Hispanic Heritage Month Spotlight: DeAngel Casarez

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Abbey Rieves
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs

The 17th Training Wing recognizes and celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month, and how every members’ diversity make the force stronger. Each week from September 15- October 15, the 17th TRW highlights members of different Hispanic backgrounds and experiences.

This week’s spotlight is on DeAngel Casarez, 17th Contracting Squadron contracting officer.

  1. What is your job?

I am a copper cap intern working as a contract specialist and contracting officer assigned to the 17th Contracting Squadron.

  1. Tell us about your Hispanic heritage.

I am Mexican American. There are lots of traditions, especially for holidays and a religious aspect as well. Family gatherings always include food and lots of talking. There is a variety of everything from music, dancing, traditional attire, food and so much more.

  1. What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?

Hispanic Heritage Month is a chance for us to showcase our culture such as our values, traditions, and pastimes. It provides an opportunity to remember important figures who we may not have learned about in school, but by our own research or through our own communities. It’s a time to appreciate what Hispanic people and their communities have contributed to society.

  1. What’s one aspect of your heritage that you feel very strongly about?

Family. We are very much family oriented. Growing up, holidays always included not only my immediate family, but my extended family as well. Most who know me, know I love my family very much. I do all I can to help them in any way and to be present as much as possible. As the oldest of my siblings, I always tried to be the role model. Now that I have nieces and nephews, it’s important for me to not only be a present Tia (aunt), but one they can also look up to. They are my rock and the reason why I work so hard.

  1. What Hispanic public figure, past or present, inspires you and why?

My most inspiring Hispanic public figure would be my grandmother, Jovita Casarez. She was a leader her whole life and despite many hardships, she always fought for what she believed in. It didn’t matter if the person she was speaking against was a politician or someone in a leadership role. She spoke her mind and was a voice for those who didn’t have one. Her activism for Hispanic civil rights were predominantly in both Wisconsin and Texas. She defended Hispanic students’ rights in public schools, advocated for bilingual programs, spoke against migrant living conditions, defended voters rights, and founded Familias Unidas for flood victims in my hometown. My grandmother was a force to be reckon with. She was magical, strong, but most of all, she was fearless.