Juan Nunez is a junior from Venezuela on the men’s soccer team.
What does Hispanic heritage month mean to you?
“There’s a lot of Hispanics living in the U.S., so I understand that Hispanic Heritage Month is something important for a lot of people. A lot of people had to leave their countries because of corruption or insecurities and being here in the U.S. has helped a lot of people. Hispanic Heritage Month gives importance to my country where I am from.”
How has being a part of the Hispanic community shaped you as a student-athlete?
“Knowing my background, we had a lot of issues economically, and so I knew that soccer was a way for me to go away to college. So for me, as a student-athlete, I take the most I can from it and enjoy every minute of it.”
What do you hope other students can learn from Hispanic Heritage Month?
“A lot of my teammates are from Europe and they don’t really know much about what’s going on in South America and Hispanic countries, but it’s a chance for them to see and understand where we come from and to understand that a lot of people don’t have the opportunities that others do. It helps out a lot, in that sense, just showing people a different background and views about things. It helps. I talked to my teammates and they don’t know about it and they ask questions and they’re really interested and they want to know more.”
Adan Fernandez is a sport management major from Florida on the men’s baseball team.
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
“Especially for me, my family coming from Cuba, it’s cool to bring to life the traditions that we had back there and be able to share a little bit of everyone’s culture. We can unite as a community.”
How has being a part of the Hispanic community shaped you as a student-athlete?
“Especially in baseball, which is known for having a lot of Latino players, it’s big because a lot of them had to come over here to make their lives better. So, being able to play a sport and carry on the legacy of where my parents left off is an honor.”
What do you hope other students can learn from Hispanic Heritage Month?
“I think we can [all] be more understanding of everyone’s background, knowing how they came, from where they came. It’s important because sometimes we judge a book by its cover and I think if we are actually able to look at people from the inside we can see that we are all the same, just from different places.”
Daniela Obando is a senior exercise and sports science major from Honduras; she competes on the women’s tennis team.
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
“For me, it means freedom. It’s important, especially in a country like the U.S. that is very diverse, to understand that there are so many people here from different cultures. [It’s about] getting to understand other cultures and respecting them.”
How has being a part of the Hispanic community shaped you as a student-athlete?
“I can say that the tennis team here at NSU is very diverse. We only have two American girls and we have people from Europe and China. So, at some point, it can be a little tricky to get to know everybody and understand their cultures and their beliefs and the ways they act.”
How has the NSU community supported your heritage?
“I have always felt the support starting from getting a scholarship from NSU. Especially in my country, thinking about coming to the U.S. without a scholarship, it’s almost impossible because it is really expensive. So, I have always felt supported by being able to get paid for my education and to compete for the school. At the same time, I’m representing my school and my country.”
Solana Capalbo is a sophomore biomedical engineering major from Argentina; she competes on NSU women’s swim team.
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
“It’s a time to remember those who might have been forgotten. Everybody remembers who created the first light bulb, but it’s important to remember the achievements of people from other cultures.”
How has being a part of the Hispanic community shaped you as a student-athlete?
“I always try to implement my culture into everything that I do. When I am with my team, I am a minority, but I don’t feel like a minority because I feel like it is my job to educate or show the different cultures. It’s kind of cool being the minority or the Hispanic on the team.”
What do you hope other students can learn from Hispanic Heritage Month?
“A new perspective and more cultural appreciation. It’s an opportunity to learn something new about someone else and maybe even incorporate that into your own life somehow.”
