Goodwill Mission Stories

I was born in Chicago and as a young child was adopted into a Puerto Rican family. Growing up, I lived in the Humboldt Park neighborhood – a prominent area for Latinos. There are restaurants and bakeries that cater to our culture, and we celebrated who we are on a regular basis by getting together with family for traditional Puerto Rican meals.

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As Panamanian-born Edilma Rodriguez strives to be a leader in her community, it all comes down to faith: faith in the idea that everyone is born for a purpose, faith in the concept of giving back, and faith in the power of visibility.

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I grew up with a tight-knit family, and my first role models were my parents. My father is Mexican, and he came to the United States when he was only 20 years old. He worked in the fields in Mexico when he was a kid and in factories after he moved to the United States. My mother also worked throughout my childhood – sometimes multiple jobs. Seeing how hard they work resonates with me to this day.

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For Luis Mercado, perspective is everything. Growing up in Milwaukee, he watched as his parents struggled to assimilate and financially find their way.

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