Never to Forget: The Promise of Love

Her mother called her testadura (bullheaded), but as a woman in mid-20th century Costa Rica, it was BERTELINA’s most necessary trait for challenging the gender limits on her bold aspirations. In an adventurous pursuit of the promise of love, she struggled against an abusive husband and, to honorably provide for her children, immigrated to the US…

The darkened room was forbidden to children, but the flicker of a candle inside it tempted Bertelina at age five to break the rule. Illuminated by ...