“Echalé ganas, mijo,” my grandpa would often say — apply yourself and put efforts into your studies. Throughout my childhood in Northern California, this phrase was ubiquitous; I’d hear it at Mass, at the taquería, and certainly at home. Whenever I met family members for the first time, I came to expect these three words. […]

Cayo Gonzalez
Cayo Gonzalez is a sophomore majoring in biology at Columbia University. Interested in research, medicine and education, Gonzalez hopes to become a physician. In his free time, he enjoys reading, going to the gym, and following both college and professional football.