Rebeca Bustos

The Face of Latina Professionals

In our inaugural episode of The Face of Latina Professionals Podcast, we sit down with Rebecca Bustos. Rebecca, a first generation Mexican-American, grew up in Logan Square and from an early age was surrounded by strong Latina women.

“Being Latina is being there for your family, being the pillar of the family and being Latina for me is being someone that's powerful as well, because you're holding it down for your family.”

Rebecca goes on to share about her own revelation of identifying as “Latina” in addition to being Mexican-American here in Chicago. She discusses the sense of community and belonging fostered amongst Latinos specifically in Chicago vs other cities in the United States.

She also touches on topics such as our parents’ culture compared to the modern-day Latino culture we’re living through presently. Most Latino families have been so rooted in the man being the sole provider and head of the household. In this day and age, many Latinas are working tirelessly to redefine the “traditional Latino household.”

Rebecca shares her own experiences of not only realizing she was Latina but also how in a diverse community, there are people that have always looked down upon her simply because she was Latina. She recalls vivid memories of being at Lane Tech where teachers were constantly surprised at her high grades where her white classmates didn’t get the same reaction for the same or similar marks.

A thoughtful discussion between two first-generation Chicago born Mexican-Americans, this first episode of many to come with The Face of Latina Professionals podcast is one you don’t want to miss.