National Hispanic/Latinx Heritage month is a time to recognize and celebrate the contributions, diverse cultures and the extensive histories of the Hispanic/Latinx community. At the Y, we believe our communities are stronger when everyone feels welcome and we work together for the common good. This month, we're celebrating our staff and the impact they have made on our community.

Lodia Ruiz

What is your title and how long have you been with the Y? I am a Social Services Program Director at YMCA Childcare Resource Service (CRS). I have been with the Y collectively for over 11 years.

What do you do at the Y? I currently manage and supervise the Foster Care Bridge Program Navigation and Training/Coaching aspects of the program. The Bridge program is a partnership between YMCA CRS and San Diego County Child Welfare Services. Our goal is to support the child care needs of children in foster care by providing trauma informed services and support.

What is your favorite thing about your job? I started with YMCA Youth and Family Services as a college student many years ago. I have always loved being in a position where social justice values underlie all my work and the YMCA’s Community Support Services provides me that opportunity. It’s what brought me back to the Y and what keeps me here.

What would you like the community to know about Hispanic/Latinx heritage month? For me, Hispanic/Latinx heritage month provides an opportunity to reflect on and learn about the beautiful diversity within the Hispanic and Latin community. Being half Cuban, half Mexican myself, I am an example of the differences and the similarities within my beautiful heritage that all make up Hispanic and Latin culture.

What is something you are proud of about your heritage and background? I’m most proud of the diversity within my own background. I grew up in a home full of different foods and flavors, music and dance and big family gatherings. I’m proud to celebrate our hardworking and resilient padres (parents), nuestra gente linda (our beautiful people), and our contributions to this land. I stand on the shoulders of a people who have preserved and worked hard and I am so incredibly proud to call myself a multicultural Latina.

Jessica Leon

What is your title and how long have you been with the Y? I am a Member Services Supervisor at Mission Valley YMCA and I have been with the Y for nine years.

What do you do at the Y? I provide support to the membership staff so we as a team can ensure our members have a welcoming and positive experience when visiting our facility.

What is your favorite thing about your job? Being able to connect with members of our community has been my favorite thing about working at the Y. 

What would you like the community to know about Hispanic/Latinx heritage month? I would like the community to know how important it is to be open to other people's background and to be educated in other cultures and traditions. We should appreciate all heritages 365 days a year. I love seeing my culture represented in the City of San Diego! 

Which leaders, artists, friends, or family members inspire and guide you in your life? I would like to think that my personality reflects that of my parents and siblings. They have been a huge part of who I am today. I am inspired daily by those around me, every day is a great day to become a better member of my community.

Bertha Campos

What is your title and how long have you been with the Y? I am the Facilities Supervisor at Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA. I have been with the Y for over 29 years.

What do you do at the Y? I make sure my facilities team keeps the Ecke Family main branch, Gymnastic Center in Carlsbad and the Aquatic Park also in Carlsbad in tip-top shape, everything from day-to-day operations to long-term projects. I also take pride in helping support the Y during our Annual Campaign.

What is your favorite thing about your job? I have really enjoyed all my years at the Y, I have harvested friendships that will last a lifetime. By far, my favorite thing about working for the Y are my coworkers and all the members I have known for decades.

What would you like the community to know about Hispanic/Latinx heritage month? The Hispanic/Latinx community is very much rooted in family, friends as well as the community in general. We love for everyone to share our traditions!

What is something you are proud of about your heritage and background? Hispanic Heritage Month is a celebration of who I am, my culture, the values that I have inherited from my parents and my Hispanic community.  I take pride in being able to pass them along to my children and my community.

Which Latinx leaders, artists, friends, or family members inspire and guide you in your life? I am motivated by seeing others thrive and be the best version they can be. I get inspiration from people like my mom, she was very kind, loving and always looking after the well-being of others.

Melissa Valencia

What is your title and how long have you been with the Y? I am a Mental Health Clinician at YMCA Youth and Family Servcies (YFS) and I've been with the Y for five years.

What do you do at the Y? During my time at the Y, I’ve worked with many families — helping them understand, navigate and hopefully destigmatize mental health through psychoeducation in a way that is understandable and nonthreatening.

What is your favorite thing about your job? My favorite part of my job is being able to meet some amazing youth and families and being a small part of their village.

What would you like the community to know about Hispanic/Latinx heritage month? I hope the community appreciates and celebrates the rich culture we share. Not only in its values, but also in its history, food and overall celebration of life!

Which leaders, artists, friends, or family members inspire and guide you in your life? My parents and grandparents were and continue to be my inspiration in every aspect of my life. They instilled values of family, loyalty and hard work and a reminder that it takes a village to raise someone. I am incredibly proud of their teachings and values and their constant reminder of ‘puro pa’delante’.

Jhoanna Rios

What is your title and how long have you been with the Y? I am a Site Supervisor with Character Builders at Ryan Family YMCA and I have been with the Y for four years.

What do you do at the Y? Here at the Y, I encourage children to live an honest, respectful, caring and responsible life.

What is your favorite thing about your job? I love that my job puts me in a position to educate today's future and tomorrows today! I get to bring my creative ideas and show children a little bit about science, literature, math, arts and life skills!

What would you like the community to know about Hispanic/Latinx heritage month? It would be wonderful if everyone remembered that we celebrate Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month in the month of September to celebrate many South American countries' independence. The month celebration ends October 15 which is the day of the race (“Día de la Raza”), which is meant as a prideful day to remember our ancestors.

What is something you are proud of about your heritage and background? I am proud that my heritage, customs and traditions can date back to 3000 years ago. My favorite tradition is Day of the Dead, which is meant to connect with our dead friends and family. It brings the idea of community and spirituality alive every year.

