Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate and recognize the many contributions of individuals of Hispanic Heritage. At Family First Health, we are excited to shine a light on some of our Hispanic team members who contribute to our work and community every day.
Today’s spotlight is on Daniela (Dani) Manjarres, who is a Human Resources Generalist on our team. Dani has been on the Family First Health team for two months. Read more to learn about Dani’s Hispanic Heritage, and how her heritage influences her work.
Site: George Street
From what country do you or your family originate?
Colombia
What does your heritage and Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
It is a time to celebrate and reflect upon the cultural, historical, diversity, family, and social influence that Hispanics and Latinx people have brought to the US and the world.
How does your heritage influence the work you do?
Learning about my heritage helps me understand who I am, and helps me as a guide to be passionate about the work I do and who I want to help. Understanding who I am helps me connect with others and work together to make a better world.
What are some of your favorite family and/or cultural traditions?
Some of my favorite cultural traditions are the holidays at the river and for lunch, a soup called Sancocho (soup almost like stew) cooked at a fire by the river. The Carnivals, and Christmas and New Year’s are a whole celebration and a time to be with family.
What is something you wish others knew about Hispanic Heritage?
I wish others knew that being Latina can have so many different dimensions depending on what country you are from. For example: we share the same language but it is spoken differently. We don’t have the same foods, traditions, and dances. We have our own identity, yet we celebrate each other. But something that is very important for Hispanics/Latinos is our values and family.