países en el pasado.
Tratamos de asimilar las costumbres nuevas y dejamos
el resto atrás porque recordar es sufrir—y es extrañar— y
hay muchas otras cosas por hacer como para estar llo-
rando sobre la leche derramada.
Los que nos aferramos a nuestras raíces, decidimos que
la crítica es necesaria para mantenernos conectados.
Si criticamos el estado, la sociedad, el transporte y la
corrupción de nuestros países…es solo porque se nos
olvidaron el paisaje, la gente y el amor que allí nos di-
eron.
Olvidamos también que huimos
…y que para criticar hay que saber, hay que vivir y hay
que luchar.
Perseguimos nuestros sueños al venir al “país de las
oportunidades” y con sudor en la frente trabajamos
para hacer estos sueños realidad.
Luchamos, sí.
Luchamos por nuestra familia, nuestra libertad, nuestro
futuro. Luchamos por nosotros y nunca por el país que
nos vio nacer.
Se nos olvidó que dejamos una herida abierta
Y sin saber que nuestras mentes al igual que nuestro
amor eran los mejores remedios, mandamos curitas
para tapar esa herida que con cada partida se hace más
grande.
Pero no más. Ya no habrá más penas ni olvidos.
Recordaremos todo lo que algún día dejamos atrás y
lucharemos por un pedazo de tierra que vale la pena.
No nos conformaremos con vivir el sueño americano,
sino con desarrollar el sueño de Nuestra América.
El sueño que trajimos con nosotros pero que tuvimos
que dejar al lado para recoger la maleta.
With the growing topic of immigration
in the United States, I decided to inter-
view fellow student, Magdianis Martinez
(Maggie), on her experience of moving to
a new country. I hope that this interview
will shed some light on the experience of
immigrants. Martinez currently attends
the University of Florida as a first gener-
ation student, who excels in academics
and impacts other lives with her story.
Robert: Where were you born?
Maggie: I was born on March 1, 1996 in
Matanzas, Cuba.
Robert: At what age did you leave Cuba
to head to the U.S.? What was your expe-
rience like?
Maggie: When I was eight years old, I left
my beautiful homeland to come to the
U.S. in hope for a better future. My trip
was anything but simple. I would say it
was more of an adventure. I remember
sitting on my living room floor my last
night there [Cuba] and looking around
seeing that there was not a single piece
of furniture left in my home. My parents
had to sell everything to their name to
have sufficient money to make it to La
Yuma. I came to the U.S. through Mexico
and had a rough experience while doing
so. I remember being in a building along
with other families, who were all trying
to get to the U.S. On this trip, it was my
mother, my brother and I, and till this day,
I remember it as the worst five months I
could have possibly gone through. After
serving our time in this “family prison,”
my mom had to get us to begin traveling
through the southern border of the Unit-
ed States (Texas) consistently getting off
and on a bus to reach Miami. The process
took around five months. By the time I
got to Florida, I would soon turn 9 years
old and be enrolled to start elementary
school.
Robert: If there was one thing you can
remember that affected you most on this
trip, what was it?
Maggie: What I remember the most
about this journey were the bus rides. My
brother was still a baby and would con-
stantly get sick, day and night. My mom
even told me that at one point she had to
tie me to the seat, so I wouldn’t fall over
while the bus was moving. I remember
the smell of the sweaty people sitting be-
side us, and the same empty, but hopeful,
look everyone carried in their eyes while
they were traveling to the land of the
free.
Robert: When you arrived to the U.S.
what’s the first thing you remember do-
ing?
Maggie: The first thing I remember once I
reached Florida was my uncle picking us
up at the bus stop and handing me a Capri
Sun. It was the best thing in the world! I
had never had anything like it. I also re-
member trying a BK [Burger King] burg-
er for the first time and throwing up.
Robert: You mentioned that you traveled
through Mexico with your mother and
brother; I’m guessing your father could
not come at that time?
Maggie: No. He couldn’t come with us,
but he planned to come after and meet us
in Florida.
Robert: How did separating from your
father and coming to a new home with-
out really knowing if you would see him
again affect you?
Maggie: Since I was a little girl, I have
always been very attached to my dad.
We didn’t have enough money for all of
us to come at the same time. By the time
my dad tried to come, they [officials] stole
that opportunity from him and he had to
try again. He got here exactly a year af-
ter me. The process had to speed up be-
cause I was getting very sick. I refused
to eat without my father being here and
couldn’t imagine my life without him.
My mom cried a lot. Day and night she
would spend countless hours on the bed
sobbing. Some of her siblings were turn-
ing their back on her, and it was hard for
her to raise two children in a place you
have never been before.
Robert: If there were something you
could tell others going through the same
experience, what would you tell them?
Maggie: As cliché as it sounds, I would
tell them that it is all worth it and that it
truly does get better. As first generation
students, we carry a lot of weight on our
shoulders to be the best for our family,
but sometimes it is okay not to be okay.
SALENTO, QUNDIO COLOMBIA
ROBERT LEMUS
3,529 MILES,
MORE OR LESS

14 15
“Iré a donde tenga más oportunidades,” fue lo
que Brandon Lahore, un estudiante de tercer
año de ingeniería civil en la Universidad de
Florida me dijo cuándo le pregunté si regre-
saría a su lugar de origen en La Paz, Bolivia.
