Honoring My Roots, Serving with Purpose

Written by Myrna Olaya, Clinical Program Manager

image from Schools.nyc.gov

My identity shows up in everything I do—from my name to my values, from the way I show up in the world to the way I show up for others. It’s in the language I speak, the meals I cook, the music that moves me, and most of all, in the deep pride I feel for the culture that raised me.

Recently, while walking through a local Mexican grocery store gathering ingredients to make elote for a weekend carne asada, I felt it—that feeling. A familiar warmth, a deep-rooted pride. I watched families laughing, heard rancheras playing softly overhead, smelled fresh tortillas on the comal, and was reminded of how rich and beautiful our culture is. It’s moments like that which remind me: my heritage isn’t something I dust off once a year to celebrate during Hispanic Heritage Month—it lives with me, always.

Hispanic Heritage Month, observed from September 15 to October 15, is a time to celebrate the cultures, histories, and contributions of people from more than twenty Spanish-speaking countries. From the independence of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Chile, and Belize to the everyday stories of resilience and joy that we carry, this month is both a tribute and a call to action—to honor our past while continuing to build our future.

And for me, that future shows up every day in my work as a mental health clinician at NFNL.

I bring my full self into the work I do with women and girls—many of whom share pieces of my story. My culture grounds me, and it gives me the compassion, strength, and perspective to walk alongside them in their healing journeys. We often speak a shared language—not just Spanish, but a cultural language of understanding, of navigating generational trauma, of finding power in community. Being able to offer culturally competent care is not just a skill—it’s a responsibility and a privilege I carry with pride.

As a Latina in the mental health field, I am also deeply proud to be part of a growing network of Hispanic mental health professionals—trailblazers and advocates who are making space for our communities to be seen, heard, and cared for. Representation matters. It empowers the next generation to seek help without shame and to know that healing is possible—because they see someone who looks like them, who understands.

So this Hispanic Heritage Month, I don’t just celebrate where I come from—I celebrate how far we’ve come. I celebrate the joy, the strength, the flavor, the rhythm, and the soul of our people.

I invite you to celebrate with me: eat our food, dance to our music, learn our stories. Because we are here, thriving, dreaming, and building legacies—every single day.

¡Viva los Hispanos! ¡Viva la Cultura!