I am not just a Latina or Chicana I am both, I am Mexican-American. I take pride in calling myself a Mexican-American, my culture is rich and I get to enjoy the best of both worlds. Despite how awesome it can be, there is also a downside. Being part of two different cultures means you will never be Mexican enough for your family or friends in Mexico and you will never be American enough for your friends in the United States of America. Ni de aquí, ni de allá, a concept that one can’t truly understand unless they themselves personally experience it. I am not from here and I am not from there. There is a political line, a border that separates me from both countries in that line is where I find my identity; in the hyphen is who I am. I used to view this a negative thing but I learned how to appreciate and love it. Being Mexican-American means that I cannot be both simultaneously I am not one or the other, I am one AND the other. I am a culture that identifies in border towns across La Frontera. I am the hyphen. I am both and I am neither, I am Mexican-American.
Who I am is defined by my education, my history, my culture, and my opinions. My strongest identity is Mexican-American, I love Selena, and I love Beyoncé, I watch novelas and I watch sitcoms. After that I am everything else. I am a woman, a daughter, and a sister. I am not political but I am concerned. I am an artist and I am a dog lover. I am a lot of things, what makes me, me is all these things mixed together.