Happy International Women’s Day 2021

“And everyone is equal and everyone has a voice and perspective. For me, that has motivated my journalism.”

-Maria Hinojosa

Since last year's International Women's Day, many things have changed for women in the United States and around the world. In American politics, the House of Representatives currently has its highest-ever percentage of women—119 of the 435 total seats. Kamala Harris made history as the first female African American and South Asian Vice President of the United States. In STEM, Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, a Research Fellow at the National Institute of Health, has contributed greatly to solving the COVID-19 pandemic with her exceptional work on Moderna's vaccine. While these major achievements result in widespread empowerment, there is also the invaluable impact that women in our day-to-day lives have. Join us in celebrating the women that have made a personal impact on the lives of our team at Sociedad Latina.

The Women That Inspire Our Staff

Alejandra Aguilar

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Maria Grande’s Best Friend

My best friend Alejandra Aguilar (on the right) and I met twenty-four years ago in our preschool class. She had long, wavy dark brown hair that she wore in two braids and poofy, colorful dresses that I was never bold enough to wear - granted it was the 1990’s. Since then, Alejandra has grown into a beautiful, intellident, kind, and courageous young woman who has devoted her life to being an elementary school teacher at our local elementary school in New York.

Alejandra was born in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico in 1993. She is the first-born of four children, and the only girl. When she was a couple months old, her family moved to Zitacuaro, Michoacán, Mexico to be closer to her mother’s family. After her grandmother died when Alejandra was four years old, she and her family moved to the United States, namely Springs, New York where we were raised. 

Alejandra attended Hunter University in New York City, where she double majored in Elementary Education and English Language Arts. Growing up in the small town that we did, New York City was an exciting adventure and she loved exploring new neighborhoods and places. After graduating from college, Alejandra moved back home to Springs. 

Currently, she is a Teaching Assistant in the English as a New Language Department, where she supports children in building their English language acquisition and offers translation services for students and parents. This is a position that is closely connected to her personal experience growing up as an English learner, stating: “Being bilingual has opened up many opportunities for me...I gladly help any person at school who needs any sort of translating because of my personal experience. It was often difficult for my parents to communicate with the school because there were not many resources nor bilingual teachers/school staff that were willing or available to translate. I want students and parents to feel like they can communicate freely and comfortably with the school.”

Alejandra is also pursuing her Master’s Degree in Speech Pathology from Stonybrook University, working to become certified as a bilingual speech pathologist to be able to help people get the services they need, and make it a more comfortable experience. 

Alejandra is, to this day, my closest friend, and no matter how much time has passed, we pick things up right where they belong. She is the person I share astrology memes with, the person I trust to know how I should handle a situation based on who I am, and the person who knows me the best. I feel honored to call her my best and longest friend, and she inspires me everyday to live my truth and in my strength. 

“Mentors of mine were under a big pressure to minimize their femininity to make it. I'm not going to do that. That takes away my power. I'm not going to compromise who I am.”

- Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez

Marley, Alexandra Oliver-Dávila’s Daughter

One of the most important females in my life is my amazing eleven-year old daughter. Marley is sunshine and a breath of fresh air. She has taught me so much about being true to yourself and following your dreams. Marley has been a creative spirit since she was in the womb.

When her dad would play guitar and sing, she would kick along with the beat. At nine months old, Marley was singing songs from The Sound of Music, and at four years old, watching the full movies of Oklahoma and West Side Story and performing in front of audiences at various community events. At one point, she made me call her “Shakira”, who she watched every day in a recorded Paris concert for a year. I think she earned the right to be called Shakira as she could sing all her songs and do the famous belly dance moves. She became inspired by Darci Lynn at seven years old and taught herself ventriloquism.

Marley's creativity and imagination have not always been understood. She struggled in the early elementary grades to find her tribe. She decided to change schools in 5th grade, and although she was terrified of the change, she had a deep hope she would find a place where she could share her creative spirit. In her new school, she has thrived and been able to continue on her creative journey adding video making and editing, as well as creative writing to her list of passions.

This year, my daughter came out to me, our friends, and family. I have never been more proud of her for her courage and vulnerability in sharing who she is. We live in a world that is not so friendly to our LGBTQ+ community. I know this will not be an easy road because unfortunately there will be people who will be judgmental and cruel. As a parent I want to protect her from any pain but I know I can not. Marley has taught me so much about the importance of pronouns and gender expression and identity. I thank Marley for letting me have the honor of being her Mom. I thank her for all that she teaches me everyday about being authentic. I can only hope to be half as brave as she is! I look forward to watching Marley grow into a Fierce Latina Warrior. Words are not enough to express how much I love you Marley, I am your biggest fan!!

Ana Cusi,

Nicolas Cusi’s Mom

If you had to describe my mom in one word, it would overwhelmingly be a giver or alguien generosa. Born the youngest in a family of seven, she was always seen as the baby “Anita”, and that abundance of love she received in her youth eventually led to her becoming the most nurturing of the bunch. 

Adversity struck when her father passed unexpectedly at a young age, and she was forced to grow up much faster than any child should ever have to. Little did she know that once out of her adolescence, her path would be drastically altered once again. 

When my parents met and ultimately married, they decided that America would provide the best opportunities to raise our budding family. To follow this dream, my mom had to leave everything she had ever known, have the courage and strength to move to a foreign country where she didn’t know the language, and give this opportunity a shot. Despite the language barrier, she made the decision to earn a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy while staying at home to raise her three children. 

Having my mom’s unyielding support while growing up was invaluable for my personal growth and development. Everyone deserves to be supported this way, whether at home or in their community. As a result, she has dedicated her life to wholeheartedly building up and supporting those around her. She has served as a therapist for many, while committing her time to causes that are important to her. 

Nowadays, supporting and advocating for Latino families, helping care for those at end of life, and contributing to the local art community are among the pursuits that take most of her time. She is happiest when surrounded by the people she loves, purposefully enjoying their time together while sharing a delicious meal. 

My mom serves as a beacon of love, sincerity, and positivity in my life and that of so many others. She is an extraordinary role model without even realizing the immense amount of impact she’s had and continues to cultivate. It is the givers in life that deserve just as much or more giving in return, as it is their generosity that helps make the world a better place. 

My mom is my inspiration, and someone I am exceptionally proud to be celebrating for International Women’s Day and well beyond.

Maria Josefina and Ana Maria,

Andrea Gilbert’s Mom and Grandma

The most important women in my life are my grandma and my mom. My grandmother Maria Josefina, or Mama Fina as we used to call her, was an elementary teacher in a rural area in Peru. In spite of the lack of resources that affect many countries in Latin America, she was always passionate about teaching kids to get them out of poverty. I learned from her to be patient, caring, and kind.

My mother Ana Maria worked as a nurse in a mental hospital, and later, as a secretary in Peru. I always admire her determination and willingness to work her way up to success. I learned to be resilient, proactive, and enthusiastic thanks to her. Both women are everything in my life and make me appreciate and love the job I do each day at Sociedad Latina to help our youth achieve their dreams.

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“I hope the fathers and mothers of little girls will look at them and say ‘yes, women can.”

—Dilma Rousseff,