Brandon se mudó a los Estados Unidos con su
familia cuando tenía siete años. Como la fa-
milia de Brandon, muchas otras familias Lati-
noamericanas emigran a EE.UU. en búsqueda
de un futuro mejor. El siguiente artículo in-
cluye experiencias de inmigrantes latinos que
estudian en diferentes facultades en UF.
Debido a que su cultura es distinta y su lengua
materna es español, para muchas de las perso-
nas entrevistadas para este artículo fue difí-
cil expresarse, hacer amistades, o adaptarse a
una nueva cultura. Pero todas estas personas
han triunfado. Si tú eres un inmigrante, tú
también lo harás.
Este artículo incluye algunos consejos que da
el Dr. Juan-Carlos Molleda, quien nació en
Venezuela y es presidente y profesor del de-
partamento de relaciones públicas en UF.
Si eres nuevo en EE.UU., si tu lengua materna
no es el inglés, si alguna vez has dudado de ti
mismo o te has sentido frustrado, incluso si
solamente eres curioso, este artículo es para ti.
Adaptarse a un nuevo ambiente
La nostalgia afecta a mucha gente que se
muda lejos de su hogar. Todas las personas en-
trevistadas dijeron que extrañan a su familia,
amigos y costumbres.
“Eso es definitivamente algo que extraño.
Ese sentimiento de estar en casa,” dijo Indira
Bustamante, una estudiante de 20 años, qui-
en está en su tercer año en la carrera de rel-
aciones públicas. Indira nació en Venezuela y
vino a EE.UU. cuando tenía 11 años.
Pero la nostalgia puede ser sobrellevada con
el tiempo, mantenerse ocupado también
puede ayudar.
“Aguantando no más. Esperando que pase el
tiempo y ya uno se va acostumbrando más,”
dijo Karla Aguilera, una estudiante de 21 años
que está en el tercer año de la carrera de comi-
da y recursos económicos. Karla nació y fue
criada en Santa Cruz, Bolivia.
Muchas de las personas que se mudan a
EE.UU. notan una clara diferencia entre la
cultura Latinoamericana y la cultura en Los
Estados Unidos.
“La relación entre las personas es muy imper-
sonal, muy fría comparada con Sudamérica,”
dijo Maria Estefania Barrios, una estudiante
de maestría en arquitectura y administración
de construcción. Ella siente que la gente en
EE.UU. le dedica demasiado tiempo a su tra-
bajo y tiene una calidad de vida diferente a la
que tienen las familias en Latinoamérica. Ella
cree que debería existir un mejor balance en-
tre el trabajo y la familia.
Estar orgulloso de ser quien eres
Muchas de las personas que se mudan a
EE.UU. luchan por adaptarse. Aprender a
apreciar tus raíces te puede ayudar a definirte
a ti mismo y eso te ayudará a conectarte con
otras personas.
“Es algo tan hermoso saber de qué se tratan
dos partes del mundo y ser parte de ellas,” dijo
Indira.
Siempre tendrás un acento, siéntete orgulloso
de él. Nadie ha vivido lo que tú has vivido.
“Siempre ten en mente de dónde vienes y pase
lo que pase, nunca te sientas mal de lo que te
hace ser tú mismo,” dijo Indira.
“Nunca sientas que estás en desventaja por no
haber nacido aquí o porque el Inglés no es tu
lengua materna. En cualquier caso, todas las
transiciones que viviste cuando te mudaste a
este país te dan una gran ventaja sobre otras
personas. Has vivido y sobrellevado cosas
que te han hecho crecer y desarrollarte,” dijo
Zalomé Briceño, una estudiante de 20 años
que está en el segundo año en la carrera de
telecomunicación en el tramo de noticias.
NATALIA E. ARTEAGA
El Cambio No Nos Detiene
Maximiliano Ronda, un estudiante de tercer año de ingeniería com-
putacional de 23 años, se mudó a EE.UU. cuando era un niño. Él le
recomienda a quien quiera venir a EE.UU. a familiarizarse con la cul-
tura del país. Él piensa que hacerse amigo de estadounidenses y ver
programas de televisión que representan a esta cultura ayuda a acos-
tumbrarse a la vida que uno va a tener en este país.
Desarrolla tus habilidades de comunicación
Ser capaz de comunicarse es una habilidad y la única forma en la
que tu podrás comunicarte será trabajando duro y practicando muy
a menudo. No temas hablar con gente nueva. No pienses que porque
tienes un acento la gente no te entenderá, o que se mofarán de ti por
tener un acento. Suena más difícil de lo que es en realidad, pero con
práctica y mostrando interés por lo que otras personas tienen que de-
cir, desarrollarás mejores habilidades de comunicación.
Lee en inglés y lee a menudo. Eso te ayudará a entender mejor el idi-
oma.
Aprovecha todas las oportunidades
Si existe una oportunidad en la que puedes ser exitoso, no lo pienses
dos veces, tómala. Si ni siquiera intentas, ya perdiste. La gente dice que
su parte favorita de vivir en EE.UU. son todas las oportunidades que el
país tiene para ofrecer.
