A role model for me

St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Jose de Jesus Ortiz speaks to the class this week.

There I sat, listening to Jose de Jesus Ortiz talk, and all I could feel was an immense pride and motivation. Here I had not only one of the premier Hispanic journalists in the country, but one of the best journalists in general talk to us. Listening to Ortiz carry himself so well and speak so proudly of his roots, I was full of pride in my Hispanic heritage. I could relate exactly to what he was talking about. I didn’t learn to speak English until I was four. Spanish was my first language, just as it was for Ortiz. Yet we persevered. We embraced our culture and have made it an essential part of who we are. Ortiz has reached the pinnacle of the sports journalism industry as a columnist at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. I have not. But I strive to be like Ortiz. I will carry my Hispanic heritage with me, will bring it out onto the forefront, and will hopefully leverage it into a successful career in the business.  -- Daniel Ynfante