Andrea Figueroa Tostado

Sophomore Andrea Figueroa Tostado’s parents grew up next door to each other in Mexico. After getting married and having Figueroa Tostado’s two older siblings, they decided to move to America. 

When they reached America in their 20s, Figueroa’s parents did not speak any English, making it difficult for them to find jobs. Yet they persevered, hoping that America would provide their children with better education and more opportunities. Eventually, Figueroa’s parents were able to find jobs: her mother worked at a factory making mattresses, and her father worked at a bakery.

Figuera’s parents primarily spoke Spanish at home, so she didn’t learn much English until she reached elementary school.

“When I was a kid, it was a bit hard in school because my first language was Spanish,” Figueroa said.

Despite the challenge of learning English later than her peers, Figueroa finds that being bilingual is beneficial in her everyday life.

“In stores and stuff, if someone doesn’t speak English as well as I do, I always help them out,” Figueroa said. “I think it’s a really nice benefit. I can definitely help out a lot of people.”

Although Figueroa’s family doesn’t do much to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, she still believes it is an important month to observe. 

“I think it’s a really good opportunity for people to learn about my culture,” Figueroa said. “It highlights what people have gone through, like coming over [to America]. It’s really nice to have this month.”