How has your heritage influenced your professional OT role?
I’m a bilingual, bicultural, barrio, Mexican-American border girl; first generation! I work with families from different ethnic/ cultural/language/socio-economic backgrounds. My background taught me that even within our same ethnic and language group, each family has their own culture, their own beliefs, traditions and family makeup. This has influenced my professional OT role in that I always want to know how a family views wellness, illness, disability, medical providers, therapists. I want to know if the elders in the family, who are often caring for the children I work with, view these issues in the same way. My culture has taught me the importance of ‘plática’ to start a relationship with the families I work with - a sharing of self and interest in them sharing of themselves before anything else.
What professional or association issues, needs, or concerns energize you and why?
I am proud of TOTA for having an International Committee and its interest in what is going on in the world of OT beyond our borders. I am proud to be the chair of that committee but sad that COVID has put a halt to student and professional international exchange experiences. I am happy that the TOTA Board has grown to reflect a more diverse membership and proud that we now have a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.
Which OT practitioner/s do you admire and why?
I admire all of my OT colleagues at Easter Seals ECI who have tackled how to continue to provide quality services to our children and families via telehealth and then transitioned back into homes with the utmost care and precautions to keep COVID at bay. I know this is happening across the world but this team is close to my heart.
What are your current areas of interest or study?
I’m always interested in improving my feeding skills and I can’t wait for the world to open up again to international exchanges.