By Sorayda Díaz
Ever since she was a child, Nathalia knew that dance would be an integral part of her life. Dance has always been her language, her natural way of expressing herself, she recalls fondly.
In Colombia, her native country, she would create improvised dance routines at home using ribbons and stockings, demonstrating from an early age her deep connection to art and culture. Her artistic inclination was encouraged by a family that blended creativity and entrepreneurship: her father, a chef and amateur painter, and her mother, an interior designer.
Her passion for dance and her adventurous spirit turned her into a true “cultural backpacker,” as she was once affectionately called. As a teenager, she joined folk dance groups and actively participated in community projects in disadvantaged neighborhoods of Bogotá. She fondly recalls her time at a church located in a former adult movie theater, in an area with a high concentration of sex workers:
“We used dance and theater to strengthen the identity of the children and teenagers in the community; it was a transformative place.”
Always restless and creative, by the age of 14 she had already started her first business selling personalized gifts. She always felt she could create something of her own, something unique, and that balance between art, entrepreneurship, and social commitment clearly defined her path.
When she met her American husband during a family trip, life took her by surprise, unexpectedly leading her to the United States, where she faced a host of new cultural and personal challenges. Her arrival was not easy, and she experienced the barriers that many immigrants face when they arrive in a new country.
“When I arrived here, I came to understand even more clearly how important it is to support those going through similar experiences,” she explains empathetically.
Inspired by her own experiences, Nathalia began providing emotional and logistical support to other immigrants, especially newly arrived women. Her personal experience further deepened her connection to the Latino community in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Today, Naty—as her friends call her—is involved with the Colombian Association in Charlotte and has also been selected to lead the Fiestas Patrias organization, also in Charlotte, an initiative that seeks to promote and celebrate Latin American cultural heritage. “Preserving our cultural identity is essential, and creating opportunities to share it is my passion,” she says enthusiastically.
In addition, she continues to dance with Samba Charlotte and the group Las Cumbiamberas, where she keeps her passion for dance alive and strengthens cultural ties within the Latin American diaspora. Natalia believes it is vital to preserve and share cultural traditions, encouraging other immigrants to proudly express their roots.
“Don’t be afraid to show who you are; our roots are our strength”
Nathalia, the “cultural backpacker,” continues to blaze new trails with her traditions in tow, sharing her joy, authenticity, and culture wherever she goes, convinced that culture is identity, living memory, and a powerful vehicle for social transformation.
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