Closing Hispanic Heritage Month
This is an interview with Professor Liliana Pérez Nordtvedt, Ph.D, she is proud of her Columbian heritage and all that she has achieved as a Hispanic woman.
Portrait of Dr. Nordtvedt
Victoria: What are you proud of?
Dr. Nordtvedt: My daughter, my work ethic, my ethical stands, my accomplishments, my publications, my Colombian heritage, having succeeded as an immigrant who came to this country with two pieces of luggage and an undergraduate degree, and being a woman.
Victoria: What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
Dr. Nordtvedt: Celebrating what the Hispanic community has done for this country.
Victoria: What are some incorrect assumptions people have stated about your culture?
Dr. Nordtvedt: That we are lazy. Nothing is farther from the truth.
Victoria: What advice would you give those that want to learn more about the community?
Dr. Nordtvedt: Meet some of us and spend time with us. Travel to our countries and experience the richness of our culture.
Victoria: What are some challenges you've faced being Hispanic?
Dr. Nordtvedt: Being considered less adequate and not intelligent enough. Sometimes, I am not being considered for opportunities even though I deserve to be considered.
Victoria: Is there anything unique that only those from the community share?
Dr. Nordtvedt: Our language, our hard work, our love for family, our eclectic music (salsa, merengue, bachata, tango, rancheras, cumbia, reggaeton), and our many dance types.
Victoria: What should more universities and colleges do to show their support to the Hispanic community?
Dr. Nordtvedt: Place Hispanics in significant leadership positions with discretion and power.
Victoria: What is your favorite holiday and food that happens to be celebrated in your culture?
Dr. Nordtvedt: My favorite holiday is Christmas. My favorite food is Ajiaco Santafereño (a traditional soup from the capital of Colombia, where I am from). But Colombia has a rich variety of very diverse foods. Colombians from different regions would have a different answer.