Since the United States transitioned to an all-volunteer army in 1973 the Veteran populace has decreased dramatically.  Now less than 0.5% of the U.S. population are veterans.  Military culture is becoming less familiar in the United States each year.   

I will discuss my experiences encountered during 8 years in service.  These experiences include leaving for Basic Training on September 17th 2001, 6 days after 9/11 to the completion of my enlistment in 2009.  We will also take a look at life as a Veteran and challenges faced when transitioning into civilian life. 

This book will describe the value of disability equity and a perspective of inclusion and equity. Through personal direct experience, discrimination still occurs. Together, we can dismantle these by discussing changes in behavior and action steps of how to make our rights and equality the essence of the work and impact the world around us.

I have experienced both prejudices and stereotypes that have shaped my story but these are not the entire fabric of my journey. My journey is not also done and I have taken accountability of my own existence to assure the story for everyone can be told – loudly and proudly.

My LatinX Life

As the daughter of the Cuban diaspora, I was born in Miami, FL and have spent my life straddling borders, negotiating identities, code-switching in daily conversations and learning to embrace the diversity of living as a Latinx in the United States.

I will discuss the heterogeneity of Latina/o/x community members across the U.S., identify some of the challenges and obstacles I confronted as a college student in the South and share some lessons learned from my professional experience in academia thus far.

I am the first woman in my current position at the University of Pittsburgh.  After a 22-year record of increasingly high-level roles in collegiate athletics administration, I broke the glass ceiling in the largely male field of collegiate athletics. 

I will discuss my role at Pitt and how I navigated intercollegiate athletics as one of few women to lead and direct a Division I Athletic Program.