Hispanic Heritage Month: Yanhari Molina-Castro strives to address language barriers as she pursues dual degrees

Yanhari Molina-Castro, an undergraduate pursuing dual bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice and Foreign Languages — Spanish in Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, is proud of her heritage as a Mexican American.

What does it mean to you to be Hispanic? 

For me to be Hispanic means being together within my community through our language, traditions and celebrating what makes our community unique.

How has being Hispanic shaped your past? 

Being Hispanic has shaped my past because I’ve experienced my culture in all its aspects. I’ve been able to embrace my culture’s food, dancing, singing, music and traditions.

What impact do you wish to make on your community through your degree? 

I want to be able to help all races get the justice they need, especially those with language barriers. These efforts will make our community stronger, have support within each other and create justice for all.

What are your visions for Hispanic culture in the future? 

My vision for the Hispanic culture is having people have more knowledge and experience in our traditions and having our culture get passed down to future generations.