Melissa Cardenas remembers being asked if she was Chinese when she was a child. At her young age, Cardenas was upset by the comment because she thought she clearly looked Mexican.
As she grew older, Cardenas began to question her cultural identity.
Cardenas spoke to students Wednesday night about "Discovering Your Latina Identity" as part of the Latino Student Union's Hispanic Heritage Month.
When Cardenas was a student at Ohio State University, she said she was a member of the Board of Trustees and the first president of the Alpha Psi Lambda, a co-ed Latino Interest fraternity.
She said it is important for students to find their identity, especially as a Latina or Latino.
Students need to know where they came from to know where they are going, she said.
"Before you know your identity, you really have to know your history," Cardenas said.
She was the daughter of migrant workers, who traveled from Texas to Ohio every year as the seasons changed. When Cardenas was 3, her family stopped moving to provide her a stable life.
Her parents did not speak much English and did not have much formal education. Because her parents did not have an education, they stressed the importance of schooling for their children.
When Cardenas was a child, she brought a friend home to celebrate Easter. After visiting her family's home, Cardenas' friend told her she was poor. Until this point, Cardenas said she had not understood that her family was poor.
"We just ate beans and rice because that is what was made," Cardenas said.
However, she said she is not angry or upset about her past; she is thankful for it.
"You have to believe that every thing happens for a reason," she said.
Her past has helped her become who she is today.
"It's hard for me to measure myself," Cardenas said. "I'm proud of the person I've become."
Cardenas' message is important for Latinos as well as other students who do not know much about their past.
Student Sarra Trevino-Norris said she doesn't know much about any of her family outside her hometown.
"I like the stories," Trevino-Norris said about Cardenas presentation. "They inspired me."
Cardenas said she commends Ball State for its interest in showcasing different cultures, not only for Latino students but for the whole university.
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