Cosme Lantigua

I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. BEFORE TURNING 11 YEARS OLD, MY FAMILY MOVED TO PUERTO RICO, BLENDING BOTH CULTURES THROUGH EDUCATION, SPORTS, FOOD, MUSIC, AMONG OTHER EXPERIENCES. ESPECIALLY IN BASKETBALL.

BASKETBALL PLAYED A UNIQUE ROLE DURING IMPORTANT PERIODS OF MY DEVELOPMENT AS A YOUNG DOMINICAN IMMIGRANT IN PUERTO RICO. THROUGH THIS SPORT, I LEARNED HOW TO CHANNEL EMOTIONS IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS AND COMPREHENDED THE ESSENCE OF COOPERATION AND SERVICE. IT PROVIDED A SPACE WHERE SOCIAL CLASSES COULD ENJOY A SENSE OF TOGETHERNESS ON AND OFF THE COURT, ALLOWING ORGANICALLY TO GROW AND NURTURE SPECIAL FRIENDSHIPS. MANY OF THESE FRIENDSHIPS ARE STILL APPRECIATED UNTIL THIS PRESENT.

WITH BASKETBALL CAME THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ACCESS TO BOTH, COLLEGE EDUCATION AS WELL AS NCAA DII BASKETBALL. I GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO, RÍO PIEDRAS CAMPUS, COMPLETING A BACCALAUREATE IN EDUCATION, AS PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH TEACHER. CURRENTLY, I AM TEACHING FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

EDUCATION AND BASKETBALL WALKED ME INTO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-AWARENESS ON INEQUITY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES IN SOCIETY. STRUGGLES MANIFESTED THROUGH MY OWN EXPERIENCES AND REFLECTED IN THE LIFE OF FORMER TEAMMATES, STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS IN PUERTO RICO AND THE U.S. THIS GLOBAL ISSUE IS STILL INSTILLED IN HUMANITY REGARDLESS TO AGE, SEX, GENDER, RELIGION, OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION.

I WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL FOR MY FAMILY, A UNITY BASED ON UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND RESPECT. FOR THEIR INFINITE SUPPORT, TEACHING ME THAT DISTANCE IS NOT AN OBSTACLE FOR THE HEART. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME ACROSS AND CONTRIBUTED FOR ME TO EXPRESS MY MOST EVOLVED VERSION.
THIS PROJECT IS DEDICATED TO ALL.