Cultura
The Latino Center of the Midlands is a place where being Latino, Latina, or Latinx is celebrated. We’re a community center where culture thrives; a place where the door is open to everyone. Our community comes from many different countries and we created this page to celebrate that diversity.
Cultural Spotlight
I am from the Yucatán Peninsula and migrated to the United States in 2000, the only one in my family to do so. I was raised speaking Spanish and Yucatecan Mayan, and my Mayan heritage has always been central to who I am. I still speak Mayan with my mother and relatives. I am deeply proud of my Mexican and Mayan roots—cultures grounded in hard work, family, and resilience. Despite misconceptions, the Mayan people did not vanish with colonization. Today, millions continue to live across Yucatán, Quintana Roo, Campeche, Chiapas, and Tabasco, proof that our culture is living, present, and enduring. Living as a Latino immigrant in the U.S. has shown me how vital the work of the Latino Center of the Midlands is, and I am honored to share my culture, language, and experience with the community.
Ricardo Varguez
LCM Board Member, Clarkson College
Sayings and Slang
Chamuyero – Smooth Talker (Argentina)
This is used to describe someone who uses lies to persuade others.
Chao pescao – See you later fish (Chile)
This is used as a fun way to say goodbye to family or friends.
El que anda entre la miel algo se le pega – He who walks among honey gets sticky. (Guatemala)
This saying refers to how the people we associate with, whether good or bad, will always have some kind of influence on us.
El Maus – Computer Mouse (Spanglish)
Most of our staff are bilingual, and at our office, you’ll hear a variety of Spanglish words. The correct word in Spanish is el ratón.
- She refreshed the Ticketmaster page so much that she broke the mouse!
- ¡Actualizó la página de Ticketmaster tantas veces que se le quebró el ratón!
Trailblazer
Laura I. Gómez | Computer Scientist
Laura I. Gómez is a Mexican-born computer scientist and advocate whose work reflects a deep commitment to equity, care, and opportunity for Latino communities. As a child immigrant growing up in Silicon Valley, she learned English and coding side by side — an experience that shaped her belief that technology should create pathways to opportunity, not barriers. At seventeen, she began her career as a software engineer intern at Hewlett-Packard and later led product teams at YouTube and Twitter, becoming one of the earliest advocates for Latinos in tech. In 2016, Gómez founded Atipica, a predictive AI platform designed to make hiring more equitable, and secured a then-record $4 million seed round for a solo Latina founder in Silicon Valley. Through initiatives like Proyecto Sol and Profunda Health, Laura continues to build spaces and create solutions centered on healing, dignity, and opportunity for Latino communities — shaping a future where innovation and equity move forward together.
