Every culture has a word for it, “moxie” in Sicilian, “chutzpah” in Hebrew, “brava” in Spanish and those are all the ways I know how to say it. It is the spirit when someone got when they are a “shining star”, when little light shines so bright, even they themselves are blinded. Some people got it. My mother told me- “you got it.” I was a westsider, I was Sicilian, and I was her daughter, and most importantly, because I came from a long line of hard-working Sicilian women. That is right, as Puerto Rican as I am (wepa), my mother’s- mothers have forever been Sicilian. Relentless- my maternal DNA is because- that is how you describe Sicilian mothers. When my ancestry DNA report was delivered- it was true I was more Sicilian than any other ethnicity present in my DNA; so, I accepted my fate. Smiling- I knew it meant one thing- I am unbreakable. Because I come from a long line of hard-working Sicilian women, and they told me so. When I got to know Makayla Santiago, I got the impression that she, herself, was from a long line of hard-working women; and that takes generations.  I respected her immediately. I could tell she hustles. She is a shining bright star from the Bronx, and she can succeed in any environment – the mark of a strong woman. She has mastered the dense city and the flowing open spaces of rural life. Makayla’s love is art and storytelling, and in Puerto Rico that has dual functions. Our artists have kept our history, there was no other choice in the beginning with the lack of books. The first library was established in Puerto Rico in 1523 by the Spanish in El Morro. Private families and or religious groups held small collections during the early colonization of San Juan, but they kept literally getting destroyed – in attacks. The first documented library (supported by the government) was established in 1874- when the first and true public library was opened in Mayaguez, 381 years after Puerto Rico was “discovered.” For 381 years, artists and shining stars like Makayla have told the stories of a place. Good thing Makayla is from a long line of strong women; she and others have a lot of storytelling to do, something which is both a blessing and a responsibility. Makayla’s a storyteller. In her interview, she says, “Take action and find connections.” She and her line of strong women are sure to inspire. Her grandmother is someone that she attributes much of her success, and that is the real beauty.  Read Makayla’s interview and read the story of a storyteller who casts light in dark spaces with her art. The Interview: Where were you raised? What values were you taught? I am a proud Nuyorican from Highbridge in the Bronx and shout it out at any opportunity I can. I love being a Latina/Hispanic woman. There is so much beauty and life in our culture, food, families, and values. I was raised surrounded by strong women who shaped me to be the person I am today, but the most important thing was, “Educate yourself. They can take everything away from you, but you will always have your education.” My mother and grandma did everything in their power to make sure I had a good education. My grandmother would walk me to and from my elementary and middle schools. I attended a catholic school from 3rd grade to 12th. Tuition was covered in different ways. My grandmother worked as a lunchroom monitor to cover a portion of my tuition, my pediatrician covered a portion, and my mother paid the rest. If it were not for the help we received, we would not have been able to afford it. When it came time to go to high school, my 8th-grade school principal helped work towards a scholarship program in which an anonymous doctor paid for my tuition. I was incredibly lucky and blessed to have so many people guiding me towards my education. The second most important value I was taught was to simply “Work hard. Everything you do, do it with your heart.” And that is what I did. It led me to a dream job and starting a podcast. I knew I wanted to be a voice for the voiceless and now I am. What was your experience as a student? High School: I was busy chasing boys. If I knew what I know now, then. I would not have given them a time of day. I was on the student council, was a cheerleader, played on the softball team, and maintained good grades, but the drama overshadowed my passion for learning. No one in high school really saw my potential… except for my English teacher Ms. Wilbekin… we all always have that one teacher, but I felt like there was nothing in the Bronx for me. That is why I chose the farthest college from my doorstep, with state tuition. I needed to break free and understand myself as an individual. College: At first, I thought I knew what I wanted to be. I started out with a dream of being a Music Therapist. I wanted to use music to change the world. I quickly learned that it was not the path for me and began to explore other career paths. I changed my major a whole 9 times and finally settled on becoming a dual major, Business Administration with a concentration in the Music Industry and Arts Administration with a concentration in Public Relations and a dual minor in Communications & Leadership Studies. Yes, that is a mouthful, and it took me 5 years to finish, but I did it.  To build my resume, I had a couple of part-time jobs in the arts, held internships at Warner Music and Universal Music in NYC, and sat on executive boards for multiple organizations in the college. To say I was busy would be