Gracias Mamá: A Tribute to Nuestras Madres Latinas

La Mamá Latina is one who wears many hats: provider, teacher, counselor, cook, nurse, and amiga. She also shows up with resilience, tenacity, and grace all while upholding and passing on wisdom based in nuestra cultura, traditions, and values. We see the sacrifices of the Latina mother who strives to provide a better life for her children. 

Many of us coming from Latin America, have witnessed the sacrifices our mothers make first hand, often leaving behind everyone and everything they know in their home countries. Making the decision to leave your home country to pursue a new life in America takes courage, strength, and determination. Many of our mamás have worked diligently to provide us with a new life in a new country while also honoring the costumbres that keep us connected to our Latinidad. 

For Magaly Tompkins, she describes her mother as being her “superwoman, the most down to earth person she knows, and the best Salvadoran cook there is.”  Magaly’s mom is someone who has guided and influenced her life, teaching her how to be proud of who she is, her culture and language, the best gift a mother can give. Magaly reflects on how she grew up only speaking Spanish in her childhood home because “English would be taught in schools.” She appreciates the honoring of her native Spanish language and has continued to pass this down to her children as well. 

Magaly’s mother immigrated from El Salvador and Magaly had the opportunity to witness the integration of their heritage through food and the preservation of the recipes her mom brought with her. The kitchen soon became a space where Magaly, her mother, and her children, could bond and connect with one another while upholding their Salvadoran roots. Together they make traditional Salvadoran dishes, including handmade tortillas, pupusas, tamales de elote, plátanos fritos, queso fresco, and frijoles con crema.

These experiences feel like a mutual exchange: One mujer helping another – That’s what life is like growing up with a village of Latina mothers. It’s also what life continues to be as we become mothers ourselves. We get the chance to expand our village of Latina moms, hermanas, and role models who continue to inspire us in how we show up and nurture ourselves presently. We get to lean on the wisdom and lessons learned from every one of these mujeres, so that when we have our own children, they will also have a village. 

The biggest lesson though, is learning how to mother and nurture ourselves. For many, this is learned from the many Madres Latinas who cared for us.  We often hear the phrase, “It takes a village” and it is true.  If we think back to our childhood experiences and the village of Latina mothers who guided, loved, nurtured, and sacrificed for our well-being, we are better for it.

Personally, Mother’s Day this year will be extra special to me. In just a few months, I am going to be a first-time mother.  

I look back on all the Madres Latinas who paved the way for me to be here today, in the 3rd trimester of my first pregnancy, and I can’t help but feel deep gratitude in my body, mind, and spirit to be in a position to embrace this stage in my life fully. 

I immigrated to California with my mother from Panamá at age 4. My experience growing up in Los Angeles as a First Gen Latina gave me first-hand exposure to the meaning of “it takes a village.”  My tias, abuelas, bisabuelas, niñeras, and amigas blessed my mother and I as strong, determined, powerful, loving mujeres. They showed up for us consistently. During this time, I also witnessed my mother navigate the waters of being integrated into a new country, language, and career while trying to raise me. Looking back, I remember how difficult it was for me to “share” my mother with the affluent family in Malibu, whom she was helping out during the week with cooking, cleaning, and providing care to their children.

I longed for those days with my mother. At the time, I didn’t know she was sacrificing to save enough money to pursue nursing school and get us our place. As sad and confused as I was at times, I had the privilege of being cared for by my great-grandmother, Mamá Antonia, she was an integral part of our village.

Our Mamá Antonia was a beautiful, stern, and charismatic bisabuela who spent most of her time in California caring for me and my many primas who also had very busy, working madres. Mamá Antonia would nurture us through brushing and styling our hair, cooking delicious meals, teaching us how to wash dishes, sharing stories about her querida patria Panamá, and practicing Spanish with us. I fondly remember her sitting with me and having me read her Spanish books aloud ‘para que no me olividara el Español’ (So that I wouldn’t forget my Spanish). She would also have me practice English with her in preparation for her Naturalization exam for Citizenship.  I remember the day she proudly gained her citizenship. Our Mamá Antonia gracefully passed away in July 2017, but her memory, impact, and legacy lives with us. I am grateful for her influence and dedication to preparing her bisnietas for life in America.

None of this would have been possible without my beautiful mamá and the other Madres Latinas I’ve had in my life. Because of them, I feel more prepared to lean into the journey of motherhood with brazos abiertos (open arms). Even when I’m unsure, scared, or worried, I know my village of mamás will be there to guide me through. I will be ok, and I am thankful. I am incredibly grateful to all of you for this upcoming Mother’s Day: Gracias Mamás.