“Es un mundo diferente al que tenemos en Bolivia,” dijo Juan Carlos
Laguna, un estudiante de 21 años en el tercer año de la carrera de
agricultura. Juan Carlos nació y se crió en Santa Cruz, Bolivia. “Aquí
realmente uno se da cuenta de las oportunidades que puede tener en
la vida.”
No te conformes con lo mínimo
La calidad de tu trabajo dice mucho de tu carácter. Si presentas un
trabajo mediocre, la gente pensará qwue tú eres mediocre. Tú eres
mucho más que el trabajo mínimo. Trabaja para tener éxito y no pares
hasta que hayas hecho tu mejor esfuerzo.
Ser Latino no te hace único
La diversidad está en tu cerebro. El color de tu piel no te define. El
lenguaje que hablas no te define. Tú tienes el poder de aprender de tus
raíces y apreciar tu herencia. Tú eliges que tan especial quieres ser.
Atrévete a pensar y ser diferente.
Aún siento las piedras en las plantas de mis pies mientras
caminaba por las calles de aquel pueblo en busca del pan
en la bodega. Nos daban un pan por día. A veces le echaba
azúcar. Otras veces un poco de aceite y sal. Odiaba los días
en que el pan estaba tan duro que no se podía comer.
Aún recuerdo aquellas noches en las que, sin ton ni son,
se iba la luz. “Eso es necesario porque la revolución quiere
ahorrar corriente”, siempre decía una de las vecinas
mientras sacaba un sillón al portal delantero, ya que sabía
que iba a ser una noche larga.
Las piedras y los apagones me prepararon para un futuro
en donde los obstáculos aún permanecían, aunque
diferentes. Un par de años después, me encontraba en lo
que muchos describían como el paraíso -- la yuma. Los
Estados Unidos. Ahí no habían piedras, sino diamantes.
Los diamantes no eran para todos. A mi madre, por
ejemplo, le tocó limpiarlos. Con una escoba en una mano y
una botella de Mistolín en la otra, con un espíritu de lucha
y perseverancia, se enfrentó a una nueva vida en la cual no
sabía lo que hacía. Sin embargo, si sabía por quien lo hacía;
por aquel chiquillo que le echaba aceite al pan; por mí.
Por años hizo esto, con esperanzas de salir adelante, salir
adelante en una sociedad, en una situación, en la que no
era favorecida.
Y su sueño se cumplió, aunque quizás indirectamente.
Aquel chico que vivió los apagones diarios se enfrentó a
una realidad en donde las probabilidades no estaban a su
favor. Y triunfó. Creció. Se convirtió en un profesional, y de
una forma u otra, su madre al fin sintió el sentimiento de
tener un diamante, y entonces todo valió la pena.
Mi realidad, nuestra realidad, es que el sueño americano es
uno de trabajo duro, de noches largas, de necesidades y
sacrificios. Muchas veces no es como lo pintan. Es un sueño
confeccionado por sudor, lágrimas y fallos, pero es un
sueño del que no me quiero despertar jamás.
AMAURY SABLON
LA COSTA DE UN
DIAMANTE
CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA
CUSCO, PERU
PHOTO BY: ISABEL SANCHEZ

16 17
The United States is a country whose
foundations are rooted in its people’s ability
to think independently together. Diversity
makes it the world’s melting pot and the land
of opportunity for those looking for a new
beginning. However, given the current state
of both political and social unrest in regards
to immigration reform; I thought there would
be no better way to showcase the unity be-
tween a country and its immigrants than by
highlighting those that willingly dedicate
their lives to serving it. I decided to write
personality profiles on veterans and current
members of the military that are of Hispan-
ic descent. There is no act more selfless than
the one of risking your life to protect those
around you, and below are the stories of the
men who have.
STEVIE:
Steven Martinez, better known as Stevie, is a
22-year-old pre-law student. He currently at-
tends the University of Florida and is the as-
sistant director for the veteran affairs cabinet
in student government.
What makes Martinez stand out is his pas-
sion for the military, and his strive to lead
those around him. He enlisted in the Florida
Army National Guard three years ago for no
other purpose than pursuing his dreams.
“I enjoy leading people, giving advice and
being a mentor,” he said.
He further proves this with his success in
UF’s Reserve Officer Training Corps program.
Starting in the spring of 2017 he will be com-
missioned as an officer and 2nd Lt. which
means he will be in charge of his own platoon.
Handling being a full-time student, ex-
He recalled a story from his first days at
boot camp. He was given the opportunity to
go home, and though he missed his family, he
remembered his reasons for being there and
decided to continue his training.
During his time in the military, Romero
was involved in the hands on building of F/T
18s. He was trained in how to respond to pos-
sible ship emergencies and how to swim by
Navy standards.
Romero’s ability to speak fluently in En-
glish and Spanish made him an asset to the
military. He was able to act as a translator
between his comrades on the ship while still
managing to teach them about his culture
and his heritage.
What made this veteran’s interview for
“Com(m)unicate” different from the others
was the fact that he was accompanied by his
wife, Emma Romero, a fourth-year chemical
engineering major at UF. Both Romero and
Emma were all laughs when they spoke about
how they met.
