HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH: Name: Melissa Hernandez Role: Freshman in college; former My School Votes Student Ambassador Current School: Tulane University Major: NeuroScience and Minor Political Science Former High School: Patrick F. Taylor High School State: Louisiana Through this series, When We All Vote is highlighting some of the people who work with us to ensure their communities are registered and ready to vote. So many of us make history every day, and we are proud to honor these Latinx community ambassadors.

How has your life personally been impacted by voting? Does a specific moment stand out to you? I would say the first thing that always comes to my mind is my dad. Just because he’s been here for a very long time and we have struggled with our different views. He’s more conservative which resulted in a lot of clashing over the years, but at the same time, I found myself trying to understand that even if someone does have a different view than you, they still have the right to express that view. And like you, they should still be encouraged to express their opinion and go out and vote. Having that personal experience with my family made me more understanding and willing to have rational conversations and not automatically shut them out. It's now very important to me to maintain a sense of humanity and understand the importance of bridging that gap between others. “Most students my age aren’t usually informed on this topic even if they do have the capacity to vote. So being an ambassador was a great leadership opportunity for me.”What is your favorite part of being Latina? I would say first and foremost, always be proud of where you come from! My dad is from Honduras and my mom is from El Salvador, so knowing other people that come from the culture I do is so important. There is some sense of familiarity already within the Latinx community, and one of my favorite things is how easy it is to strike up conversation. I feel like as a community we are so welcoming and always making the extra effort to invite you out, joke with you, and just feel included overall. That is extremely comforting to me, and that’s why I always go that extra mile in my everyday life as well. I know that a lot of youth growing up are not surrounded by their community. I grew up going to school with predominantly white students throughout elementary, middle, and high school, and because of that it can be easy to feel disconnected from your culture. But remember, even if you do feel disconnected there is a community willing to take you in. It is always there as a support system, no matter where you are and no matter how you grew up. “Remember, even if you do feel disconnected there is a community willing to take you in. It is always there as a support system, no matter where you are and no matter how you grew up.”

READ MELISSA'S FULL STORY HERE

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