Behind every successful first generation Latina is a girl who learned a new language and had to go through everything and learn everything for herself.

Who had immigrant parents who left their country to give their kids a better life and better opportunities, working hard not not only for themselves but to give her what they could.

Who is an older sister and had to set an example for her siblings and take care of them as much as she could. Who is now not only able to make her parents proud but her whole family proud and be someone to look up to.

Who is now able to be happy that she did everything she set her mind to and could be proud she did.

Transcript:

Jossy Dominguez: Hey what’s your name?

Joana Biviano: Hello my name is Joana Biviano I am 31.

JD: Tell me about yourself Joana. 

JB: Well I’m a first generation daughter. I come from a family that immigrated here and would work jobs that exploited them.

JD: How did that affect you?

JB: Well it helps me push myself to make my parents proud and graduate and get a job in my field to not work like them.

JD: How did that make you feel?

JB: It made me feel proud of myself because a lot of people who study in college don’t end up working in the field they studied for and I was lucky enough to work in my field that is very competitive.

JD: What do you think you did that helped you be able to accomplish that?

JB: I worked very hard to get to where I’m at. What helped me out was I started working for a company that offered me the job. When I finished my internship I learned a lot from there.

JD: What are some things that you learned from there?

JB: I was the production assistant and did everything from making patterns for the production to helping cut the pieces to fittings but after learning so much there and not seeing more opportunities, I finally decided to look for designer jobs.

JD: How did that go for you?

JB: It went well because I soon got a job at my first denim company and got hired as a designer and learned even more about making jeans.

JD: How is that going at the moment?

JB: Well I stayed there for another six years but then looked for a better opportunity and right now I am working as a fit tech for another denim company and making very good money.

JD: What was a lesson you learned from this? 

JB: Lesson here is to always try to better yourself and look for better opportunities because I am now able to help my parents and give you kids more opportunities and help you guys experience things my parents were not able to give me or provide for me.