Feliz Cinco de Mayo a todos!
Americans spend more than $39 billion at Mexican restaurants each year, according to CHD Expert, and the department of commerce reports show that Americans travel to Mexico more than any other country.
But, while many Americans enjoy taking part in celebrations like Cinco de Mayo, Mexican-Americans are often under-appreciated in the US.
According to the Pew Research Center, the wage gap affects Hispanics more than any other group. Only 5% of veterinary medicine students are Latino, despite the fact that Latinos account for over 16% of the overall population according to the 2010 US Census Bureau. If Americans love Mexican culture, we should also embrace the people as well.
I'm so proud of my Mexican-American heritage and I am grateful for my family, and the challenges and adversity that they had to overcome to provide me with the opportunities I have today.
I share my experiences to show other hispanics that higher education is achievable, even coming from a lower socio-economic position. I hope to see an increased number of minority people in the field of veterinary medicine in the future. I'm looking forward to soon becoming Dr. Lopez!
