Much of who we are today is influenced by our upbringing. When I reflect on my values and what I consider a priority, I have to admit, it was ingrained in me since childhood.
I was born and raised in Puerto Rico. When I was 19, I moved to Massachusetts to pursue my education and career as a pharmacist. Later, I earned my graduate degree in public health. That brought me back to pursuing my passion—the whole health of people.
I have three siblings and all four of us pursued careers in healthcare. It was most certainly our mom’s influence. Education was instilled in us as a priority, and as long as we had the opportunity, she never presented it as a choice. In her words, “it was simply the next chapter in our lives.”
My mom was a public health nutritionist working for the health department from the 1950s through the 1980s. She taught low-income moms in the barrios ways to expand their use of food that was available through federal food assistance programs by preparing, cooking, and storing delicious and nutritious meals. As a child, I would often go with her to the women’s homes, where a group of their neighbors also came over for her lessons. She started to educate some of these women to pass on this knowledge and began what we now call the “community health worker” model.
When I was observing my mom, I learned to respect everyone. I saw how she approached people who may live in challenging circumstances, and how she preserved their dignity while extending a hand. I learned from her a sense of community and that regardless of our differences, we all belong to one another.
Because Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, I do not consider myself an immigrant. However, culturally, I am very much Hispanic. These experiences helped me focus on my career trajectory in healthcare. Over time, my work as a clinician developed into a passion for advocating for health equity, and this passion has evolved into my life’s work. Healthcare systems that represent the demographic makeup of our communities are better equipped to meet the challenges and opportunities of the health of all communities.
So, as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, I have to reflect on “mi familia.” It is a rich culture that comes from Spanish conquistadors, native Taíno and African slaves. As chief diversity officer for CHRISTUS Health and president-elect of the National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives, I want to continue to instill pride in all our young Latino leaders and remind everyone of our call to promote health and healing. Adelante!
Marcos Pesquera is president-elect of National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives. He also serves as chief diversity officer, CHRISTUS Health, Irving, Texas.