‘I want to achieve more’: Student battles stereotypes to accomplish her dreams

Note to readers • This is part of a collaborative project between The Salt Lake Tribune and the Highland High School Rambler. Read more about these young Utahns’ experience and perspective here.

The roaring sound of machinery, the pounding of jackhammers, the smell of dust: working in construction is a dream job for some people, but not for Rosa Sanchez.

Sanchez is a senior at Highland High School. She is the co-president of the Hispanics of Highland Club, a group that allows Sanchez to immerse herself in her culture during high school. She believes that part of her job as president is to help members of the Hispanic community feel proud of their culture and want to share it with others.

The Latino community at Highland is thriving. They host their own spirit week and participate in many events like a multicultural assembly throughout the year. But Sanchez has felt the sting of negative stereotypes about her culture and has a strong desire to change these.

“If you asked someone to think of a Mexican, they are probably [thinking of someone] wearing a construction outfit,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez says that people think of Latinos working in blue-collar jobs, specifically construction. She believes this stereotype is making too many Latinos her age settle, rather than try to achieve their goals.

Although many people work in construction there are lots of Latinos who have been to college, received a higher education, and do not work in a blue-collar position. Latinos make up 16 percent of Utah’s population. Nearly 12 percent of students at Utah’s colleges and universities are Latino, according to the Utah System of Higher Education’s latest data. And 19 percent of the state’s construction industry are Latino, according to the Utah Department of Workforce Services.

The stereotype that Latinos don’t go to college has caused many people to lose ambition, even when they are capable of doing more, Sanchez said. Which is why she is driven to go to college and encourages her peers to as well.

“It affects me because if I don’t get an education, I might end up working in one of those fields,” Sanchez said. “I am not hating on the career option, I just wouldn’t be beating the stereotypes, and I want to achieve more.”

After high school, Sanchez wants to become an entrepreneur and has a goal to start many different businesses, including a restaurant with her father and a tattoo parlor.

Determined to get there, Sanchez and her family started a business to ensure that they could pay for further education.

They host foam parties and during the summer months the business thrives. They use a foam cannon that shoots a bubbly foam solution while party guests play with beach balls and dance to music, all while getting covered in suds.

Each party is another step toward paying for college and getting one step closer to her dream.

“College is so expensive. If we have this business, and it thrives, we can have a way to pay for school and continue our education,” Sanchez said.

Each member of the family oversees a different part of the company. Sanchez is in charge of publicity. She has raised enough money to attend the University of Utah this fall.

Sanchez believes that education and following her dreams are important to beating negative cultural perceptions, while also inspiring others to chase their dreams.

“I hope someone can see what I am doing with all of my clubs and the events that I coordinate for our school, and they will say that they want to do it, too,” Sanchez said.

When Sanchez graduates, she hopes that people see her as an example of what can happen when they refuse to put limits on their dreams.

“I’m doing it for my family and my culture,” Sanchez said. “I have to prove people wrong.”

Lucy Smith is a sophomore at Highland. She plays tennis and golf, but her favorite thing is to play piano.