Being Hispanic has determined many different aspects of my life. I was born and raised in Venezuela, a country where I had some of the most important experiences of all my life. I’m convinced that being Hispanic has been a main factor while determining who I am today. In this sense, being Hispanic has led me not only to learn important lessons, but also to be part of some of the most interesting and meaningful traditions of the world.…
Growing up I excelled in every educational aspect of school. However the stereotype for someone of my skin color did not allow for me to be both Mexican and smart. My Hispanic peers began to exclude me; the most common way they did that was by taking away my identity as a Mexican. I heard “Diego you white” an uncountable number of times throughout my schooling. I noticed that my grades and vocabulary would trigger that comment so I began to change the way I acted in order to fit in. It was not until recently that I realized the fault in changing and found a peaceful merge between the two speech communities.…
As the Spanish started to settle the colony of New Spain, they needed a large workforce to cater to the ever growing demands of the agricultural environment and general household. The Spanish started to bring Africans to Mexico to fill the labor demand, but in doing so they started to create a new population demographic which would become the majority rather than the minority. Yet, Afro-Mexicans would remain a minority compared to the superior Spanish based on discourses of control and subordination. Africans in Colonial Mexico takes the study of African Diaspora to a new level by examining the creation of the “Afro-Mexican” identity through creolization and community development form those who first came to the colonies to their descendents. Instead of developing an identity through the institution of slavery, Africans built a hybrid identity by incorporating aspects of Spanish culture into their lives. Clear examples, ranging from population demographic to conversions of Christianity, developing communities and cultural shifts demonstrate how Africans worked from within system to create their own identity.…
On my father’s side, I was also different. I listened to Spanish music and wasn’t a die hard rock and roll fan. I preferred foods with more spices as opposed to plain salted soup and salad. I spoke about my experiences with the mexican side of my family and got an awkward eye. My uncle, who I have known forever, who has come to birthdays and christmas with my family is a flaming racist towards Mexicans. He uses hate language, and accuses them of crimes, knowing all the while that his nephews are half Mexican. My own grandmother wouldn’t talk to me for 8 years because I was a biracial baby, because she thought I was “Dirty”. I was different, I was accepted as a cousin, a nephew, eventually even a grandson, but I never wanted to choose this side over my other. I couldn’t choose one side of myself over the…
As a child I never really noticed that my life was just a slight different from other “normal girls.” My family and my neighborhood had always been filled with many families that were similar to ours. So seeing how my life had been filled with many Hispanic and Latinos around me at all times I never thought of how others would view our many traditions. I would say that like many Hispanics we see our crazy, dancing, fun-loving families as the norm. However after many moves and many changes of friends I started start to notice that the way my family was…
I have a huge benefit of having a granddaughter who is of the Mexican culture. Her father speaks little English so when we carry a conversation I must carefully pronounce my words in order for him to understand what I am saying. At first communicating was difficult because of the language barrier and I have found that by us taking the time to understand each other that made the difference in our relationship.…
let me introduce to my family the Garcia Family. what we like to do is go camping every summer and go to Madeline Island that's where we camp. we like to play board games together like monopoly so here we go I will introduce you to the Garcia Family.…
I come from a very traditional nuclear Mexican family. The oldest of 5 siblings and the first in my family to come to college. From the Southside of Chicago where you constantly hear airplanes pass your home. Carrying my parents pride and culture I walk campus everyday making them proud and showing them, and those that looked down on me, that I can make a difference in my family and society. I came to SIU to study what I…
From an early age, I admired The Cosby show because it was the first show that I saw on television that reminded me of my family. At the age of ten, what I once knew as the a strong black family was torn through the finalization of my parent's divorce One time when I persisted through a challenge and what encouraged or motivated you to carry on was when my mother got a divorce. When my mother and my father had divorced I had felt like the end of me. It felt like I would never have the perfect family or the perfect life that I had dreamed of. I felt lost and alone. My mother was strong for the both of us. She comforted me when I was sad or felt like I couldn't continue with life. She is the best mother I could ever ask for. My mother taught…
The tapping on the wood door was enormous in the silence. Shocked out of my solitude, I pushed myself up from the couch and heaved open the door. Silhouetted against the light was a dark-haired woman with a girl clinging to her skirt. I knew who she was. My landlady had told me about the woman I had seen picking up mail at the post office. She'd called her "The Prize."…
Coming from a low income Hispanic family, I’ve had to overcome different challenges. One thing I recall from my childhood, was enjoying myself from reality. Reality in which no child knows about life and death, bad news and good news, or right from wrong. I still remember when I was upset for quite some time for not celebrating my first birthday party at the age of 4. Instead, at 4 years old, I had to spent my birthday and week at a funeral praying up to two weeks. But then I was finally triggered at the age of 9 when I found out that the man I saw in his casket years ago was no stranger, it was my father. I grew up thinking my father had abandoned my mother and siblings, but never did I consider such thing. As time went by I did not think…
Now this means that they are not the only ones who are out supporting the family. Hispanics place elders in a higher status. I think this is because they have been around for longer and have had much more experience dealing with life situations. The youth look up to them for advice, and have great respect for them too. People of Hispanic backgrounds also believe that the individual deserves personal one on one attention. Children are what confirm a marriage. The relationship that the parent creates with the child is pretty much put in front of the marital relationship between the parents. The boys are cherished and the girls are protected. The mother is the one to teach her son that he is to become the provider and will then also have to protect his family. Negative emotions are unacceptable in the traditional Hispanic family. Out of respect, they do not put their personal problems out in the air. Of course this presents a problem psychologically. They are taught not to express negative emotions or to disagree, which could in the long run, create some psychological problems. As far as religion, most Hispanics practice the Catholic religion. The church is the main point for both social and inspirational occurrences. Prayer is also a large part of their everyday life. They turn to God for many things such as illness, celebration, and even mourning. Families from the Middle…
educationally and family perceptions that they are rejecting traditional family norms and values by being in college (Kuh, Kinzie, Buckley & Hayek, 2006).…
My hispanic culture makes up an immense amount of my being, however the bits and pieces I have been able to gather from my school and my wonderful community also play a major role in my persona. As a student, my peers and friends, my teachers, my teammates, and the others who have crossed my path have given me something invaluable. It is all of these people that have taught me an unending acceptance that transcends any nationality, sexuality or other social label. People in their entirety, outside of the things that make them different, all have something incredible to…
Names are very important and when discussing the differences between racial or cultural, it is very important to remain culturally sensitive. Explaining the differences between Hispanics, Latino, Chicano, and Mexican American may give you a better understand of why some people choice what they want to be called. Because people should be able to choose how he or she is called and names disempowered can have serious repercussions.…