“She was the good girl in AP classes,” Rome-
ro said. “I was always getting in trouble.”
They met their sophomore year of high
school and started talking when Romero
scored a perfect 100 on their drafting exam
and Emma only got a 95.
“I had to rub it in her face, I had just been
suspended and didn’t even know there was
an exam,” he said.
The romance blossomed from there and
years later, after Romero attended boot camp
training for the Navy, they married.
‘Not being able to speak during his stay at
boot camp made us realize we needed to get
married,” Emma said.
She supported him throughout his journey,
and though it was hard being away from him,
she knew that was what was best for him.
They live in Gainesville and are happy to fi-
nally be able to be together. Currently, Rome-
ro works for the Veteran’s Center at Santa Fe
because he feels they make the process easier
for vets to get started on their education. He
described the center as being in the military
again because he gets to hear war stories and
make friendships.
Romero’s courage has inspired his brothers
to do better in school and now they are on
their way to graduating college. He says his
current mission is to finish college for himself,
and encourages those who are considering
joining the military to go through with it and
give back.
“I’m proud to say I joined the military, I’m
proud that I wasn’t born here, and I’m proud
to say I gave back to a country that offers you
so much,” he said.
LEO:
Leonel Peña Fontao, 39, is an environmental
geoscience and philosophy double major at
UF. He is interested in going into the energy
industry, and working for the environmental
sector of big name companies once he gradu-
ates.
“I would like to take some time off after I get
my degree,” Peña said. “I want to spend some
time at the keys and travel.”
Peña’s journey has been different from that
of the average UF student. He enlisted in the
military at 18 years old in 1996 and served un-
til 2002. He also served a year in The Nation-
al Guard. His military occupational specialty
is 19 Delta Cavalry Scout, which means he
collected information and intelligence, along
with actually being deployed and engaging
in combat. He is also a certified canine trainer
and attended sniper school.
“When I joined the military and started
serving I realized this was what I wanted to
do.” Peña said. “It was fun I liked being in the
military, following my dreams and playing
Rambo.”
Peña was born in Havana, Cuba and came
to the United Sates as a toddler. His family
was a big inspiration for him growing up and
one of the reasons why he joined the military.
His uncle, Ivan Fontao, and his brother, Ro-
berto Calis, were role models for him.
Fontao was a political prisoner in Cuba and
fought against the Castro regime.
“He (Fontao) was my anti-communist, an-
ti-socialist figure, that inspired me to join the
military,” Peña said. “He taught me how shoot,
hunt and do a lot of things, he inspired me to
serve this country.”
Calis taught Peña how to read, write and
speak English. He also taught him basic math
and prepared him for the educational system
in the U.S.
“My brother was brilliant,” he said. “Three
months after marrying the love of his life he
passed away from a congenital heart condi-
tion at 23.”
His brother wanted to join the air force,
giving Peña more reason to join the military.
Peña referred to his younger self as “ram-
bunctious” and said the military gave him
the stability he needed. He believed his tough
upbringing prepared him for the difficulties
soldiers face when serving their country. His
Hispanic heritage also gave him an advantage
when it came to his job.
“I was very Americanized but I grew up
deeply rooted in my heritage,” Peña said. “I
was born in what they call ‘el Cubanismo.’”
Due to his extensive knowledge on His-
panic culture and his ability to speak Spanish
fluently, even with slang, he was assigned to
do counter drug and cartel operations in Co-
lombia.
Despite being one of the only Cubans in
the military when he joined, Peña said he
never underwent any type of discrimination.
He described the men he worked with as his
brothers, an ultimate fraternity in a way.
“The higher up you go in the military, in re-
gards to the level of intensity associated with
your job, all that stuff gets attenuated, race
and ethnicity, because you are all brothers
now and it breaks discriminatory barriers,”
he said.
When his brothers and him went to com-
bat they called it “walking the line.” There
was a sense of comradery and unity that
would overcome them in the face of danger,
making differences in cultures and beliefs a
trivial matter.
Peña has a 19-year-old daughter, Shelly Ma-
rie Peña, and a 13-year-old son Leonardo Ga-
briel Peña. He still finds time to go back home
and visit his family in Miami during holiday
breaks. He is a proud father and a proud vet-
eran. He encourages people interested in join-
ing the military to go through with it.
“If this country is opening its arms to you
and giving you all these opportunities, the
best way you can repay it is by serving it,”
Peña said. “You can gain a lot of valuable ex-
perience in the military, and there is no better
teacher in life than experience itself.”
tra-curriculars, and military enrollment isn’t
easy. Martinez is a reservist, meaning he goes
to monthly two-day trainings, and partakes
in simulated deployment for two weeks out
of the year.
He is also very involved on campus, Marti-
nez helped organize a two-day veteran walk
in Plaza of the Americas. The event success-
fully shed light on the resources available to
veterans on campus. It also served as an op-
portunity for students, faculty and veterans
to listen and learn from each other.
Martinez gets his determination and perse-
verance from his family.
“You can’t fight genetics,” he said. “My fam-
ily does not give up on anything and neither
do I.”
Martinez was born in the United States and
raised by his Cuban and Colombian family.
His customs are deeply rooted in his Hispanic
culture.
