- I hate to use the word assimilation because, you know, today being your authentic self, and really bringing your uniqueness is really what this country needs.

(Upbeat Music) See this right here?

That's Kansas City, Missouri.

See that over there?

That's downtown KCK.

I was actually born in Kansas City, Kansas.

Within six months, my parents uprooted us from the Argentine neighborhood of Kansas City, Kansas into Kansas City, Missouri.

It was very important to hear and speak the language, to be Latino!

But in reality, they really did not want us to be different in other places.

We had to keep that in the home.

I wish it was different.

I wish the world was different.

Some of our neighbors would walk in and go: "What's that smell?"

and my mother, kind of covering the pans, and going, "Tell me when someone comes in."

That's really all I knew, but I would also spend my summers and come to see our grandma and cousins in the Argentine district of Kansas City, Kansas.

In Argentine, the culture was all over.

The language was out and about, so that kind of became the two worlds for me.

This was the street.

My parents grew up not too many houses from each other, but it was so easy for us to go from one grandparent to the other grandparent.

Grandma's house.

And it's still the same.

It was more the adults would stay inside, have their "chisme" conversations.

"Chisme" means gossipy conversations.

I'm not gonna deny that's what they did.

So if we would park at my grandma's down here or go to the church for a party or something... That's how we were as a kid.

This was the block.

This was the block.

(Calm Music) As a young adult, I was really wanting college life.

Same old, same old, Lucha.

It was a different world, predominantly a white culture.

This is what my parents were really wanting me to understand.

There's not going to be a lot of you on this campus.

I didn't understand what it was to be a Latina.

I'm missing something about who I am.

I'm ready for graduation!

- (Girl) The tables have turned.

- That's where I really sat at tables that were Latino focused, but there were tables that Latinos weren't at that were making decisions for us.

That's when I decided that I want to build my identity, and I think I found it.

So I began to kind of seek those opportunities out, to strengthen communities, and improve the lives of Latinos.

This community is very much strengthened by the Latinos that live here.

What we want to be is that welcoming center that says you belong.

I'm glad that my kids are growing up and being able to be their selves with language and culture because they grew up with my parents.

We were just in different times, but they're continuing to honor that legacy, and making sure that education was important in getting us more than they could ever have.

Good job baby!

I've never had my kids want to follow me.

I've always wanted them to stand beside me, and go further than I ever could.

Kansas City, Kansas raised my kids to be the young adults successful that they are, but everything about Kansas City, Missouri raised me to be the success I am.

No matter where you are, what you give back to your community always comes back to uplift you.

Kansas has some work to do, but we very much value this as home.

(Upbeat Music)