Hello, my name is Maria and I’m a mid-to-late 20-something chica. I am a California girl – born and raised. I am half Puerto Rican (Dad was born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico) and half Mexican (Mom was born in Jalisco, Mexico). I’m very proud of both of my cultures, I’m proud of being a MexiRican-American! It may seem complicated but I would not change a thing about my life. I love where I have come from, where I am, and where I am going.

People usually exclaim to people of mixed ethnicities that they are the “best of both worlds,” but what they might not understand is that I feel this way about my whole life. It goes much more farther than just my ethnicity. I went from going to public schools with with routine riots to graduating from UCLA in Westwood. Talk about culture shock? And all of these experiences I have gone through aren’t necessarily “good” vs. “bad” mind you. Just… different. Swap meets vs. malls, BMWs and Bentleys vs. low riders, Compton vs. Bel Air. I love it all and I feel blessed to be able to experience such different cultures and interact with a wide range of people. I take in the bad with the good, there are always lessons to be learned and no community is immune to heart ache and struggles. I truly believe that when push comes to shove, I am tougher than most

In person I am usually quiet, not shy per se but just observant. But if I have known a person for a while and feel comfortable with them I am a bit more talkative and silly. I treasure my family and loved ones and want to see them happy which is why I tend to try to make them smile or laugh… even at my own expense. I have a boyfriend who I have been with for 5 years. He is the love of my life! He is just like me, but funnier… and more patient, lol.

I am planning on attending professional school in the health care field if all goes well. I want to have the knowledge to help others feel better and live healthier lives. I like to learn and I’m naturally curious about many things. My mind runs a million miles a minute. When something captures my interest, I obsess about it and research as much as possible about the particular subject. One interest turned hobby I’ve had since a child has been web development and the internet and I’ve been learning a bit here and there about that throughout the years. I enjoy creating websites and sharing information with others!