Dania Santana

Category: Multicultural Living

  • My Second Bilingual Children’s Book: Sebastian’s Game Day Surprise

    On August of 2019, my second bilingual children’s book was published: “Sebastian’s Game Day Surprise/La Sorpresa de Sebastián el Día del Partido Final”. The book was commissioned by the program called Read Conmigo. This book was really special to me as it allowed me to bring to life a character that positively represents AfroLatino children…

  • 3 Happiness Lessons Our Kids Can Learn from Dominican Culture

    I just got back from my hometown of Santo Domingo and am now experiencing what I call the ‘withdrawal stage’ after returning to the United States from the Dominican Republic. Besides the nostalgic feeling of leaving friends and family behind, there’s also a longing for the natural joy that’s so inherent to life on the…

  • 7 TED Talks You Must Watch on Biases, Racial Inequality, and Violence

    As I was looking at old photos the other night, memories of my teenage years in Santo Domingo flooded my mind. I began thinking about my late aunt, Anairis, who probably never realized the profound impact she had on my life. She always told me that I was a natural leader, and those words, as…

  • Raising Culturally Aware Kids for a Global Society

    As a mother, I often catch myself saying things my grandmother used to say, like “things aren’t the same as they used to be,” as I sigh and reminisce about my childhood. The truth is, nothing is like it used to be, and we must prepare our children to navigate a complex world. Raising culturally…

  • 3 Simple Ways to Nurture Multicultural Friendships in Children

    When I left my island in my mid-twenties, I didn’t set out to live a multicultural life. I never imagined that more than a decade later, I would be nurturing multicultural friendships in my American-born children. Multicultural living wasn’t even on my mind before I moved to the United States; at that time, Santo Domingo…

  • Remembering Muhammad Ali: Great Lessons From the Activist Champion

    As the world bids farewell to Muhammad Ali, there’s no doubt about his lightning-fast moves and powerful punch. He will forever be remembered as the greatest, the most celebrated athlete of his time. However, I want to pay tribute to his other strengths—the rapid rhythm of his poetry and the force of his principles. It…

  • The Case for the Unifying Power of Bilingualism

    Traditionally, in the United States, there has been a common belief that speaking a foreign language is un-American—a sort of betrayal. It’s as if speaking a language other than English denies a core American value. This topic has long been contentious, dividing people. That’s why I want to talk about the unifying power of bilingualism…

  • American Latinos Are Leading the Multicultural Revolution

    One of the things I am most proud of as a mom is raising my children to be bilingual and multicultural. However, if you saw me interacting with my tiny, almost two-year-old son, you might be confused. This kid resists learning Spanish—when I say “buenas noches,” he responds with “good night.” Although this might seem…

  • Why I’m Raising Cultural Awareness to Promote Social Change

    Multiculturalism has been a passion of mine ever since I moved to the United States. However, after having children, this passion grew even stronger as I realized that raising my kids with an understanding of diverse cultures would enable them to interact and thrive in a multicultural society. This realization is why I am committed…

  • Bill of Rights for People of Mixed Heritage by Maria P. P. Root, Ph.D.

    In 1992, Dr. Maria P. P. Root wrote the Bill of Rights for People of Mixed Heritage, a groundbreaking document empowering individuals of mixed heritage to assert their identities, whatever they might be. In the United States, people who appear ethnically ambiguous have often been rendered invisible or pressured to “choose a side” based on…