AURA: Hi, Monica! To start, we’d love to know: What does Latinx Heritage Month mean to you? How do you celebrate your heritage in your daily life?
Monica: Latinx Heritage Month is always a good reminder to honor and love where I come from. One of my favorite quotes is “I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams.” I try to celebrate and honor my heritage every day by living unapologetically as myself. I am a daughter, a sister, a surfer, a business owner, a filmmaker — and I’m proudly Latina!
AURA: Who is your biggest inspiration? And why?
Monica: I come from a long line of strong, independent women and my mom is one of my biggest inspirations. She is an immigrant from Mexico, a single parent, and a public school teacher who worked hard to make ends meet. Her first job after immigrating to this country was assembling factory