Which leaders, artists, friends, or family members inspire and guide you in your life? My mother is my lantern in a dark tunnel. She has always led me the correct way making sure I always see a positive outlook in the darkest moments. I know that if she could make it here in a new country then I can too!

Miriam Martinez

What is your title and how long have you been with the Y? I am a Program Director at South Bay Family YMCA and I've been with the Y for 17 years.

What do you do at the Y? ​I help provide an essential service for our community that offers a safe place for their children and a place for staff to grow and develop. 

What is your favorite thing about your job? My favorite part of my job is who I work with, they have become my home away from home!

What would you like the community to know about Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month? Hispanic Heritage month is about Hispanic cultures coming together and celebrating the history, cultures and contributions of our ancestors in a joyful way.

What is something you are proud of about your heritage and background? When I started first grade in the United States, I knew three English words: apple, banana and house. I had great teachers and people that believed in me and helped me, and I also had people in my community that showed their pride for Hispanic heritage. I decided that I wanted to grow up and give back to the community and continue to celebrate and remember the Hispanic culture which I love so much. So with that, what better way to give back than to work for an organization that believes in that too?

Which leaders, artists, friends, or family members inspire and guide you in your life? ​My parents inspire me each day; they came to this country and created something so beautiful for me and my family. 

Alejandre Lopez

What is your title and how long have you been with the Y? I am a Lead Preschool Teacher at Toby Wells YMCA and I have been with the Y for almost four years

What do you do at the Y? ​I work in the preschool department at the Toby Wells YMCA. My job is to provide quality early education to children 3-4 years of age. I understand how hard it is for families to leave their children in the care of a stranger, which is why we work hard to create a home away from home for the little ones.

What is your favorite thing about your job? The thing I like most about teaching is my students. I love to interact with them, learn from them and help them grow in all areas of development.

Which leaders, artists, friends, or family members inspire and guide you in your life? My parents have worked so hard all their lives to provide a better life for my sister and me. My mom became an intensive care unit nurse in Tijuana and crossed the border every other day to go to work at night. My parents have always been my biggest supporters and always encouraged me to chase after my dreams.

Also, my husband is one of my biggest inspirations. He immigrated to the United States from El Salvador when he was three. He overcame many challenges as a minority such as learning a new language/culture, facing food insecurity, caring for his two younger siblings and returning to El Salvador to process his green card without the assurance that he would ever return to the U.S. again. He also graduated from Cal State San Marcos University with a Bachelor's in Political Science and proceeded to earn his master's in construction, all while working a full-time job.

Lupe Sandoval

What is your title and how long have you been with the Y? I am the Outreach Coordinator for Expanded Learning Programs (ELP). I've been at the Y for two years.

What do you do at the Y? I do talent acquisition, volunteer recruitment, and establish and maintain community partnerships for ELP.

What is your favorite thing about your job? My favorite part about my position is getting to visit our afterschool programs and seeing students have fun and learn. I also like meeting local college students who are passionate about education and child development.

What would you like the community to know about Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month? Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month is a great way to share how diverse our communities are and showcase our many identities.

What is something you are proud of about your heritage and background? I was born in Oaxaca, Mexico which is rich with culture. My favorite tradition is celebrating Día De Los Muertos, setting an altar for loved ones and filling my home with marigolds.

Which Latinx leaders, artists, friends, or family members inspire and guide you in your life? I'm grateful for having mentors throughout my career who keep me inspired, many of whom are educational equity professionals.

Leslie Palacios

What is your title and how long have you been with the Y? I am a Preschool Lead Teacher at Toby Wells YMCA and I have been with the Y for three years.

What do you do at the Y? I work in Room 2 as the lead teacher for 15 beautiful 2 year olds. We work on their social-emotional skills and have fun all day while learning.

What is your favorite thing about your job? My favorite thing about my job is my students. They are full of love and happiness.

What would you like the community to know about Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month? Hispanic Heritage Month is a celebration of the Hispanic culture all around the world. We get to celebrate those before us, know more about our community and help shape our future. Ceasar Chavez, Ellen Ochoa and Gabriela Mistral are a few of many Hispanic icons who made history here in the United States.

What is something you are proud of about your heritage and background? I am proud daughter of Mexican parents who taught me that anything is possible if you work hard.

Which Latinx leaders, artists, friends, or family members inspire and guide you in your life? One of the women I look up to is Gabriela Mistral. She was the first Hispanic woman to win a Nobel Prize for Literature. She was an author, educator and humanist who fought not only for the Hispanic community, but also for women's rights.

Victoria Carillo

What is your title and how long have you been with the Y? I am a Graphic Designer and I've been working at the Y for five years.

What do you do at the Y? I create visuals that tell stories of the work and services we provide at YMCA Community Support Services branch. 

What is your favorite thing about your job? Honoring the experiences of our communities by depicting their needs on a "sheet of paper" and helping to lift their voices via graphics/graphic design. 

What would you like the community to know about Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month? Even though I celebrate my culture everyday (by the food I eat, the clothes I wear, by the languages I speak, the relationships I have, the actions I take, etc.), I appreciate heritage months because it is a way for all of us to learn something new about our own and different cultures.

What is something you are proud of about your heritage and background? As a first-generation Mexican American, I am proud of being a first-generation college graduate. Being able to learn and adapt to a different culture, systems, and language that my parents didn't know, has played a big role in the person I am today.

Which Latinx leaders, artists, friends, or family members inspire and guide you in your life? My family inspires my continued growth as well as our community's resilience, which is a reminder to use my privilege to do my part.