"Always remember you have to pay it back later."
I am a true believer that sharing our stories deeply transforms us, changes the narrative of our community, and heals the world. The #Shareyourstory series is dedicated to highlighting diverse stories of Latinx individuals making a significant difference in their community. Michael's background in higher education and helping improve educational outcomes as a community engagement office make him an outstanding leader.
Preferred Pronouns:Preferred Pronouns: He/Him/His
Work Title (s): Community Engagement Officer
Favorite Quote: “Only Siths deal in absolutes” – Obi Wan Kenobi
Who is Michael?When people ask me where I’m from, I always say, I was born in Puerto Rico but raised in the military. Both of my parents were in the US Army and growing up, the military was my whole world. The military community is incredibly diverse and I grew up with kids from different ethnic and racial backgrounds. We also moved a lot so I lived in different places across the US and even in Europe. A unique aspect of military culture is the social hierarchy. People are not categorized by race or class but rather by rank. It didn’t matter if my mom’s commanding officer was white or black, what mattered was their rank. This made me see and know people on their merits rather than a stereotype. The downside to this worldview is that it’s limiting and rarely takes into consideration people’s histories and how injustice, past and present, affect many of our communities.
Did you attend college? Going to college in 1998 helped me understand the world more and expand my perspective. I learned how to be critical of ideas and polices that are unjust and that often, there’s an important history behind many issues that are often forgotten or ignored. While in college, I wish my advisor would have told me to scale it back. I was working on two simultaneous bachelor’s degrees and I was burnt out. I thought it would help advance my career but instead it hurt my GPA. I should have focused on one degree and a minor, rather than doing too much at once.
What has been the biggest challenge you have had to overcome? The biggest challenge I’ve overcome so far is when I transitioned careers almost three years ago. After 10 years of working in education, I took a job in philanthropy. The transition was much more difficult than I could’ve imagined. I went from a career I knew lots about to a job where I felt overwhelmed and unprepared. There were times I wanted to quit and go running back to my old job. But I saw this challenge as an opportunity to grow my skills and talents and I persisted. Though the work is still challenging, it aligns with my values and it motivates me to find new ways to grow personally and professionally.
What is the one thing you are working on daily?In my daily work, I work for a non-profit foundation that provides funds to community-based organizations to improve health and educational outcomes in our region. I’m privileged to work with many amazing organizations that are leading policy change and work to ensure that our leaders reflect and represent our communities across the region.
One piece of advice you wish someone would have given you during college or professional career? Always remember you have to pay it back later.
What is your favorite kind of coffee?I don’t drink coffee; it does NOT get along with my stomach. I drink tea daily and I love trying out different kinds of chai teas.
En Solidaridad,
Araceli
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