Leaving his family behind was the hardest
part of joining the military for Martinez. He
considers himself to be very family-oriented,
and was hesitant to sign his contract with
the Florida Army National Guard because he
wasn’t sure if he was ready to leave them.
He doesn’t regret following his dreams,
he has made many memories with lifelong
friends he knows he can count on in a time
of need.
“Basic training is funnest thing I have
done,” Martinez said. “You meet people who
are going through the same torture as you,
and make friends that will never give up on
you and will never let you down.”
Being bilingual and fully integrated in
both American and Hispanic culture has giv-
en Martinez a better understanding of the
world around him and made him an asset to
the military. He is proud of everything he has
been able to accomplish in the Florida Army
National Guard.
“At the end of the day we all have one mis-
sion, and that mission is to defend the coun-
try,” he said.
Martinez would like to one day work in
Washington D.C, possibly for the government
and the political sector. He hopes to do this by
staying true to himself and following his pas-
sions in life.
“In the army we have values that we go by,
and I live with these values in and out of the
uniform,” he said.
CESAR:
Cesar Adelina Garcia Romero, 23, is a me-
chanical engineering student at Santa Fe
Community College. He served four years in
the U.S. Navy, and was born in Honduras. He
came to the U.S. at age 7, and had a difficult
time adapting due to the impoverished condi-
tions in which he originally lived in.
“When I first came here (U.S.) I did not
know what street lights were, I had not seen
them before,” Romero said.
He came to this country with his mother
and siblings by his side.
“Mom came here for a better life,” he said.
“There aren’t a lot of opportunities to grow in
Honduras and she came here to provide bet-
ter for us.”
Romero joined the Navy after being the
first from his family to graduate high school.
He saw it as an opportunity to further his ed-
ucation, start fresh, and give back to the coun-
try that had taken him and his family in so
many years ago.
“Joining the military isn’t easy, they try
to break you down and build you back up
again,” he said.
“You can’t
fight genetics.
My family does
not give up on
anything and
neither do I.”
“The best
way you can
repay it is by
serving it”
STEVEN MARTINEZ CESAR & EMMA ROMERO LEO PEÑA FONTAO
BRIANA LIRIO
CHOOSING YOUR COUNTRY

18 19
I could not fall asleep that night. If I were an insomniac this wouldn’t
be a story. Coming from someone who has slept through earthquakes,
that speaks volumes about what this trip meant to me. I had been
fantasizing about studying abroad for years and planning it for
months, but no kind of training could have prepared me for the night
before the flight.
I don’t think I’ve ever been as anxious as the first couple of days after
my arrival. Moving to a city where I had zero friends or relatives, in a
foreign country where a different language is spoken was extremely
nerve-racking. But leaving my comfort zone was empowering because
it had been such a difficult thing for me to do before. I didn’t have
backup here; I was on my own.
Between getting my acceptance letter and boarding the plane, I had
plenty of time to interiorize the fact that I wouldn’t see my family
in four months – that is, if I were lucky and were able to go home at
the end of each semester. I needed that mental preparation for later,
when people began asking me how long it had been since I last saw my
family, while my roommates had the opportunity to go home every
other weekend.
When I told my friends in Ecuador I was moving to Florida, they told
me I would speak Spanish all the time and feel at home because of the
amount of Latinos who live here. The reality is that most of the Latinos
I’ve met have been born in the United States or have moved and lived
here for several years. Some of them don’t speak Spanish and those
who do, still speak to me mostly in English.
These Latino friends are culturally similar to me, which is comforting.
But at the same time, we can’t fully relate to each other. It’s an
interesting duality. Sometimes I’m a little jealous of things they may
take for granted.
They have U.S. ID cards that make their everyday lives a bit more
efficient. I however, have let friends down when they’ve been tired of
driving after a five-hour road trip, and couldn’t offer to drive because
my license isn’t valid here.
They can get summer jobs or internships and still spend time with
their families, whereas I have to choose one or the other. However,
Latin American landscapes are not a distant memory for me. For that,
I am not jealous of them.
When my U.S. friends ask me what it’s like to be a foreigner studying
DIANA ILLINGWORTH
FROM IGUANAS TO GATORS
at the University of Florida, I tell them the funny stories they want
to hear. But my thoughts and feelings go beyond laughter and trying
to explain to people how delicious manjar, pan de yuca and patacones
are and what empalagarse means.
As an international student, I have made the big step in leaving the
comfort and safety of my home to start a new journey.
My documents say I’m here to study. But the troubling question of,
“What will I do when I graduate?” lurks in my mind just as much as
when people use it in an attempt to break the ice.
In many ways, coming here has felt like a step forward. Without a
doubt, this country offers academic and professional opportunities
that my homeland does not. I’ve progressed incredibly from who
I was a year ago. In one semester, I went from getting anxious at
the thought of ordering food over the phone to interviewing and
photographing multiple strangers each week.
Looking at this trip as an advancement, the thought of going back
home after graduation inevitably, feels like a step backward. It’s a
confusing feeling.
As an international student, you know you won’t lose the experience
and knowledge you have gained if you go back to your country after
obtaining your diploma. But after making it this far, you don’t want
to miss out on post-graduation opportunities that you otherwise
wouldn’t have in your home country.
