Essay On Mexican American Culture

One thing I can never deny is my heritage. I am a Mexican American. I was born in America, and nurtured by Mexican parents. I am bilingual: I speak English, and I speak Spanish at home, and bicultural: I eat authentic Mexican food in my house, and American fast food when I go out with friends. Although, you may think that I get the best of two worlds; in reality, it’s not always like that. The truth is, I do not fit into the stereotypes that most people have about Mexican Americans, and surprisingly enough, I don’t assimilate well with other Mexicans either. Being a Mexican American while staying true to yourself is different than keeping your heritage and following social expectations. Ever since I was young, I have always felt out of place mainly because my family
Although California has a large Mexican American population, I still can’t escape prejudice from my people. When I’m around other Mexican Americans like myself, I get told that I act too “white” because of the way I speak, or even by the kind of music I listen to. Or when I’m around white people, some of them dismiss my reservedness as an indicator that I’m a foreigner, especially when they judge me by my physical appearance. Fortunately, I’ve been able to overcome all of this because I finally understand that I don’t have to be what others want me to be. I should just be myself. I want to be either Mexican or American if I only had one wish. All the people and their whispers why won’t they let me be? Why is it that I have to be the one that is "different"? Just because I am not an imitator, or a mirror image of what they want me to be? If only they would open their eyes and see I'm not Mexican or American. I am only me. So why do they judge me? Just because I'm Mexican American? I do speak English. I do speak