Diana & Ron In California

We met in college at the University of Southern California as neighbors in the same apartment building. From the moment we met, we were the best of friends, so much so, people thought we were together! We had a lot of shared interests and enjoyed each other's company. That was over 25 years ago. We built an amazing friendship during the course of that time; a strong foundation that would eventually become the pillar of our marriage. Our friendship was too important and risking its loss was a tough trade for what could be love. Inevitably, the universe brought us together to form an even greater bond and we've now been happily married for 5 years.

Ron is a passionate educator who enjoys working with the youth. He taught in the classroom for over 20 years and is now a school administrator for an inner-city high school in Los Angeles. Diana is a finance professional who hopes to give back to her community through her work. She currently works for a startup developing a new form of mass transportation that would translate into health and educational access for underserved communities.

Whatever we are doing, there is always music playing. On a Saturday morning, you’ll find us drinking coffee at our kitchen table listening to Miles Davis. We can’t wait to introduce our child to the wonderful world of music. Traveling is another passion of ours and one that we hope to share with our future child. We are also USC football fans. After all, that’s where we met! We enjoy going to the USC football games and reconnecting with fellow alumni and friends.

Giving back to our community is also important to us. We both came from low-income families and have never forgotten where we come from and the opportunities that were granted to us. We believe it is important to pay it forward and give others those same opportunities. Diana is very involved with her elementary/junior high school in San Diego; supporting fundraising efforts for scholarships and basic resources. Together, we donate to other charitable causes and organize efforts to help those in need, when we can.

Currently, we live in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles. In the Arts District to be exact. It is a cool, hip, artsy neighborhood nestled right up against the Los Angeles River. It is a walking neighborhood with amazing graffiti, restaurants and musical/cultural experiences nearby. From our front door you can see a neighborhood park, a bustling cafe and the downtown skyline in the background. You can hear the sounds of children playing and dogs barking, and the buzz of conversations over coffee. The neighborhood feels alive as families, students and young professionals explore the many things it has to offer. Police officers and firemen are a regular sight at the cafe, which also gives us a greater sense of safety. Though we love where we currently live, our ultimate goal is to move into a home with a yard in San Diego, so our little one can be closer to family.

Family is everything! We each have an older sibling with whom we are very close and find ourselves calling and visiting one another often. We alternate holidays each year to ensure that our families know how important they are to us. Diana’s family lives in San Diego. Diana’s older brother, Frank, is more than just a brother, he was also a father figure to her stepping in at a young age when their father passed away. He is a noble, hard-working man who puts family first. He and his wife, Bernice, have four children: Sophia (16), Archie (13), Lorenzo (11), and Elias (9). We love spending time with them whenever we can. Diana has always been very present in her niece’s and nephew’s lives and she loves them as if they were her own.

Ron’s older sister, Lisa, is very caring and the glue of the Montoya family. She and her husband, Eric, have three children: Samantha (26), Georgie (21), and Bailey (11). Prior to their recent move to Tennessee, they lived in Northern California but visited Los Angeles often. We made it a point to always make time for them when in LA or take a trip up north to see them.

We both love our mothers very much and are intentional about being involved in their lives, especially now that they are older. Diana’s mom, Maria, lives in San Diego and Ron’s mom, Mercedes, lives in Los Angeles. Our moms have developed a wonderful friendship.

Our extended family is huge! Lots of uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews. A simple family gathering can range from 25 to 75 people easily. Both of our grandmothers were matriarchs of large families and as young children, we would be at their homes celebrating together as a family for whatever the occasion might be.

We both LOVE music. This is what has bonded us together from the very beginning. Often times, you’ll find us at an outdoor concert enjoying everything from jazz to hip hop to reggae to funk. Ron is the rockstar of the family, a singer and drummer; his creative juices are always flowing. Diana is his biggest fan. Together they love to listen to a wide range of music, preferably live. Their favorite place in all of Los Angeles is the Hollywood Bowl, a beautiful, open-air amphitheater where there isn’t a bad seat in the house. Summers at the Bowl listening to music as the sun sets are magical!

We are also USC football fans. After all, that’s where we met! We enjoy going to the USC football games and reconnecting with fellow alumni and friends. We are also Los Angeles Laker and Dodger fans and will take in a game from time to time. Ron played high school football and coached little league, so he enjoys the life lessons that sports can teach kids.

Traveling is another passion of ours and one that we hope to share with our future child. So far, we have been to the Dominican Republic, Tahiti, Spain, France, Italy, Hawaii and Japan, but hope to travel to Germany, Ireland, the UK and South America next. Learning about other cultures and experiencing new things helps us to celebrate our differences and appreciate our similarities. While we are always grateful for the opportunity to travel, we are even more grateful to come back to the place we call home.

We have tried for many years to conceive, but unfortunately, it has not been possible. At first, we wanted so badly to have a child of our own, but what we later realized that what we really want is a family of our own; a family that we can grow in love and faith. We have so much love to give and trust in God that there is a child out there who is meant for us.