Arturo Blanco, MD, is a board-certified family physician who has been a part of our ministry for more than 13 years. Dr. Blanco serves at the family medicine clinic in Clinton.
Dr. Blanco says, “As a small child I had the desire to be a physician. It has always been what I wanted to do as a profession.”
The Importance of Family
Dr. Blanco is originally from the Atlantic coast of Colombia from a city called Barranquilla. He has lived in the U.S. since 2001.
It’s important for his family to spend time together. When Dr. Blanco was living in Colombia, they would gather each Sunday at his grandmother’s home to spend time together.
“Everyone would gather to visit and to share a meal,” he says. “My family also enjoys gatherings to celebrate birthdays. Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins would get together and make birthdays special.”
Celebrating Colombian Culture Through Storytelling and Family Traditions
Dr. Blanco celebrates his heritage by teaching his children about his life growing up.
“In our home we eat Colombian foods and enjoy other parts of my culture of origin, including listening to music and watching futbol (soccer),” he says. “Our family hosts relatives in our home, and we also travel to Colombia to visit so that we have strong ties with both sides of the family.”
The Blanco family also has the tradition of gathering on Christmas Eve and having a late dinner and exchanging gifts. The same goes for New Year’s Eve.
“It was always really special to begin the new year surrounded by all my family, eating, talking, playing music, even dancing. Surrounded by love, and joy, and the promise of a brand-new year,” Dr. Blanco says.
Dr. Blanco has many favorite cultural dishes including homemade guacamole and a specialty rice dish that has chicken, pork and sausage in it, along with many vegetables and spices. Many of his friends have compared it to gumbo. This dish is most often made for large family gatherings, as it can feed a crowd.
“I also love patacones, which are fried green plantains,” he adds. “I also enjoy arepas, which are made from cornmeal and can be grilled or fried and stuffed with cheese.”
Our DEI Commitment
Our ministry’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion supports culturally competent care education for our team members all year long, especially during Hispanic Heritage Month each September.
