Priscilla Arias, PhD candidate, learned to “live life” with a dual American and immigrant identity

October 4, 2022

For #HispanicHeritageMonth, we’ve asked students to write about their heritage, the loved ones they share it with, where they come from. Take the time to learn these stories as we share them over the next few weeks.

Meet Priscilla Arias, a PhD candidate at the Bloustein School.

“Growing up in Miami, Florida, being Hispanic was never central to my identity. We were all either immigrants or the children of immigrants, so it wasn’t something that classmates, family, or friends talked about too much. It didn’t seem unique or special to be bilingual or even trilingual. We might have eaten empanadas for lunch and then hot dogs for dinner or watched Sábado Gigante with our grandparents then switched the channel so we wouldn’t miss The X-Files. By just “living life” we managed to navigate both of our identities, as Americans and as “immigrants”, with ease. It took me leaving for college in the Midwest to better understand my experience as noteworthy.

In the Midwest, specifically Chicago, it was no longer true that virtually everyone was connected to another country. The distinction helped me understand that I related to both the immigrant experience and that of lifelong Americans. In this sense I understood that I simultaneously inhabited two worlds: in one, I was an American translating–so to speak–between my parents’ generation, whose personal identities were more deeply rooted in their home countries, and their adopted country. In the other, I was Hispanic, remaining open to and welcoming of all cultures, all customs, and all people.

I now carry this awareness with me as a Ph.D. student at Bloustein, as I hope to always center my research on empathy and understanding of all people.”

Recent Posts

NJSPL: Ensuring Accurate & Equitable Vaccination Info

By Yonaira Rivera and Vivek Singh  In today’s digital world, large language models like ChatGPT are important sources of healthcare information, particularly for those who face barriers like insurance issues or language constraints. As part of the IMPACT-NJ project,...

2025 IHC Grant Program Funding Opportunities

The New Jersey Inclusive Healthy Communities (IHC) grant program has announced its latest Request for Proposals (RFP) for grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations to advance policy and systems change through the inclusion of people with disabilities to...

Ralph et al. Review e-Scooter Pilot Projects

Abstract Problem, research strategy, and findings Pilot projects are an increasingly popular tool for dealing with opposition to new ideas. The premise is simple—let experience change minds—but it belies considerable uncertainty. How do opinions evolve during a pilot...

Navigating New Jersey’s Economic Outlook

Navigating New Jersey's Economic Outlook: Insights with Will Irving, Associate Professor of Practice In our first episode of EJB Talks for 2025, Stuart Shapiro and Will Irving discuss his journey from Rutgers MPP student to faculty member and economic forecaster. Will...

Dr. Quincy Reflects on Dr. King’s Impact in NJ

Published on nj.com January 20, 2025 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. profoundly championed a consequential and historically unprecedented social change movement against what he referred to as the “Triple Evils” of Racism, Poverty, and War-Violence. The hallmark of King’s...

Upcoming Events