DePaul Prep recently completed its whole school celebrations of Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 to October 15. Staff Writer Amanda Dillon sat down with Ms. Patty Okulinski-Reyes, one of DePaul Prep’s art teachers, to hear about her Hispanic background and her experiences being a Latina in America.

Dillon: What makes Hispanic Heritage Month important to you?

Ms. Okulinski-Reyes: Hispanic Heritage Month is important to me because it is an opportunity to celebrate the lives, culture and contributions of the 62.1 million Hispanics in the U.S.

Dillon: What is your favorite tradition from your culture?

Ms. Okulinski-Reyes: My favorite cultural tradition is cooking the endless traditional dishes from each of the states in Mexico; our culinary capital is one of the most complex and diverse in the planet!

Dillon: What do you think the most difficult thing is about being Hispanic in America?

Ms. Okulinski-Reyes: The most difficult thing about being Hispanic in America is the Love and Hate relationship others have with us; they love our food, our service, and our music, but we still suffer from racism from the same people.

Dillon: How do you incorporate your heritage in your everyday life?

Ms. Okulinski-Reyes: I incorporate my heritage everyday by talking in Spanish to other Spanish speaking people, and by sharing my cultural capital with my students.

Dillon: What was your favorite thing about growing up Hispanic?

Ms. Okulinski-Reyes: My favorite thing about growing up Hispanic is the love and respect for the familia.

Dillon: What do you want people to know about your culture that many people don’t know about?

Ms. Okulinski-Reyes: One thing I want people to know about my culture is that we don’t have “one look” and that Mexicans come in many colors and sizes.

Dillon: What don’t you like about the way some people perceive your heritage?

Ms. Okulinski-Reyes: I don’t like the way people generalize all Hispanic immigrants as Mexicans, when the immigrants are from different countries in Central and South America.

Dillon: How have you been treated and felt like you were treated differently as a Hispanic woman?

Ms. Okulinski-Reyes: I’ve been discriminated against for being a Hispanic woman before but I politely defended myself.

Dillon: How do you incorporate your culture into your art?

Ms. Okulinski-Reyes: I incorporate my culture into art by playing [DJing] at Latinx events and collaborating with other Latinx.