Meet Doctor Reina Rodriguez-James,MD | Bilingual Health Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Doctor Reina Rodriguez-James,MD and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Doctor Reina, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
I know that is very easy give up, but every day is a challenge, the life itself is a challenge …. I do not want to give up, I want to try if I fail this time I will try again as many times as necessary.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am from El Salvador, graduated as General Doctor and General Surgeon. Was single mom that came to USA 20 years ago. as many people looking for a better life for me and my baby. Even though I had a profession, my life in my country was not easy due to threats against me and the difficulties I was facing. I have two options give up or looking how I can survive. I had the privilege to have a relative here that can help me to come to USA and with my baby in my arms, I took the courage to not give up and came to USA.

Here I was nobody, no profession, feeling alone, a new culture, a language that I was not proficient… once again I have the same 2 options: give up or looking for solutions.

I learned by my own some English, worked in factories, as a housekeeping… I have a baby that needs to provide for.
Finally, after 3 years I found a job as a teacher assistant at a daycare, but that time I got married and was pregnant of my 2nd child. My husband was Hispanic person from a different country than me, the relationship was not the best one and after 7 years we had to separate… I become again a single mom, with not support from my ex-husband… again the 2 options. I decided to work harder for my 2 kids, had to back to the factories, selling pupusas, worked in 2 different doctor offices… after almost 11 years living to provide and raise my kids, a door opened for me at the Health Department with the chance to become a Bilingual Health Educator, where I work for 5 years now and I am the Leader for a new program that was created (after almost a year to prove the Hispanic community needs to be educate with information to recovery, keep and maintain the good health and where they can find the resources to minimize health and quality of life disparities in this County).

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I will take my friend to one of the beautiful parks in the city or in the state that we have. We can cook their favorite dish, or we can go out for some Japanese food.
In NC we have many beautiful places to go, mountains, if the weather is great any lake or river, any botanical garden, to walk in one of the towns (historical places).
We will go easy and practical every day, because the most important is to enjoy the time we expend together making memories. Laughing a lot in every adventure.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to send the message to anybody that is from another country to the people that came to USA for one or other reason.

Instagram: Reina_r_

Linkedin: Reina Rodriguez

Facebook: Reina Rodriguez

Image Credits
Mia Magazine and Health Department