with Hannah DeBlock Montero Bejarano (they/she), Director of ESL & Title IX Deputy Coordinator
Community Perspectives is a series of written messages to amplify the voices of the MSM community about cultural celebrations. We hope you enjoy learning more about members of our community and these important celebrations.
I grew up in the in-between. My ‘gringo’ father, a white American, and my ‘Tica’ mother, an immigrant from Costa Rica, blend two cultures that leaves me at times both celebrating and questioning my identity. For me, Hispanic Heritage Month creates a space where those inner worlds meet in public recognition.
At its simplest, Hispanic Heritage Month was a time for me to celebrate the music, food, language, and history of my Costa Rican roots, but it is also so much more than that. Papaya smoothies, arroz con pollo, and wrapping tamales in our annual Christmas assembly line grounded me in a sense of belonging. “Pura Vida,” the Costa Rican saying that means pure life, wasn’t just a phrase, but a mindset that embraced the richness of living.
Growing up, I never questioned my Costa Rican identity because I was constantly surrounded by tías, tíos, primos, doñas y dons. It wasn’t easy though, especially when I was made fun of at school because “my food smelled funny.” Looking for a deeper sense of belonging, I began to question my identities because I looked white. I started to think I wasn’t ‘white’ enough or ‘Latina’ enough. When I spoke Spanish, I would be met with: “Wow! How did a gringa like you learn Spanish so well?” For many years that felt like a betrayal—a denial of my identity, my reality, my truth.
Eventually, I began a quiet exploration within myself: “What does it mean to be Latina when my last name is Dutch and my skin is seen as white? How do I own my heritage when others question its authenticity?”
Over time, I came to see my heritage as the root of my values—community, women empowerment, empathy, and resilience. In many ways, I am still answering this question but reflecting on my grandfather’s life often provides clarity. Raised in poverty in Costa Rica and eventually immigrated to New York, he learned English, worked hard, and never stopped seeking wisdom. When my grandparents passed this summer at 101 and 102, they left us a legacy of dignity, curiosity, and joy.
My life has taught me empathy, adaptability, and the courage to live in complexity. At a time when we question what it means to be an “American,” I embrace all parts of my identity, especially my Latina side. Hispanic Heritage Month allows us to share stories of struggle and joy, migration and acceptance, and the in-between. I have learned to stand in that place, and I hope to welcome others in show everyone can shine. Listen more than you speak. Honor elders’ ordinary stories as history. Teach children that lunchboxes of all kinds are equally American.
We can be both Hispanic and American—multi-dimensional beings who treasure where we come from and where we are going all at once.
Read past MSM Community Perspective missives here:
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