Hey, let me tell you a little about myself.

My name is Brenda Almaraz and I am Mexican-American and twenty-one years old. I was born in New York City and both my mother and father are from Mexico (different parts of Mexico). Though I spent the first years of my life in Manhattan, living in the neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen, I currently live in the Bronx near Yankee Stadium.

I come from a loving family of eight, my five sisters: Eloisa, Nancy, Elida, Karen, and Leslie and my parents. Living with my sisters can be overwhelming and hectic sometimes because we are each have strong opinions and attitudes and can be hard headed. Sometimes, maybe all the time, amongst us sisters we do not common ground and as a result always argue. But at the end of the day, we all manage to put aside our differences to focus on the one thing that matters to us the most; care and respect for each other. From the youngest to the eldest each has provided me with advice, support, and criticism (that sometimes be a bit too harsh) that has influenced and shaped me into the person that I am today.

Currently, I am a sophomore attending John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and I am double majoring in Latin American and Latin@s Studies and Anthropology. Being a Latina and wanting to learn more about the Latino community in the United States, and the history of Latin America pushed me towards this major. Additionally, my interest in the foundation of cultures in Latin American countries has also pushed me towards anthropology. With both these majors, I hope to travel within Latin America, learning the historical context as well as the culture, and kinships of the communities.

Family is a concept that is very important to me. I can rely on my family whenever I encounter an academic or personal problem. Just having them present in my life makes me feel like the luckiest person in the world because no matter where I go if I am abroad living with one of the many indigenous tribes studying the foundations of their culture or living a block away from them, I know that they will be there for me. They are there and will always be there to witness all my successes as well as be there through my failures and watching over me as I end and start new chapters of my life.