Dulce Mia Warren- Westminster, CO

Dulce is in a doctoral program at the University of Colorado School of Nursing and is currently working part-time as a high school teacher for a nurse aide program and also works at a hospital as a women's health nurse practitioner. The focus of her doctoral education is reproductive health and advocacy of "Hispanic" women with limited English proficiency. For Dulce, being a Wise Latina means not having excuses! Working hard, smart, and remembering everyone who supported you on your path to excellence!

Veronica Arreola - Chicago
Assistant Director at the Center for Research on Women and Gender
University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)

To me, being a wise latina is about owning my education/knowledge and not being afraid or ashamed to use it. I'm smart, I know things so I'm gonna have an opinion. Whether from books or life's experiences, we are all just a bit wiser today than yesterday.

Virginia - Chicago

A wise Latina is a woman who is strong and has educated herself about a wide variety of issues that face us. She is someone who has built upon the foundation of learning that she received in her home and community. She surrounds herself with powerful women of all ages and experiences. She values hardwork and the gifts that each person brings.

Bertha Martinez - Lemont, IL

Being a Wise Latina for me means to have a passion and persistence at what you do – of course a lot of tenacity in order to get things done not only for the community but also for yourself. It all starts with you.

Dulce Quintero - Chicago, IL

Building empowerment and solidarity within communities and bridging gaps within communities.

Elva Aranda - Chicagoland area

First of all, I’m a proud Latina. I’m a proud and wise Latina. The richness of our culture in it of itself makes us richer, fuller and wiser. When you take together the richness of our Latino culture and in my case my Mexican culture coupled with my American heritage that makes me an even wiser Latina.

Gladys Santiago - Chicago, IL

A wise Latina is someone who understands that they cannot operate in life in a vacuum. There is a community that supports you and that you have the responsibility of supporting; and nourishing talents and beliefs and the gifts that individuals are born with. A wise Latina knows how to manage herself such that everyone is empowered to be the best they can be.

Anonymous

If you’re not full of breakdowns; you’re not up to anything.

Cristina Lopez, President, National Hispana Leadership Institute - Vienna, Virginia

A wise Latina embodies all the good things of the Hispanic woman. We’re hard working, we’re smart, we’re multi-taskers, we have a great sense of family. These are characteristics that have enabled us to succeed and that’s why we’re breaking the glass ceilings like we are now with a very wise Latina just appointed to the Court but also so many Latinas are starting their own business, we’re having more and more graduate from college and go into professions. So we’re really demonstrating that wise Latinas are moving forward.

To me, being a wise latina is about owning my education/knowledge and not being afraid or ashamed to use it. I'm smart, I know things so I'm gonna have an opinion. Whether from books or life's experiences, we are all just a bit wiser today than yesterday.

Marisa Rodriguez - Chicago, IL

To me, being a wise latina means I don't have to be a sexy, "spicy" latina. or a matronly woman with ten kids running around. what other dominant images are there of latinas in US culture? oh, a gangbanger. I'm not one of those either.
Anyway, to me, being a wise latina means I don't have to wear as much lipstick as those three prototypes wear and i can still qualify as latina. I can and do lead with my brain and not with my reproductive organs. Considering all the pressure to the contrary not only from those americans who fetishize latinas but also from my more traditional mexican family, I'm proud of that fact.

Esther - Chicago, IL
To be a wise Latina—I think education is very important to be a wise Latina. Be involved in your community. Have passion for other people. Be involved. I think that’s a wise Latina. Education. I stress education. In order to open doors, you have to have a good education. Good background. Be involved. Just let people know that you’re involved and I think you get a lot of respect.

Karina Jimenez - Pilsen (Chicago)
I believe that a wise Latina is someone that is knowledgeable and is willing to give back to the community that they came from. And trying to do everything in their power to empower the Latino community about different subjects and matters.

Sandra Diaz - Berwyn, IL
I think a wise Latina means when a woman is in contact with her culture, her education, her heritage. And she is able to get all her strengths and share them with the community in different forms. Whatever is approachable to her; and teach other Latinas to do the same thing.

Idaly Noriega - Pilsen (Chicago)
For me being a wise Latina means being open minded. Taking all the experiences you had into account whenever you’re making a decision whether it’s a decision about educating your child, a decision about where you want to go shopping. A decision that impacts you in your daily life. If you’re a wise Latina think about how that impacts everyone around you and make the best decision you possibly can.

Nora de Hoyos Comstock - Austin, TX
Founder of national and international organization Las Comadres para las Americas.
Well to take into account all the many experiences that I have had. Growing up, the knowledge of my grandmother, my forbearers, my grandmothers all of them. And then my mother. And to bring all of that knowledge and experience to bear on decision making for the future. In addition to whatever it is we are learning today, you put it all together and you make decisions based on wisdom.

