Leading Between Two Worlds
Lessons from the First Mexican-Born Treasurer of the United States

Some people are certain they have a book boiling inside them ready to spill out onto the page. I was not one of those people. They way I saw it, the main ingredients of my life were more or less like anybody else’s. And yet, over the years I continued to hear many versions of the same question: “have you ever thought of writing down your life story?”

Then, one day it happened. Johana Castillo, an editor, called and asked me the same question I had been asked for years. Here was a young ambitious Latina asking me to share my life with readers. Like me, she wasn’t born in this country and, like me, she was constantly striving for success. If my story could reach other Latinas like her then it would certainly be worth the effort. I had to be honest with myself; there most likely would never be an ideal time to write a book. As I have often said, the best time is now because that is all we have.

It was a process that often felt like I was describing a dream. I suspect this is because I was capturing a dream that could only have sprouted on American soil. The American Dream that if fueled by a pursuit of happiness is the fundamental story of this country, and my life is a grateful reflection of its reality. It’s a story worth retelling because it serves as an example of others–especially Hispanic immigrants who are now members of the fastest growing minority in this nation. When I arrived in this country over 30 years ago, I could never have imagined that I’d one day sign my name onto its national currency as the 41st Treasurer of the United States. I have often said that becoming the Treasurer during President George W. Bush’s first administration is more telling of the possibilities of this country than of my abilities. Had my parent decided to immigrate to any other nation, it is doubtful that I would’ve become its treasurer. In 1972, as a 14-year-old girl sandwiched between her mother and sister on a bus heading to the U.S., all I could think about were the family and friends I was leaving behind in Mexico.

My story begins with sharing what once was my most closely guarded secret. Although this book is far from a confessional, I was honest-whether telling you about my fears before making love for the first time or how I dealt with political betrayal. You’ll be right alongside me as an event divides my life in two, I struggle through depression, I create my family, I participate for years in local politics, and I become the U.S. Treasurer.

What drove me during the entire writing of the book was not a need to share my life story or bare my soul, but an ulterior motive that fully reveals itself in the final section of the book. Although I would never claim to have all the answers, I do think I have something to offer-especially to young Latinas and immigrants who too often don’t dare to dream the American Dream. I always tell them that if I could do it, so can you. What I’ve been able to achieve in my life is not due to luck, charm, beauty, or anything else that is often attributed to quick success. I did, however, have values that were expressed in the seven actions that I share with you; they have made my life one that I’m proud to share. No matter who you are of where you find yourself at this exact moment, know that you can do it, too. Si se puede!

By Rosario Marín