Hispanic Heritage Month: Pep Talks & Pride

by Michelle Castellanos, LMSW; Clinician, Room to Grow

Michelle with her parents on graduation day from college.

“¡Ponte las pilas!” It's a phrase every Hispanic child hears growing up. Literally meaning “put on your batteries,” but figuratively meaning a combination of “do your best” and “get on it” — it's often a quick pep talk from caretaker to child. I must have heard this phrase every day as a little girl doing homework on the kitchen table. You would think it would get repetitive after a while, hearing the same words from the same people every day. 

But the meaning behind these words was never anything to get tired of. While the words were the same, what I would hear was “work hard to have a better life,” “I’m proud of you,” and “I love you.” In those words, I could feel the sacrifices that my parents had made for me: leaving their homeland of Mexico for a better life for their children, working long hours, dedicating themselves to being the best parents they could be. With those words, I knew that I could do the things I was working on with the support and love of those around me.

This Hispanic Heritage Month, I am reminded of these words and their impact on my life, and the lives of so many other Hispanic families. They remind us of our families’ love, their resilience, and our strength. They let us know that anything is possible if we remember to hold onto the things that give us strength and to the love of our supporters.