Valentina Perez-Botero has been with Heartland Alliance for the better part of this year. As a journalist, researcher, and activist, Valentina’s work has been integral in supporting our Impact Division’s advocacy and research efforts. Valentina has lived all across the western hemisphere, and her identity 
has been shaped not only by her history – but her many experiences across South, Central, and North America.
How does your racial-ethnic identity shape the way you understand equity and opportunity for ALL?
Being a migrant is what has mostly shaped my understanding of the world and myself. When you migrate, your place in society and how you relate shifts. For instance, how I was perceived in Colombia as a Colombian is so very different from how I was perceived in Mexico, or even here in America. It’s all totally different. Your sense of belonging and privilege shifts, all depending on where you are. It makes you realize the complexity of social context and the social construct of race.
Is there a Latinx/Hispanic person that inspires you? Why does they inspire you?
There are too many to reference, really. There is one person that has truly made that impact on me, however. In Latin American culture, the figure of the grandmother – Abuela – is very important. My grandmother is 90 now – and the things I appreciate most in my identity, I inherited from her. She raised 6 kids on her own, she found the strength to survive and thrive in the face of adversity. I admire her resilience.
Life as a Hispanic American often splits individuals into multiple worlds. Is there some sort of word, value, or other element of your culture that transcends the many worlds in your life?
I am originally from Colombia. I’ve lived 10 years in Mexico. Now, I’ve been in Chicago for the last two years. Language has had an important role in my identity over these many years. One word that doesn’t translate in America or Mexico is Amañar, it means a feeling when you feel at home in a new place. It is a word we use in Colombia, and doesn’t really have the same meaning in other countries like Mexico. But it is a word that I have found means very much to me.
In my journey, I have experienced that feeling many times, and I am starting to feel that here in Chicago.
Heartland Alliance strives for equity and opportunity for ALL, and has chosen to make anti-racism a pillar of that strategy. As a leader in the organization that identifies as Hispanic/Latinx, is there any perspective or guidance you want your colleagues and partners to know?
For me, as a Latinx non-native English speaker – you have to consider the language and cultural barriers that I must learn and understand. There are some phrases, some word dynamics, that I don’t always catch up on. You know, I think in Spanish and translate into English. In my work, I know that I must provide patience with others who share those same barriers. It is important to have grace with each other, especially in those small things.
