Antonio Maldonado is the A.S. Controller. In this Spartan Voice by A.S. Blog, Antonio shares his story on Advocacy, one of eight Core Values in the Associated Students Strategic Plan. Read more about our organization’s values in the A.S. Strategic Plan here.
During the weekdays, I wear the title of CFO for Associated students and President of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. However on weekends, I am a street taquero! This is a common trend that happens amongst many first-generation students. As a first-generation hispanic student, I have to figure out my life while helping my parents prosper.
The Right Mindset as a First-Generation Student
Being the child of an immigrant means that we must learn two cultures our whole life. Many see this as a weakness and say “I don’t fit in with either my homeland or America’” This is the WORST way to see yourself as a child of immigrant parents. You need to see yourself as a bridge between your cultures with your personal combination of skills.
Starting From the Bottom
When neither of your parents finished high school, school is not their primary source of survival. They tell you to stay in school yet they cannot help you in any way, even if they tried. You are basically on your own throughout your whole academic journey. We learn the language and culture of America by ourselves and compete with other students whose parents have gone to college and supported them all the way through. We have to learn so much more to be in the same classroom as someone who hasn’t experienced what we have gone through, and we really underestimate that. Our starting points are way lower yet we find ourselves in the same place as those who had support.
Latino in Silicon Valley
Hispanics will one day represent a large majority of the population in America, yet we find ourselves underrepresented in Silicon Valley. That is where we come into the picture. We need to serve as bridges between those who run the large companies in the USA and our growing culture. Whether you specialize in arts, finance or sciences, each professional aspect is an opportunity to create value for Silicon Valley and our Hispanic culture.
Applying this Mindset
Throughout high school, I worked multiple jobs and helped my father build his street taco business. The things I learned in that process are the skills I used to get into Apple finance and my leadership roles that I currently hold, including Associated Students. Recruiters in big tech companies are starting to realize that the work ethic of a first-generation student is unmatched because we never had a choice. Not only is our hard work unmatched but so is our loyalty since we recognize the magnitude of working for a large tech company. Right now is the perfect time to insert yourself in those domains and with this mindset, you will realize that you started from a lower point yet you are reaching the highest altitudes. What can possibly stop you now?
