Riquezas de Mis Raíces
Riquezas de Mis Raíces was written by the students of Theodore Roosevelt High in Spring of 2024
Introduction
The title of this book was given to me by my mom, Nely.
As I sat at the dinner table, brainstorming out loud—mis raíces son ricas, nuestras raíces ricas, nuestras riquezas—she called out from the kitchen, "Riquezas de Nuestras Raíces se oye mejor." She was right of course, and how fitting that the woman who gave me life also helped bring this book to life.
Raíces means roots and a tree cannot grow without them. As the child of immigrants from El Salvador, my roots are young but deeply enriched by the culture my parents carried with them to this country. Boyle Heights, a neighborhood with history woven into every street, stands as one of the strongest trees in Los Angeles—its roots stretching for blocks, running deep through generations of students, families, and stories. Because of this, the writing in this book seemingly spans time, reaching both into the past and toward the future.
With time however, change is inevitable, and when I conceptualized this book, I wanted students to capture messages to their future selves that would remind them of the people, places, dreams, love, and aspirations their younger selves treasured. These stories are priceless riquezas, embedded in the very seeds from which they grew. They are braided into their DNA, guiding them even when their path is uncertain.
As students of Roosevelt High School, these authors are part of a community abundant with culture and knowledge. As they grow and eventually move on, my hope is that this book will serve as a reminder that if they ever feel their branches breaking, they come from soil rich with a wealth greater than gold. They are seeds strong enough to break through concrete—capable of blooming wherever they choose to plant themselves.
Wendy Beltran
Senior Writers’ Room Program Coordinator, Roosevelt High School