My name is Isabel and I was born in Mexico City. I moved to California when I was five and a half with my parents and two little brothers. I distinctly remember my first day of kindergarten on Valentine’s Day. I received a ton of chocolate and colorful cards, but I didn’t understand why or what was going on because I didn’t speak any
English yet. It was only later that I learned that in the United States it’s typical for kids to bring Valentine’s Day cards and chocolates to pass around to their fellow classmates, something I had never seen in Mexico. When I moved to the United States, I didn’t just move to a different country, I had to learn a new language and adapt to a different culture. While my parents encouraged me to embrace my new culture, they instilled in me the value of staying connected and fostering my Mexican roots and heritage. Although I became a United States citizen about three years ago and have primarily grown up in the Bay Area, I have never let go of my Mexican background and still hold strong ties to those roots. It’s usually a shock for others to learn I am Mexican and speak fluent Spanish, but I was lucky enough never to be treated differently because of it and it gave me the freedom to blend both the American and Mexican cultures and lifestyles. Growing up it was as if I had two homes: one in Mountain View where my immediate family was, where I went to school and where I was making friends and the other in Mexico City where I was from, where all my extended family lived, and where they have tacos al pastor. At times, this
was difficult. For example when I started college and moved out, I often felt like my parents didn’t understand me and we couldn’t relate to each other because they never had the typical American “college experience” that I was going through. Similarly, I had to get used to difficult goodbyes every time I visited Mexico. While I struggled at different points in my life having two homes, I’m grateful my parents were insistent on teaching me Spanish and about Mexico even if we were living in the United States, because it allowed me to be more sensitive and culturally aware as well being able to relate and communicate to both Americans and Mexicans. Ultimately, I hope that my mixed cultural background will allow me to build a career that allows me to bridge the best of both worlds in order to make a positive impact.
In addition to my cultural background, martial arts has played a huge role in my life. Again, it comes as a shock to most people to find out that someone as shy and small as me could ever be a black belt, but it’s one of my proudest accomplishments. Not only did I earn my black belt but I was also awarded best tester out of everyone
testing in 2011. The theme of my black belt test was dedication and commitment. At the beginning of each training session we would recite a phrase: “I commit to constant and never ending improvement ‘till black belt excellence.” The black belt test was two long and rigorous days in which I was tested on the entire curriculum in front of a panel of judges in addition to having to break three boards, spar and end with intense conditioning. In that moment, the lessons I learned in my studio came together. I committed myself to perform at black belt excellence and be the best. This was no easy task. Many people didn’t or couldn’t complete the test because they lacked the self-discipline and dedication that I had. My martial arts studio taught me more than
just how to defend myself; I learned the value of searching for my passion, having self-discipline, being responsible, the value of hard work and dedication, the importance of committing to my goals, being resilient, and building self-confidence. After receiving my black belt, my instructor offered me a job at the studio. I was thrilled to accept. I wanted to be an instructor at my martial arts studio so I could help others achieve their black belt and pass down all the knowledge I had received. Most of all, I wanted to serve as a good role model and inspire others in the same way my instructors did for me. The same attitude and dedication that allowed me to earn my black belt, is mirrored today, in my work ethic and has only propelled me to be more driven in all aspects of my life.