You love your country. Most of your life was built there. Your family
is there. Your friends are there. You’re not ashamed of where you
come from, but an experience like this leaves you wanting more. You
want to keep moving, keep exploring.
The pressure to get a job after graduation is overwhelming enough
as it is, but getting one in a foreign country is even more difficult. My
student visa won’t do the trick. Should I apply for jobs or figure out
the paperwork process first? The pressure to keep up with my peers
and my new surroundings can become exhausting.
I imagine my roommates are comforted by the fact that if they have
a meltdown in college, home is just a short car ride away. Before
coming here, I prepared myself psychologically for similar moments
that I would have during the years to follow.
I am glad to say I haven’t cried.
MY FIRST YEAR AS AN ECUADORIAN STUDENT AT UF
ECUADOR
PHOTO BY: DIANA ILLINGWORTH
UYUNI, BOLIVIA
PHOTO BY: NATALIA ARTEAGA
“Ever since I arrived from Cuba at the age of five,
I can remember being labeled as a “minority,” but
growing up in Miami made it really hard for me
to grasp what this concept truly meant. It was
a challenge for me to feel like a minority when
I walked down streets or entered a store and
everyone looked like me and spoke Spanish. There
were even parts of the city, like Little Havana, that
reminded me of my hometown in Cuba. It wasn’t
until I arrived at the University of Florida that I was
able to understand what being a minority truly
meant and what it felt like. For the first time in my
life, I was no longer surrounded by people who
looked and talked just like me.”
- Greter Gonzalez
“After all the tears and hugs from
mami and papi, reality hit you right in
the face.
I embarked on this journey of ‘living
the American dream’ from the
moment I stepped off
the beautiful island of Cuba. But now,
my tears were a symbol of something
entirely different – joy.”
- Magdianis Martinez
“When I left home, I felt like I
was breaking barriers. I would
become a first-generation
graduate at an American
university, but also would
have the opportunity to
integrate my Hispanic culture
throughout my journey as a
student.”
- Maria Espinoza
“Cuando me mude a los Estados
Unidos, recuerdo sentirme aislada y
sola. Pero encontré refugio en aquellos
que eran similares a mí. Reconocer y
apreciar mis raíces me ha ayudado a
definir mi propia identidad, y eso me
ayudó a conectarme con gente de
otras etnias.”
- Natalia Arteaga
MY ROAD TO A
NEW HOME

20 21
ROXANA BONACHEA
LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS TAMBIÉN
SON NUESTROS
La palabra “Latino” no es solo una categoría
usada por el censo de los Estados Unidos sino
una palabra que engloba gran cantidad de in-
dividuos que trabajan incansablemente para
cumplir sus sueños. Cada latino/a es único
cómo también lo es cada persona del planeta
tierra. No somos de una misma raza, ni color
de pelo y muchas veces no tenemos el mismo
acento pero nos unen la experiencia de la in-
migración, nuestro lenguaje y nuestras ganas
de triunfar en un país que al principio no era
el nuestro.
Muchas de las veces que nuestros padres
abandonan sus países latinoamericanos lo
hacen para proveernos un mejor futuro. Más
que por una razón económica es por una
cuestión de libertad de ideas. Ellos dejan atrás
lo poco o mucho que tienen. Nuestros padres
dejan sus profesiones y sus familias para que
nosotros los jóvenes tengamos una educación
y una vida exitosa. Una vez asentados en los
Estados Unidos algunos tienen la dedicación
admirable de revalidar sus licencias pero la
mayoría comienza una nueva vida incier-
ta. Toman trabajos que pagan poco, limpian
pisos, trabajan en restaurantes y a aquellos
que llegan a alcanzar posiciones más altas no
les queda otra opción que aprender inglés.
Por otra parte están los hijos de los inmi-
grantes que llegaron a la llamada tierra de la
libertad pequeños o nacieron aquí, tratando
de mantener su español para no perder sus
raíces, o se superaron para llegar a obtener un
título universitario. En la mitad del camino
estos hijos nos damos cuenta que aunque el
sueño americano era originalmente de nues-
tros padres ahora es nuestro. Estudiamos por
decisión propia y eventualmente nos conver-
timos en los ingenieros, maestros, empresari-
os, doctores, dentistas, enfermeros, periodis-
tas y demás. En fin, seguimos nuestra pasión
y nos dedicamos a hacer lo que soñamos.
Aunque aquellos nacidos en Latinoamérica
no podemos ser el próximo presidente de los
Estados Unidos sí podemos adueñarnos de
esta América que también es nuestra porque
“Nuestra América” no es solo la que describ-
ió José Martí sino que, en realidad, nosotros
también hacemos de Norte América nuestra
América.
AMBER PAEZ
GROWING UP
WITH ABUELA
NATALIE LEÓN
IGNORANCE
CAROLINA CASARIEGORO
ROXANA BONACHEA
ODA AL ÁRBOL
CHRISTOPHER WILDE
LATINO AND
SOON TO BE
LIBERATED
I was in 4th grade when my
grandmother showed
me what it was to be a woman.
She would pack my lunch inside
my book bag and see me off
with a broom mid-sweep.
When I got home her hands would
be covered
with dish soap, the later years of
Cinderella.
