Alessandria San Roman Shares Her Cuban-American Journey and Its Influence on Her Legal Career
Holland & Knight's Diversity Council and Hispanic Affinity Group are proud to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and pay tribute to the generations of Hispanics who have enriched America's history and continue to play a role in its future success. We now present the 2024 video series showcasing some of these conversations. We hope that the stories conveyed in these videos inspire those struggling with recognizing their roots and shine light on the contributions that Hispanics have offered the legal community and beyond.
In our second Hispanic Heritage Month spotlight, Miami-based real estate associate Alessandria San Roman shares her family's inspiring journey from Cuba to America. Discover how her grandparents' struggle under the Castro regime shaped her values, work ethic and commitment to excellence. Join us in celebrating the diverse experiences that enrich our firm and community.
Alessandria San Roman: Bienvenidos. I'm Alessandria San Roman, proudly representing the Miami office as a real estate associate at Holland & Knight. This Hispanic Heritage Month, I'm excited to share a piece of my journey with you all. So welcome to my spotlight.
I am a first generation American of Cuban descent. Both of my parents fled Cuba at a young age in the 1960s, the typical Cuban story. My grandfather was a political prisoner under the Castro regime. Hearing the stories firsthand from my grandparents of having the government search their home in the middle of the night and placing my grandfather in a labor camp, to the day that they fled Cuba with nothing but the clothes on their backs, really does leave a lasting impression, at least on me.
For me, it's about sharing our stories. I think that as a community, we all have overcome obstacles. We have all become part of, you know, our American culture and society, and each one of us brings a different, unique piece that unites us all. You know, to this day, I grew up with the mentality that, you know, nothing is given to you. It's earned. So with that mantra, I always push myself to excel.
My brother and I were always taught that the next generation should strive to do better than the prior one. But, you know, even with success, however one chooses to measure that, we were always reminded that, you know, never forget where you came from.
Growing up in Miami, the island culture is pretty predominant. You are not going to be probably the only Latino or Latina in the classroom. Going to college, the numbers dwindled, and for me, having, you know, been asked, "Where are you from? No, really, where you from? Not just Miami, where are you from?" and "Oh, did your parents come on a boat?" So — and not that it was mentioned in, you know, with any ill will. It was just the fact that, that's the idea, that Cubans come on boats, and that's not the case at all. And so for me, it was kind of hard to understand.
There have been so many different opportunities that have come my way because I've pushed myself. You know, whether it's that mentality of you need to work hard because we've got to overcome the fact that, you know, you are a Latin, you're not necessarily like everyone else in the classroom. That type of mentality, you know, helped me fight a little bit harder for the things that I wanted to really achieve. And it doesn't mean I achieved it all, and I learned from it. I think it's super important to learn from those opportunities that just maybe didn't pan out. But my grandparents and my parents always instilled in me that you don't give up, that that door may have closed, but another one's going to open.
My grandmother never misses an opportunity to tell me how proud she is of me. Obviously there's a large generational gap. My grandmother, obviously women, Latin women, were not necessarily seen the way Latin women are now. And so, you know, kind of always having to be subordinate to men. She always raised us to be strong, independent women, my mom, her sister and so she always tells me, I'm so proud of you.
I guess that would be my, you know, key takeaway, you know, for a Hispanic community, we're all very tight. And sometimes, you know, life does get a little bit busy. We can't forget about, you know, those that made those sacrifices before us.