In light of recent political events, certain emotions about who I am have been brought to the surface, and it has forced me to think about many things, like how I express and present myself to people. These are things I have thought of before, but after hearing negative and positive comments in the last two weeks, it has made me revisit who I really am and what I tell people.
Let me just start by saying I am a proud American. I was born and raised in this beautiful nation with amazing opportunities and freedoms with tons of cultures and ideas. Even after everything, I still find democracy essential to a well-functioning country and believe that as a country we work better together due to the fact that we have opposing opinions.
I am also a proud Mexican, and I am in love with being a part of the radiant, Hispanic culture. The music, food, and family traditions are some of the fantastic things that separates me from a person sitting next to me in class. Yes, in some people’s eyes I am a gringo (American-born without a Hispanic or Latino connection), because English is my first language and my mom is Italian, but my family has shown me to love and appreciate who I am.
I am American because I was born in America and I am Mexican because it is in my blood. Nobody can take that away from me or make me feel ashamed.
P.S. Enjoy these gifs of April Ludgate from Parks and Rec. Even though she is Puerto Rican and not Mexican she embodies the “do what you want attitude.”
Gifs courtesy of giphy.com.