Education is one of the most (if not the most) powerful weapons one can wield to—in Nelson Mandela’s words—change the world. Immigrant communities can attest to this statement. They know that if they have the right information, they can protect and empower themselves to pave a better future. The problem is that there are multiple barriers that prevent them from accessing this much-needed knowledge.
Kathia Quiros has spent years breaking these barriers and helping the Spanish-speaking community understand immigration law and know what available resources they can utilize. She has always been passionate about advocating for the rights of immigrants, hence her decision to extend her education-focused mission. She has launched not only a YouTube channel but also a TikTok account in English to expand her reach beyond her usual audiences.
Kathia is known for aiding immigrants in their pursuit of a better life through GWP, a law firm she founded. She has also synonymized her name with a commitment to helping families break systemic barriers. How? Through simplifying legal processes that might be too complex for the masses.
Broadening her audience is Kathia’s way of serving as a voice for individuals who are, lamentably, usually unheard. She has already impacted Spanish-speaking communities, helping them build better lives years ago when she first started fulfilling her mission. Catering to English-speaking audiences might seem like a natural immediate next step, but Kathia refrained from doing so due to fear. She gained the courage to overcome it after years of reflection and seeing how immigrants have become vulnerable from the growing hostility toward them.
“I chose to stay in my comfort zone because I’m afraid of other people’s reaction, thinking my English wasn’t good enough,” Kathia shares. “I’m an immigrant myself, and like many others, I carried this weight of feeling ‘less than.’ But now I can’t let my fear overpower me. I have a purpose of teaching others to be proud of who they are. If I want to succeed in doing that, I should lead by example. Now I know that I shouldn’t consider my accent, my experience, and my journey as weaknesses. I see them as my strength, and I’ll make sure to use my voice to empower others. No more boundaries. No more shame.”
Such efforts were inspired by the challenges Kathia has seen immigrants face in the legal space. It’s worth noting, however, that what worries her the most is children growing up in an inefficient system—children who have fear ingrained in them because it’s possible for them to be separated from their families. “Think of immigrant children being caught between two worlds,” she says. “They don’t feel they belong to the homeland of their parents, but they don’t feel they belong in the country they reside in either. Why is this the case? Because the country they now call ‘home’ doesn’t fully accept them. They feel too foreign in place; too different in another. But I want these children to know their dual identity is a gift.”
Kathia, a mother of four, proudly shares that her children embrace their dual identitities, as she has raised them to be fully bilingual and bicultural. Not all children have such privilege, and Kathia is aware of that. She acknowledges that many grow up with their parents working relentlessly to the point that they have to explore a world that makes them feel like outsiders alone.
This gap served as the motivation behind The Adventures of Karlita Bonita, the children’s books she wrote. She penned them to help immigrant families and children in all corners of the world appreciate various cultures, traditions, languages, and histories and know how truly rich each is. The books follow Karlita as she travels to different countries and learns about their values, customs, and landmarks.
The books have a unique design. One side is in English and the other is in the language of the country Karlita explores. With this, bilingual families can read together, improve their linguistic prowess, and, at the same time, be filled with pride in their culture.
“I hope my books can help children, especially immigrant children, to feel seen. I want them to feel valued and proud of their origins,” Kathia remarks. More books are in the works. In fact, she has started writing for nine Hispanic countries. Her dream, after all, is to see The Adventures of Karlita Bonita in every school, community, and even every corner of the world.
Kathia Quiros continues to impact communities through her work in the legal world, educational projects via Facebook, Instagram, TikTok (Spanish), TikTok (English) and YouTube (Spanish), YouTube (English), and now her children’s books. All these contribute to her goal of opening conversations about identity, belonging, and empowerment. Catering to the English-speaking community only further shows how dedicated she is to her vision.
Media Contact
Name: Kathia Quiros
Email: kq@gwp.law
