Celeste Castro Ramirez

In order to start a new life in America, Celeste Castro Ramirez’s parents had to not only leave their old lives behind in Mexico but also overcome obstacles with language and culture to adjust to their new home. 

Because of that, Ramirez considers her parents as her heroes and said, “[They] showed resilience in the face of adversity, which is really motivating and humble.” 

“They refused to let their difficulties define who they are,” said Ramirez, a senior at Piner High School in Santa Rosa, Calif. “Above all, my parents have implemented very valuable life lessons that continue to guide me; they’ve taught me humility, compassion, and hard work.” 

Ramirez is also proud of her heritage and overcame language barriers of her own. She said, “As I am maintaining and passing down my family’s values, I am able to be closer to my family because I proudly embrace and celebrate my Chicana traditions. Being bilingual makes me feel good since I can always be relied upon to translate for my family.” 

A soccer player at Piner, Ramirez is also president of her school’s Latino Club and counts AP Spanish, Government, and Yearbook as her favorite classes. She plans to study communications, education, and Chicano Studies in college and in her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her uncle and learning more about cars. Ramirez named the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel The Great Gatsby as her favorite book. 

“I also really have a great time traveling,” Ramirez said. “I am the first to say ‘Yes’ if there is any chance to go anywhere. In addition, I enjoy photography, specifically car and sports photography, since I have found that it’s a really fun hobby for me that captures someone else’s hobby.” 

Ramirez considers same-sex marriage, reproductive rights, and gun control the issues she cares about the most. She was selected as a winner of the Bill of Rights Institute’s Think The Vote campaign and said she most enjoyed learning about primary elections. 

“I knew that elections were held every four years, but I had no idea that these were also a means of gaining publicity for oneself,” Ramirez said.