Jaqueline Diaz, editor-in-chief of the Nicholls Worth, recounts how the deep-rooted value of family drove her parents’ most significant decisions and her love for Mexican culture.

The Diaz family’s adventure began in 1996 when Diaz’s parents got married at 19 years old. Diaz described her parents’ love story as a story of “almost childhood sweethearts”.

“They went to the same elementary school together, and… they did not like each other,” she said.

Over time, their childhood feuding subsided, and in their teen years, Diaz’s father began to take an interest in her mother. She said their spark kindled after spending some time with one another. Diaz’s parents married in Mexico at the age of 19 and began to plan their future together.

Her father worked in St. James Parish for years to provide for their growing family and sent support home to his wife who stayed in Jalpa, Mexico with their two sons. However, being apart became difficult. In 2005, Diaz’s mom moved with their sons to America to unite the family, who was unknowingly pregnant at the time with Diaz.

Growing up, Diaz said she had dreams of moving back to Mexico to be with her extended family. She took trips to Mexico with her family twice a year for quite some time. However, as she and her siblings got older, free time decreased, and leaving to visit became more difficult.

Still, Diaz reminisced about feeling at home with her family in Mexico during each visit.

As an adult, she has established a life of her own in the United States. Diaz said that she has made it her home through her friendships, career goals and memories made in America.

“In many ways, I understand what the culture of Mexico is, but mostly from word of mouth,” she said. “My actual experiences are a bit limited because I did not live my life there. I’ve lived my life in the United States.”

Although she was not raised in Mexico, Diaz explained that she finds ways to sprinkle its culture throughout her daily life. Music plays a large role in this for Diaz, with genres ranging from banda, musica regional mexicana, cumbia, or almost any love song. In addition to music, she said the stories her parents tell her connect her deeply with the culture and love of Mexico. 

“The moment I forget is the moment I lose myself and everything I know,” she said.

Diaz shared the story of how she was able to look at the detailed plans that were drafted for her parent’s house in Mexico–the house where she was originally going to spend her childhood and adolescent life. Plans changed once her family was united in America in 2005.

Her parents’ choice to move to America was driven by a deep-rooted Mexican value–the value of family. Diaz believes this value differs between Mexico and America. 

“The value of family is very strong in Mexican culture. Family is still very important here in America, but it is a bit different. It is deeply rooted, but it’s not your everything,” she said.

Diaz described how beautiful life and culture can be in Mexico. Even so, she said life can be difficult for residents there, and those difficulties can be enough to create the need to leave everything they know behind for a better life. 

“At times they do end up living their American dream, but other times they can’t. Even still, there’s hope,” Diaz said.