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Elvira Ramos is Director of Programs at The Community Foundation Serving Boulder County. She talks about her experience of growing up in Indiana and her roots in Brownsville, Texas. Her ancestors have lived in the Rio Grande Valley for many generations, and both of her parents were born in Brownsville, Texas. After World War II, her parents moved to Indiana, where her father worked in the steel mills. Her mother graduated from high school, but was not allowed to go to college. Her parents were active in the Democratic Party and in helping new Latino immigrants in the area. Although both of her parents spoke Spanish, Elvira was not taught the language because her parents had been punished and held back in school for speaking Spanish. Elvira received her bachelor's degree in English at Indiana University in Bloomington. She worked in Denver and Brownsville before moving with her son to Boulder County in 2009. She talks about racism in Colorado, which she finds to be more pervasive than in Texas. She also discusses her work at The Community Foundation, where she manages grants that are used to encourage and promote philanthropy. She trains and facilitates workshops on leadership development, diversity, cultural competency, volunteer management and strategic planning. She offers career advice for young people.