National Hispanic Heritage Month

My Puerto Rican and Panamanian Heritage

Judith Molina, Senior Consultant, Logistics Strategy and Integration

I am very proud of my Puerto Rican-Panamanian roots. My mother was from a small village, Rincon de las Palmas (Palm Tree’s Corner), in a mountainous area in the province of Penonomé, Republic of Panama. I remember my grandmother cooking in an adobe stove with wood. To this day, the aroma of wood burning immediately transports my mind to that small kitchen hut and hub of family conversations.

In this beautiful countryside, you can listen to the rustle of the wind through the palm trees all day long; the busyness of life doesn’t disrupt this remote area. My mom traveled from her peaceful countryside home to live with her sisters and babysit at the U.S. military base. 

My dad, a Purple Heart recipient from the Korean War and two-time Vietnam infantry veteran, was born in Guayanilla, a small town in Puerto Rico. He was one of nine siblings. As a young man, he cut sugar cane and, at 17, the United States Army drafted him. In 1959, Sergeant Ariel Oliveras Montalvo (my dad) met Rosa Chiru Sanchez (my mom) while he was stationed in the Panama Canal Zone at Fort Clayton, starting a relationship that led to a 53-year marriage, which ended only with my mom’s passing in 2013.

It wasn’t always easy. While my dad was away on deployments, my mom raised four children with the help of neighbors on the base. When my mom traveled to the United States, she taught herself to speak English.

From their very humble beginnings, this resilient couple taught me a deep faith in God and about the importance of respecting all people. We learned to get along with anyone, regardless of their backgrounds or cultures. As a military brat, I traveled and made friends from different countries and cultures. My father’s service inspired me to join the Army.

I could go on about the values and beautiful traditions instilled by my parents, on family ties, establishing high work standards and integrity. I am so proud to be a Hispanic American. I thank LMI’s leadership for always respecting my background and culture while offering awesome opportunities to contribute to the company’s vision and mission.

My Story

Retired Navy Captain Roy Love

I was born in the Dominican Republic (DR) to an American (Puerto Rican) dad and a Dominican mom. My father’s family came from Europe with the first Spanish explorers in 1492; while some of my mother’s ancestors were brought from Africa to the Caribbean as enslaved people, others were aboriginal people of the Caribbean. Being a Latino of mixed race offered me entry into many diverse spaces. Being biracial gave me a sense of belonging, especially when it could be challenging to fit in elsewhere.

Growing up with two brothers, one sister, and five half-brothers, my childhood was never dull. As one of 12 siblings, my dad was used to a large family. Family gatherings at my house in the Dominican Republic were always exciting and fun! However, when we moved to New York in 1984, everything changed and, if you asked the kids, not for the better—no more family fiestas, no more Sancocho and Lechon Asado (stew and pig roasts), and no more spending the summers en el campo (in the country) with a myriad of cousins.

There is no Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM) in the Dominican Republic or Latin American countries. Hispanic Heritage Month helps us feel appreciated and celebrated. My first experience with HHM was in the Navy, where, as the only Hispanic officer on my ship, I was asked to share a little about my culture while we celebrated with ethnic food and music. Gathering with many other Hispanics across the Navy was an incredibly freeing and invigorating experience. I felt that I belonged for the first time in my almost 10-year Naval career.

From a personal standpoint, my family doesn’t have a cultural tradition specifically related to HHM but, from a work-family perspective, taking time to learn about the heritage and history of Hispanics in the US and coming together to honor, remember, and celebrate the many contributions of our community to this great nation has now become an essential and meaningful part of my life. I do everything I can to participate actively in these events and engage others, so they understand the importance of this month for those whose parents came to the United States for a better life and more significant opportunity.

The following pictures came from Roy’s last trip to the DR when he went to the campo where he spent his summers as a child. The property is still in the family. Next year, Roy is opening a nature retreat for leaders at the campo!

During this visit, Roy’s mom cooked a sancocho on an old wood stove she had rebuilt. They had a bunch of people over like old times! The family picture includes Roy’s dad (in the blue shirt), who has since passed on.

This article is for informational purposes only and the views expressed are those of the individual author(s) and are not necessarily those of LMI.