Maria

María was born in 1942 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She grew up in a big family where music was always around. Someone was always singing or playing an instrument. Her mother taught her how to cook “arroz con gandules” and she still makes it today when her family comes to visit. In 1965, after getting married, she moved to the United States and settled in Houston. She learned English there while working night shifts as a nurse’s aide and raising four children. She worked in Houston hospitals for 30 years, caring for patients. She says some of her happiest moments were helping people heal and seeing them recover. María keeps her room at Belmont full of bright flowers and family photos. She loves music, especially salsa. Her faith is very important to her. She is Catholic and wears her rosary every day. She believes joy and faith go together and says, “If you pray, you should also dance”. Every Christmas, she plays Puerto Rican Christmas songs called aguinaldos and dances with anyone who wants to join. She also writes letters to her grandchildren and always ends them with, “Sé valiente y amable” ( be brave and kind ). When asked what it means to be human, María says, “to love loudly with music, laughter and open arms”