Sweeping on the floor, senior Ashley Romero embraces her culture through dance.
Since she was young, she has always felt that music was a big part of her culture. Romero feels that having the chance to dance with the music she grew up with plays an enormous part in helping her embrace her Mexican side. Dancing is a tradition that is often seen at her family gatherings and parties, bringing her closer to her family.
“Personally, I feel like dancing [brings me] closer to my family,” Romero said. “Dancing helped me be more connected with my family at gatherings and parties.”
As a member of Corazón Latino, Romero hopes to help others with similar cultural backgrounds feel represented through school performances.
“Being able to show the whole school, [zapateado and cumbias], brings diversity and helps others feel represented,” Romero said.
Not only can she help others with similar cultural backgrounds feel more represented on campus grounds, but dancing zapateado and cumbia at events makes her feel more open about her culture. This is an opportunity for her to explore and appreciate her own heritage.
“Being able to dance is not only an opportunity to explore my heritage and feel more connected to my family but also [helps] me learn to appreciate how amazing my culture truly is,” Romero said.
Ultimately, Romero embraces her culture through dance at events and hopes to help others feel represented through her performances while connecting with and cherishing her own heritage.