11- The Garza Family. Born in Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas.

When they started their family of nine in the 1930s, José María and Eva Garza decided to make college graduation a family expectation. Three generations and dozens of degrees later, higher education remains a priority. Since the early 1900s, the Garza family has lived in and near the small farming community of Peñitas on the Texas-Mexico border. Raised by a father with an elementary school education, José María and his 12 siblings were all expected to get an education, an egalitarian attitude unusual among working-class Mexican Americans of that era. In contrast, Eva had to leave school at the age of 13 to work in the family grocery store. She later vowed that her children would get an education.

“Growing up, our parents would say, ‘He who rises early, God will help.’ and ‘Always look forward and have a vision. See where you want to get to.' "

This quote means that whoever helps someone first, god will help them in return

12- Chita Rivera- Born in Washington D.C. A versatile entertainer and performer, the universally acclaimed Chita Rivera has won two Tony Awards as best leading actress in a musical and was the first Hispanic American to receive the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor. Born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero, Rivera was raised by parents who emphasized cultural enrichment. At 16, Rivera auditioned for legendary choreographer George Balanchine who recognized her talent and gave her a scholarship to the American School of Ballet. A year later, the aspiring ballerina was cast as a principal dancer in the Broadway musical Call Me Madam, and her extraordinary career began.

“I see myself as a global person with the distinct advantage of being Latina. We add all the colors of our culture to this quilt that is the world.”

This quote means that she sees her heritage as an advantage to help her succeed in the world.

13- Teodora Vidal- Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Teodoro Vidal has dedicated a lifetime to the investigation and study of Puerto Rico's traditional culture. He views his native land's richness, antiquity, and distinctive traits as a true reflection of its national identity. As a young man, Vidal was an aide to Puerto Rico 's first elected governor, Luis Muñoz Marín, and a member of the founding board of directors of the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña. For nearly five decades, his field investigations throughout the island to gather information on traditional life have been complemented by archive and library research in Puerto Rico, Spain, and the United States. Among his principal fields of interest are carnival festivities, ex-votos (votive offerings), witchcraft, folk medicine, colonial artists, and santos (devotional wood carvings of saints and the Virgin Mary). Vidal has shared his findings through lectures, articles, and 10 books.

“I view this work as an expression of my deep pride in the cultural values of the people of Puerto Rico”

This quote means that he takes pride in his culture and expresses it

14- Joseph Unanue- Born in Brooklyn, New York. Joseph Unanue, with the help of his brothers Frank and Tony, built Goya Foods into the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States. Founded by their parents in 1936, the company continues the family's philanthropic focus on self-help. The second of four sons of Spanish immigrants, Unanue spent summers packing olives for the family business. While he enjoyed the work, he had other career ambitions. After earning a Bronze Star in World War II, he attended college. He turned down his first job offer because it did not pay what he thought he was worth.

“I'm glad I learned English, and I'm glad I spoke Spanish at home because that's what kept me speaking Spanish.”

This shows that he is glad to speak both languages and that it benefits him.

15- Victor Villaseñor- Born in Carlsbad, California. The author of fiction and nonfiction, including the best-selling Rain of Gold, Victor Villaseñor has attained international recognition for his searing insights into the discrimination that Latinos encounter in the United States. Raised in a family of comfortable means on a 166-acre ranch in Oceanside, California, Villaseñor spoke only Spanish until he started school. After years of frustration with language barriers, discrimination, and undiagnosed dyslexia, he dropped out of high school in his junior year. An extended stay in Mexico changed his life, and Villaseñor finally experienced pride in his Mexican heritage. Reading James Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man convinced him that the pen was mightier than the sword.

“I became a writer to save my soul.”

This shows that he was in a hard time but his writing saved him