This following is a short introduction of me and the reasons I got into advertising:

I was born in Manhattan, NY. The advertising capital of the world. In NYC I grew up with two Spanish speaking parents. As a child of immigrant parents I relied heavily on media outlets to understand my environment. This included learning English through television shows, commercials, billboards, and books.

The reasons I got into advertising are twofold. The first is because of the impact commercials have had on me. Growing up in a Spanish speaking household television was crucial to my development. Television helped me identify my environment, while it also played a role in me learning the English language. I knew at an early age that the power of media can not be underestimated. As such, I was drawn to its influence and potential. I observed and engaged with media in a different way from my peers.

The second reason I got into advertising was because of a class I took my sophomore year at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. The class, Advertising and Media, was about the portrayals of marginalized people in media. I knew the power that the media had because of my upbringing, but now I was learning about the impact it has had on marginalized people. Historically advertising would portray many women as weak and vulnerable. They would portray men of color as overly sexualized and savages. I was simultaneously fascinated, concerned, and determined. I was fascinated because of the amount of influence the media has. With great power comes responsibility, and I wanted to be a person to balance that power. I was concerned because I knew the negative stereotypes being currently portrayed. However, I was mostly determined because I saw opportunity. Opportunity, as a person of color, to enhance the image and more accurately display the beauty of marginalized people. I remain determined.