Master of Ceremonies

As the Marketing & PR Coordinator at the Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF), I worked  in marketing and managed HHF’s social media. I also had the opportunity to be the Master of Ceremonies (MC) for HHF’s national initiatives, including the Mind, Body and Spirit Seminars and LOFT STEM Leadership Symposia in partnership with the Marine Corps and the U.S. Army.

Traveling across the country brought so much joy to my vida. I was able to meet professionals in different sectors and learn more about the great work of so many leaders across the country.

These events were hosted at national universities in the U.S., including Florida International University, Wayne State University, Tulane University and Lehman College to name a few. As high school students are preparing for life after high school, these seminars served as the perfect space to ask questions and network with working professionals.

I myself remember being in high school and thinking to myself, what am I going to do after high school? What will I major in college? Will I be mentored by someone in my 20’s?

The amount of questions I had were endless and I was so eager to find out the answers, hoping that time could go by faster to get to those answers. Now, at age 23 I have learned to appreciate time more than anything else.

Semper Fidelis

The Marines Corps are known for their motto, Semper Fidelis, translated from Latin, Semper Fidelis means “Always Faithful.” Remaining faithful when encountering obstacles in life can make all the difference, especially to our spirits.  I aspire to lead a professional career filled with lots of success, but more importantly success that stems from leading a life of love.

The Marines do embody the spirit when they are speaking to a crowd and they are living examples of achieving balance of life, that is body, mind and spirit of course. My father served in the Marines at a point in his life and MC’ing these events really made my heart so full. I was extremely grateful to connect with a group of outstanding Marines in my professional career.

While MC’ing one of these events, I tripped and fell to the ground in front of a crowd of over 100 people, tearing my slacks at the knee. Some giggled and others were shocked, but I picked myself up, laughed it off and continued doing the job. Thinking back on that moment, simper fidelis, “always faithful” was definitely alive in my spirit that day. Also, I made sure to remind myself after this moment to not wear heels at a work event where I can easily slip on any surface.

Nonetheless, these opportunities reminded me the importance of being present and appreciating in person communication, as some people aren’t graced with opportunities to network with others and learn about the mind, body and spirit in an educational setting.