I was in 6th grade when I snuck into
her bathroom
to steal a razor for the night,
my legs a Barbie doll finish at the
end of my shower.
She would call me over to paint my
nails
pink with white lace trimming every
week.
“Como una princesa” she would say
at the end
while I put on my Sunday dress.
The Latino who wrote this is
fearless.
His voice no longer trembles as he
speaks,
his dreams don’t fit inside of a
bubble,
his tongue doesn’t hesitate to turn
into fire.
The Latino who wrote this is craving
liberation.
His Chinatown Rolex reads “now,”
his equality snooze button is played
out,
he’s ready for the taste of blood.
envisioning liberation.
He walks down the sidewalk with
his friends,
his people are healthy and
chainless,
his family is on the same continent.
organizing for liberation.
His people are awake and dressed,
his familia is spreading word,
he is up through the night.
The Latino who wrote this will soon
be liberated.
He won’t be stopped until then.
Árbol
Gigante robusto
Día a día
Crecieron tus ramas,
Hojas coloridas te rodearon
Y en la comodidad de tu sombra
Se recostaron quienes estaban
cansados
Sobre tu tronco
Viejos y gruesos
Caminaron lagartijas
Verde esmeralda
Tus raíces recogieron la lluvia
Y nutrieron tu vida
Mientras tus hojas cambiaron
De verde frío a naranja cálido.
Al llegar el otoño te vas secando
pero tus ramas nunca se rinden
Eres tan valiente y decidido
Nunca cambias de lugar ni te
escondes
A pesar de la nieve y el viento
Bajo cualquier circunstancia
Permaneces firme como soldado
Y proteges la vida del bosque
Y cuando llega la primavera
Nos provees de frutos exquisitos.
Si no fuera porque compartes
Tus riquezas nos quedaríamos con
hambre
Perdónanos por todas las veces que
Te hicimos daño sin pensar
Herimos tu corazón tallando
Letras sin sentido
Y te matamos fríamente
Para convertirte en papel que
Luego desechamos
Sigue siendo tan poderoso
Cómo siempre lo has sido
Enséñanos cómo ser cariñosos,
Enséñanos a ser humildes y sabios
Enséñanos a ser como tú
Árbol.
It’s strange when you become
different, wait I’m just like you
I go to a new place
and bam, now I have an accent
my heart crashes down, down
is my sister’s silent stare as
they ask her once again
“how do you pronounce your last
name?”
“wow you’re so exotic”
she hears time and time again, my
heart makes a thud when it
hits the ground, the sound of that
same
question: “no really where, where
are you from?” As if Miami just
wasn’t good enough, you should
try being less ignorant some time
MACHU PICCHU, PERU
PHOTO BY: ISABEL SANCHEZ
MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA
CAROLINA CHAU

22 23
La primera vez que recuerde haber presencia-
do un comicio electoral, tenía cerca de cinco
años. Mi papá me llevó al recinto electoral
donde el votaba, y recuerdo como si fuera
ayer los eslóganes y grafitis de “Soluciones
YA!” y “con Chávez si se puede!” que plagaban
las paredes.
Desde entonces en Venezuela se han lleva-
do a cabo más de 12 comicios y la juventud
venezolana ha visto como, elección tras elec-
ción, ni las soluciones llegaron, ni el presiden-
te pudo con sus promesas.
En Venezuela he sentido que la vida política
del país siempre ha estado presente, apare-
ciendo como un fantasma para recordarnos
que vivimos en un “mientras tanto” que se ha
hecho eterno: primero fueron el crimen y la
corrupción las que nos asfixiaba, luego la in-
eficiencia se transformó en cortes de agua, de
luz, en escasez de alimentos y medicamen-
tos, en inflación, en censura de medios y en
marañas. Y es la juventud venezolana la que
más se ha visto afectada.
La actual generación de Venezolanos ha creci-
do en una sociedad polarizada. No ha habido
reunión familiar, cola de supermercado o sala
de espera de hospital, en donde la política no
fuese el tema de conversación predestinado.
La discordia y unos cuantos gritos nunca han
faltado, y la política muchas veces rompió y
sigue rompiendo familias y amistades. Mien-
tras la corrupción y las malas doctrinas han
generado una crisis económica sin prece-
dentes, la erosión social, el maltrato y la po-
larización son lo que le han causado más daño
al país. El odio entre ciudadanos ha hecho de
Venezuela, muchas veces, un lugar hostil y
violento.
Esta generación de venezolanos también ha
crecido con miedo. La amenaza de muerte es
cotidiana, la cifra de 25,000 homicidios an-
uales a manos del hampa yace en nuestro sub-
consciente, nos dirige, nos hace un poco más
temerosos, un poco más paranoicos. A las tres
de la tarde estas alerta mientras esperas en el
semáforo pensando si el motorizado de al lado
tiene una pistola; a las tres de la mañana los
semáforos simplemente dejan de existir por el
miedo de que tu nombre se convierta en una
estadística más del crimen.
