When Rodrigo Salgado Vallarino walked by the University Memorial Center at the University of Colorado, Boulder, he had no idea he was about to gain an incredible opportunity. As an ambitious first-year student with a love for public speaking, the TedxCU tent immediately sparked his interest. Thanks to encouragement from his friend and a mysterious mixture of chance and fate, Vallarino signed up for the 2025 Student Voices competition 20 minutes before the application deadline.
Vallarino immigrated from Mexico City, Mexico to Denver, Colorado at a young age. This experience inspired the basis of his talk, prompting him to write about immigration and its positive impact on society while tying in his own personal story. He felt lucky to share his struggles and successes with his immigrant identity in the competition and met many talented student speakers with unique stories. As the winner of the competition, Vallarino was given the honor to share his talk with a larger audience and make a difference in views on immigration.
“My talk focuses on bringing back the idea that immigration is so beautiful, it has contributed so much to society, and it’s an essential piece that makes this country and the world what it is today,” Vallarino said.
Vallarino’s goal with his talk is to combat negative portrayals and stereotypes surrounding immigrants, especially in today’s harsh political climate. Despite unequal opportunities, language barriers, and different cultural and belief systems, immigrants admirably adapt and overcome challenges while maintaining a mindset of improvement. Vallarino advocates for the necessity of immigration in America through a lens of positive contribution, including the growth of the economy and societal structures.
Although Vallarino is passionate about this topic, he admits that the process of developing his talk was a demanding task. The constant shifts in local and global politics and hostile media depictions of immigration kept Vallarino on his toes. He also had to figure out how to balance and manage his time between writing and practicing his talk with school responsibilities and other commitments. However, his optimistic attitude and enthusiasm helped push him forward, even through questionable immigration policy updates.
“I’m excited to share this message I’ve been developing with others and hopefully change someone’s perspective on the role of immigration in society, even if it’s just one person,” Vallarino said.
If there’s one key takeaway from Vallarino’s talk, it’s that immigration is simply beautiful. To him, this aligns with this year’s TedxCU theme of “Anomaly” because it’s a sentiment that not many people hold. Through embracing his identity and emphasizing immigrants as a community full of hope and hard work instead of fear, Vallarino aims to redefine perspectives and dismantle the negative norm.
Vallarino knows that not everyone will change their minds, but he’s hopeful of the effect his talk might have on diverse audiences. If we’re open to understanding others, we can work to resolve many modern hardships and issues in our world.