Matthew Parada: "A Kid Inspiring Other Kids"
Matthew Parada, 11, is a 6th-grade student in the Bronx and a Rising New York Road Runners Youth Ambassador. Matthew and his mother, Linda Parada, ran numerous NYRR races in 2019 and early 2020, most recently the NYRR Gridiron 4M in February. For Matthew and Linda, running is a fun way to spend time together, stay healthy, and inspire each other and those around them.
“My favorite running memory is from July 13, 2019, when I was second in the men 14-and-under age group in the Retro Run,” said Matthew. Afterward he and Linda posed proudly in front of a vintage car.
To become a Youth Ambassador, Matthew completed a six-week speech fundamentals and public-speaking training workshop, conducted over Zoom, to improve his presentation and communication skills. At the conclusion of the program in August, Matthew created a personalized speech on the role running has played in his life.
Linda is happy and proud that Matthew has the opportunity to motivate and inspire others by serving as a Youth Ambassador. “He can be a kid inspiring other kids,” she said. “I believe you inspire others through your own experience.”
Linda’s family is from El Salvador—she spent her early years there, and she and Matthew return often to visit. Matthew embraces his Latinx heritage—he is bilingual and he loves celebrating the holidays in El Salvador with his grandparents.
“I am able to speak two languages, English and Spanish, and I am proud of my Latinx culture,” he said. “It’s one big community.”
Matthew’s advice for other Latinx kids is to develop a strong mindset. “Never give up, even though you may feel like quitting,” he said. “Push through—first reset, then take a deep breath, then say to yourself, ‘I can do this.’”
Linda believes in community and respect—values that she learned from her parents and that she strives to pass along to Matthew, especially in the difficult times we live in. “Everyone deserves the same respect,” she said. “My parents always greet people in the streets and treat them with respect. There is an expression in my country: ‘Today for you, tomorrow for me.’ We take care of each other.”
Linda, who started running as a child with her father, ran her first marathon at the TCS New York City Marathon in 2018. “It was my dream come true,” she said. She ran again in 2019.
“So many times along the way I wanted to give up, but I remembered what I was doing this for, and that Matthew was at the finish line waiting for me," she said of that first marathon. "When I crossed the finish line, I cried. I will never forget it.”
Year round, NYRR recognizes the contributions of the Latinx community. For Latinx Heritage Month (September 15–October 15), we are highlighting stories and achievements from Latinx perspectives.