Esta generación de venezolanos mira para
afuera sin la esperanza de volver. A falta de
futuro en su patria, muchos migran creando
un futuro imprevisto, renunciando a lo que
pudieron haber sido y construido en Venezu-
ela. La diáspora venezolana se ha resignado a
vivir muchas veces con un pie en Venezuela y
otro en donde están; el exilio forzado ha gen-
erado un resentimiento y una impotencia que
muchas veces nos ciega y radicaliza.
Esta generación de Venezolanos se ha alimen-
tado de una nostalgia ajena. Son los recuerdos
de nuestros padres, de nuestros abuelos, las
anécdotas que contaron, que tanto soñamos
revivir, las que nos prolongan el arraigo a
Venezuela, pero nunca logramos experimen-
tar ese país del que tanto hablan; solo queda el
fantasma de su recuerdo y la ilusión de poder
construir un país que aproveche su potencial.
Pero esta generación de Venezolanos, tam-
bién es en su mayoría más consciente de la
importancia de crear una nueva narrativa
en el país, donde se aprecia la libertad y la di-
versidad de voces. Somos una generación más
involucrada, que entiende que el bienestar del
país en gran parte depende del bienestar de
todos, que la pobreza es también una forma
de opresión y que las grandes riquezas petr-
oleras no sirven de nada si no son utilizadas
para también cultivar y desarrollar la tierra
que nos vió crecer. En gran parte entendemos
que el arraigo a las ideologías es inútil y que
son el diálogo, la justicia, la transparencia y la
empatía entre ciudadanos los que definen el
destino de un país.
CLARA GARCIA
ESTA GENERACIÓN DE VENEZOLANOS
My family and I traveled three-thousand
miles
to my grandfather’s childhood pueblo.
We gave airport tips and homeless meals
before taking the rental car to the Pacific
Coast.
The highway were broken concrete slabs
along rice fields. Infants in cloth wraps
hung from the backs of madres and
abuelas
hoeing the land, their shoulders burning
in the sun. “Before the Sandinistas,
farmers could give more to their chil-
dren,”
my grandfather said from the front seat.
The miles of fields turned into adobe
homes.
Children waited at stop signs in school
uniforms.
“Por favor,” they cried, swarming the car
with hands up to catch the córdobas
that slipped through the window cracks.
The families stood in doorways, waiting
to count the coins in their children’s
palms.
2015
(Aug. 14)The U.S flag was raised during the
ceremony of the reopened U.S embassy in Havana,
Cuba.
(Aug. 6) The first debate for the 2016 Republican
presidential candidates was held in Cleveland, Ohio.
(Sept. 1) Guatemala’s President, Otto Perez Molina,
was arrested over corruptions accusations. Unanimous
votes from the congress of Guatemala stripped the
President of his immunity.
(Sept. 22) Pope Francis visited the U.S for the first
time and arrived in Washington D.C. where he gave a
historic speech to congress.
(Sept. 16) An 8.3 magnitude earthquake hit Chile.
The earthquake killed at least 12 people and caused
millions to evacuate and billions in damages.
(Oct. 15) “El Chapo” became the best-selling
Halloween mask in Mexico followed by Donald Trump.
(Oct. 13) The first debate among 2016 Democratic
presidential candidates was held in Las Vegas.
(Oct. 13) Voters went to the polls in Haiti to pick from
54 presidential candidates.
(Nov. 13) ISIS attacked Paris. The three coordinated
terrorist attacks left 130 people dead and hundreds
wounded.
(Nov. 23): Mauricio Macri was elected the next
president of Argentina, after a close election that
brought the 12-year rule of the Peronist Party to an
end. Macri’s win swayed the country to the right.
(Dec. 6): The opposition in Venezuela overwhelmingly
won parliamentary elections. The victory brought an
end to almost 17 years of socialist rule.
(Dec. 20): Steve Harvey accidentally announced
Ariadna Gutierrez (Colombia) as the winner of the
2015 Miss Universe pageant.
ZALOME BRICEÑO
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS 2015-2016
2016
(Jan. 8) Nearly six months after his escape from a
maximum security prison in Mexico, drug kingpin “El
Chapo” Guzmán was arrested by authorities.
(Jan.) A travel notice by the Center for Disease
Control & Prevention was issued to Latin American
countries and U.S. territories where the Zika virus
transmission was ongoing.
(Feb. 8) Mayan women accused ex-military officers
of sex slavery in a historic trial in Guatemala.
(Mar. 9) Univision hosted the final Democratic
presidential primary debate, making it the only
presidential primary debate broadcast on a major
Spanish-language network.
(Mar. 13) More than a million protesters in cities
across Brazil called for President Dilma Rousseff’s
resignation.
(Mar. 20) President Obama became the first sitting
U.S. president since 1928 to visit Cuba.
(Apr. 4) The International Consortium of
Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) began releasing the
massive collection of files known as the Panama
Papers that tied the world’s rich and powerful to tax
fraud. Among the names mentioned in the papers
were football star, Lionel Messi, Daddy Yankee,
Mauricio Macri and Mario Vargas Llosa.
AMBER PAEZ
EN CHINANDEGA
23

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Com(m)unícate was printed by Progressive Communications in Lake
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herein may be reproduced by any means without the expressed
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have any questions, please email hcaatuf@gmail.com
Cover art by Sydney Griffiths
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College of Journalism and Communications
2019 Weimer Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611
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