Personal Experience: Growing Up In A Latino Community

Growing up in a Hispanic household, our family always visited communities that were predominantly of Hispanic heritage, even though those neighborhoods were far from my home. We would make the trek for grocery shopping, Hispanic restaurants, the surrounding community, and most importantly for healthcare. Now you may be wondering why we didn’t live there. Though I do not know the exact reason, it is most likely due to my father’s employment. Without the facility of a vehicle, public transportation became something we relied on making location the number one factor when it came to employment. In terms of healthcare, there were plenty of clinics, hospitals, and dentists near us, nonetheless, the main problem was they were not within our budget.

The large room was filled with mostly Hispanic mothers and their children. It was not long before I could hear my own mother starting conversation with the family beside us. Health providers in these communities almost always accept government funded insurance, if not, offer payment plans that prevent parents from neglecting their children from the health services they deserve. An Orthodontist in the town of Perth Amboy, was most impressive when my sister was in serious need of braces. An impacted tooth had been slowly developing throughout her childhood. At the age of 10 it was determined that she must return that tooth to its proper place before worse oral deformities developed. It was extremely difficult to find an orthodontist in our area that would accept our insurance for this kind of case. We were forced to resort to farther distances in order to prevent my sister’s teeth from getting any worse. Opportunities such as these should not be considered a privilege. Every community, no matter what heritage or culture brings it together, should have access to affordable healthcare for low-income families. Becoming a health professional that can meet the needs of patients from all social and economic backgrounds is a substantial goal in my