Photo: Todd Williamson/JanuaryImages/Shutterstock
What inspires me to use my voice for change is definitely my culture, my people and the struggles that we’ve gone through. My parents are immigrants, they crossed the border. Family is the most important thing. Family doesn’t necessarily mean blood. You can create your own family as well. People you call family empower each other, push each other, are there for each other — that’s how my family is.
When I finally got the opportunity onEast Los Highto play not only a series regular but one of the leads of the show, it was huge. It was huge for me as an actor, it was huge for our culture and it taught me so many things. It gave me confidence.
I try to tell people, family, friends that I’m grateful for the success that I have, but it’s bigger than me. It’s important for the next generation of our culture, for them to get to see themselves in the shows.
I relate to Selena, because she always knew what she wanted to do, and despite the struggles, she made it to the top. At times, you know, it was challenging — she was young and she was just trying to do the right thing, but ultimately she always knew what she really wanted when it came to her music.
These days, its more power to the artists — some of these guys, they’re making albums or hit songs in their closet or in their garage because you’re able to do that these days. And a lot of artists in hip hop, for example, cross over with a hot reggaeton artist, and it’s great music.
It’s awesome to see those worlds collide and come together to create great music; the sky’s the limit. I feel like with music there’s no boundaries, there’s no walls. It’s just, get in there, show your passion, do you what you love — and Selena is an example of that.
Gabriel Chavarria.Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
At the end of the day, I want to make sure that my daughter is raised the right way and that she’s here to also make an impact on the world. I want to hopefully change the world as much as I can, so that way, I’m bringing her into a world where I know that I’ve made my effort.
No one who made it to the highest level of their field ever had it easy. It’s always a challenge. Even when you’re at the top, it’s hard — you have to stay there. I just want to teach my daughter that she’s capable of doing anything that she wants in this world, as long as you put your mind, heart and soul into it and accept early that nothing is easy.
source: people.com
