Culture is important to 24-year-old Selina Valdez, who's studying to earn her second bachelor's degree at the Pueblo campus of Colorado State University. As a dancer in the Ballet Folklorico de la Raza, a Mexican folk dancing group, Valdez said she feels deeply connected to her Hispanic heritage. "I love the way we can share our culture through dance and spread that knowledge to other generations," she said. In the way she is cultivating appreciation for her roots, Valdez said she is grateful that "there are other Hispanics who want to help others like me go to college." Valdez is a recipient of an El Cinco de Mayo Inc.