Watch the replay! Ecuadorian by Birth, Hispanic by Heritage, American by Choice

Published 11 days ago • 1 min read

Hey Reader!

Last night's conversation traced all the way back to a soccer field in Quito, Ecuador.

My guest was Rosie Paulsen. As a girl she was told she couldn't play soccer because she was a girl, until she met an American girl who told her that in America, girls can do whatever they want. She decided then and there that she would come to the United States. She arrived as a teenager, moved in with a family where no one spoke Spanish, and learned the language fast. As she put it, after three days of waiting for dinner, she figured she had better learn English or she was going to starve.

From there she built a life most people would have called impossible. Nearly a decade at American Express Travel. Rookie of the year in Medicare having never owned or sold a policy. Multiple companies, including S&R Services and Rosie Paulsen Enterprises, and a practice she treats as a calling, not a sale. She is the author of Ñeque, and she chairs the Spirit of the Community Awards for the Florida Commission on the Status of Women.

Near the end, talking about what this country means to her, she said something I keep thinking about:

"I'm an Ecuadorian by birth, Hispanic by heritage, and an American by choice. And I will die for this country."

Connect with Rosie: