When I was young, my parents and I would sit on the couch and watch the nightly news on a Spanish-speaking channel. I remember between shows there was this commercial where they would pick a prominent Latinx figure and project them as an example of Latinx Pride. “El Orgullo Hispano” they would call it. I would watch and think, “One day that will be me.” Sonia Sotomayor, “El Orgullo Hispano.” Oscar De La Hoya, “El Orgullo Hispano.” Nancy Pelosi, “El Orgullo Hispano.” My parents wanted to instill cultural pride, in hopes that I would never forget it as I grew up in a different atmosphere than them: The United States.

My parents immigrated from Costa Rica to receive a better education and a better life. My father dropped out of school at a young age, and my mother never fulfilled her dream of being a chef, but they agreed that without education they couldn’t succeed. They both went back to community college to get that education. My mother recently celebrated her fifteenth year as a CNA, my father is approaching his third decade working in the textiles and furniture industry.

My parents succeeded in instilling cultural pride, and they also succeeded in instilling the self-discipline to pursue an education in something I loved and it was hard. They didn’t know anything about the college application process or how to finance it. In high school I didn’t know how to pick a college, nor that I should tour one before I decided to apply or attend. The first time I stepped onto the campus was orientation.

College is hard; I still haven’t quite figured it out yet. I didn’t know internships were important, or that master’s degrees and PhDs were a thing. It was a wake-up call to focus more on my academics, but it was also difficult because I struggled with a connection to my culture. For the longest time I struggled with coming from a Spanish-speaking brown household and living in an English-speaking predominantly white community. Being alone at NC State without my parents has pushed me closer to my culture. Every day I’m grateful for my family, my heritage and for their continued support of my higher education.

That being said, I also got lonely at school. I pushed myself to find a community, and I found one in Student Government. I consider them my family. Through them, I was able to receive the resources I desperately needed. If there’s one thing I regret in my time at State, it’s that I didn’t get involved in my Latinx community as much as I could have. I hope to fulfill more in my last year here.

I decided to run for Student Body President, absolutely nervous to do so, knowing in the back of my mind that if I did not go out on this limb, did not give back to the campus that gave me so much, I would regret it forever. I didn’t think I would be the first Latinx Student Body President until after we started campaigning and it did help push me harder, but this campaign wasn’t about me, or my running mate, Mia; it was about the students who want to be heard.

It’s really amazing to see who will support you when it’s time to step up. People who I interacted with in my first week in college were supporting me, Mia and our campaign; people I didn’t even know were donating; people I have never interacted with were painting signs for our campaign. It resonated with me that students were supporting us for our message and that they truly believed in us.

Being the first Latinx Student Body President will be an unbelievable opportunity for someone like me who came from a small town and from two hard working immigrants. It’s a large task that I have yet to fully grasp. I take the oath on March 29. The next year will be a journey I want to make sure others also have the chance to take.

If you want to talk, feel free to reach out. My email is jgonzal5@ncsu.edu