The person you might have seen on T.V.
- La Voz Latina
- 10 hours ago
- 2 min read
Written by: Emely Gonzalez 🇸🇻
Jeffrey Sorto takes his education to a new level of excellence, a form of activism.
As a student majoring in communications and minoring in U.S. Latina/o studies, he has learned what it really means to be a Latino pursuing higher education.
“It's more about the history of people like me, you know, Latino people living in the United States and their struggles,” Sorto said. “It gives me the context of why or how other people made the path for me to be in school.”
Sorto wanted to create his own story but initially struggled to build a community as a transfer student to the University of Maryland.
“I didn't have anyone to really rely on or have a helping hand,” he said. “It was hard to make friends, but again, I had a goal in mind. It was like, ‘I’m gonna make this university that’s huge and make it for me.’ And that’s what I did.”
During his time at the University of Maryland, he interned with the League of United Latin American Citizens and worked with NBC and Telemundo, making his dreams a reality.
He also joined the Pa’Lante Latin Dance Company, which not only shaped his friendships but also boosted his love for his culture.
“It's more than just dance. It's definitely about building community within the people,” he said.
The pursuit of a higher education is not a new concept for Sorto but rather a continuation of his mother’s dream of finishing her dream of becoming a nurse.
“This degree is for me, but also for her,” Sorto said. “I'm doing this because she didn't get the chance to do it, and [she] worked so hard. So it's the least that I can do for her.”
Sorto comes from a family where his siblings have earned their associates degrees. He knew that, upon receiving his own higher education degree, he could achieve more and create a new reality for others like him.
Reflecting on what is next, he has a clear idea of what success means to him.
“I don't want to just make money. I want to make sure that what I do is also impacting other people in a positive way,” he said.
To Sorto, the concept of community is where success begins, community is the foundation of success – its success is his own.
With that in mind, Sorto believes that education has been and will be a crucial form of advocacy for his family and community.
“I want this new path to be about being successful but also being grounded in who they are and what made them,” he said.
"Pontes las pilas, y echale ganas." - Jeffrey Sorto’s family
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