Interview, Yuneydis Corria Ruiz

Corria-Ruiz (b. 1990) was born in Cuba and moved to the United States with her family at the age of 13. Her father settled in Rochester first and then sent for the rest of the family. Ruiz grew up in Henrietta, but initially attended Monroe Middle School in the city because it offered a bilingual program. She later transferred to Rush-Henrietta High School.

In this interview, Corria-Ruiz describes her childhood in Cuba, her family’s immigration process, and her education in Rochester. She discusses the local Latino community as well as Cuban customs, holidays and music. She touches on issues of identity, commenting on what it means to be Cuban, American, and Cuban-American. Comparisons of Cuba and the United States figure prominently in the discussion.