Rebecca Estrada - Chicago, IL
To be a wise Latina I think not only comes from age but it comes through experience. It’s coming to know your culture, your heritage, of being proud. And passing it on, passing it on to other people, other youth, your children, your family. And not keeping that information to yourself.
I’m the director of the youth program so I see a lot of kids coming in and they need different guidance and you see so much potential in them. And hopefully a little bit of your story you can pass on to them so that they themselves can make better choices, better decisions for themselves. I try to speak from my own experience as well.

Maureen Calwick - Erie Neighborhood House (Chicago)
I think a wise Latina is one who understands the power of a woman particularly in her family and in her community. I think the family sense is strong. I think we are still working on the community sense. What role wise Latinas and strong Latinas can have. And as we see more Latinas in political office I think other Latinas have an inspiration and see how they can be involved in their community.

Anne Pasquinelli - Toledo, OH
A wise Latina is educated, she knows where to find education in every aspect of her life. Whether its career, family or even hobbies. Keeping updated with current sources. Keeping yourself safe and knowing how to stay safe. Being wise is understanding your culture, where you came from and family values. Whether it’s your religion or how you were raised. To me that’s a wise Latina. It’s having a well rounded life. Spiritually, mentally, physically and educationally.

From Michigan

A wise Latina is somebody who can live among all cultures, can speak four languages, somebody who likes people in general and can be helpful to everybody.

Sylvia Puente – Chicago, IL

I was so pleased when I heard that that was a remark by Sonia Sotomayor, and I thought, that’s it! We are wise women, and for me what a wise woman means that you are spirituality grounded and centered in your truth and that you speak trough your heart, whatever issue is in front of you, with wisdom, grace and love.

Chicago (originally from Mexico)

For me being a wise Latina is taking advantage of the opportunities especially in education, getting a good education, getting a job and a good career, being a mentor, and bringing other women and other people up with you up the ladder.

Rita Rodriguez - Fort Worth, Texas

I think that wise Latina for us means all the generations of Latina women like our great grandmothers, our grandmothers, our mothers who helped our families grow and  fought all the adversities. My grandmothers came from México to escape the revolution with their husbands to a strange land; and it’s their wisdom and they courage that kept all our families together.

Adela González - San Antonio, Texas
A wise Latina is a woman with strength who has overcome struggles, who has made a better life for her and those around her. A wise Latina is an intelligent  decision maker for  Latinas and for the betterment of the Hispanic communities.

Zoe Colon - Bronx, NY

I  grew up in the Bronx, I have a variety of life different experiences, from  growing up in a single parent household to having a father with HIV and substance abuse who eventually passed away in 1989. Despite the circumstances I ended up going to Bernhard College, a women’s college of Columbia University,  so I have an ivy league education and I became involved in my community.

I got my masters in public administration and I continue to work with my community and a wise Latina to me, which I think kind of reflects what Sotomayor meant, is one that comes with life experiences such as ours and you are able to integrate into society and live a double life and  it’s almost like a schizophrenic  identity.  I also teach at the City College University of NY and I teach history of Latinos in the US,  so I come from a very diverse background as well.

Aida - Dominican Republic

A wise Latina is someone who is able to stand in her own feet and make her own decisions to find her way in life.

Sofia Gabriela, from México City, and Chicago

Being a wise Latina means to be able to have an education , and it is different from generation to generation, from the social movements we gained the right to be educated and have a lot of power in the workforce. I am 24 years old,  for my generation it means to be able to use that power for the good and recognizing my role within the community and my power and my responsibility and knowing that all of my privileges comes from my previous generation like my mother’s; being able to give back something to the next generation.

To me the most important thing right now is education; education, education, education; not just go to an ivy school and getting a degree, it’s education from life, from your peers, the community. Education gives you the right tools to be able to think for yourself as a powerful member of the community, and to work and do good for the world and to work for your  people.

Xochitl Ortiz - Fort Worth, Texas

Being a wise Latina encompasses many things, to know who you are in terms of your culture, and your values. Embracing your traditions because without that you are missing a piece. Another part is becoming educated. I guess as a young Latina we may not always make the best decisions. But you have to make the best of everything.

You have to find what your passion is and share it with the rest of the world. Find your inner strength, whatever it is that makes you you. Everybody has different qualities, and you have to find yours.

You have to respect yourself. When you respect yourself others will respect you too and when you find your  partner he will respect you too. I was a teen parent but I continued my educations and got a masters. But I chose a macho Mexicano and I chose him well. We support each other and our marriage is very egalitarian, We share all the diaper changing, going to the grocery store, making dinner. My parents are very proud that I chose a good macho Mexicano. He is so macho that when I come back from work las tortillas están calientes. He took care of me for a long time and now he is unemployed so I am taking care of him, and that’s what being a wise Latina is.