Ana Artigas Houston, TX I am the child of an Italian-American mother and Spanish (from Spain) father, and I was born in Mexico. I am married to an American man of Dutch and British ancestry, We have friends in mixed race marriages. All of us have children, and there are very few TV programs, none […]
Sorry, this AMERICAN sings it better.
Aaron Matthew Villalobos, Norman, OK. While I’m admittedly more apple pie than beans & rice, I have never felt my heritage as a Mexican-American detracted from my ability to honor my country with the gift god has given me–my voice. I love singing our national anthem. I feel like it’s the biggest contribution I can […]
Half White, Half Hispanic, Full Human
John Michael Rendon Nicholson, San Antonio, TX. Growing up around Latinos and Caucasians, I was either “too White for Latinos” or “Too Latino for Whites”. Very few people saw me as “one of them”, even to this day. Of course, this didn’t stop me from indulging in my culture. I learned Spanish; and I even […]
Torn. Frijoles charros or apple pie?
Inga Paterson-Zuniga West Orange, NJ I am a German-Scottish Spanish teacher, born and raised in the USA. I learned to see the world through multi-colored lenses after living for several years in Mexico, marrying into a Mexican family and acquiring a love of all things Mexican. As a middle school Spanish teacher I hope to […]
Mexican, ethnicity of my heart!
Kathy Smith-Wenning, Highlands, NJ. My boxes check white, Anglo-Saxon but the ethnicity of my heart is Mexican. That is for all the good, the beauty, and the kindness afforded to me by the Mexican people here in NJ and Oaxaca, Mexico.
Expansive Roots, Exquisite Tongues, Diversity Perpetuated
Christopher Ramsey, Phoenix, AZ. From Mexico, to Ireland to Guam and then back to Spain. I embrace the wealth in language, food, faith and tradition. I intend to continue what my parents started and charitably inform those inquisitive minds to breakdown their misconceptions into fertile ground for understanding and respect.
You don’t look Latina at all!
Maria Victoria Salazar, Mobile, AL. Hi! My heritage is a little more complicated than others’, especially here in the Deep South. I have roots in Mexico and Costa Rica (which of course are from deeper roots in Spain), Italy, and a dash of Ireland from my great-grandmother. However, according to the culture my family and […]
Born in the U.S., NOT Mexican
Rachel Guerrero, Menifee, CA. I was born and raised in Southern California. My mother was born in Mexico and my father was born here. I have always considered myself Mexican and when I met my husband he said that I was not Mexican because I was not born in Mexico. He was born in Mexico […]
Was born in America not Mexico
Arisa Perez, Las Vegas, NV.
¿Eres mexicana? Entonces, ¿por qué el disfraz?
Maria Seattle, WA You’re Mexican? Then why the disguise? I was asked this by a viejito selling his wares in Tijuana, México, probably about 20 years ago. He had been shocked to hear me speak Spanish. I would of been in my early 20s, all rebellious with punked out bleached blond hair, red converse & […]
Borderlands born. Always illegal. Always home.
Chuy Benitez, Houston, TX. When you grow up at the collision of two countries, of two cultures, of two identities, you learn very quickly the different nuances between the two cultures and you adapt to appease whichever culture you have to encounter. It makes you more observant, but of course it doesn’t occur without making […]
“I’m from Nicaragua”where in Mexico?
Ashley Orozco, Sacramento, CA. When I was younger I used to tell people I was from Nicaragua and they would always ask in what part of Mexico it was.
No you’re NOT Latina, YOU’RE white.
Karen Davis, Cupertino, CA. Recently, I was told by my closest friends that I am NOT latina I am white. I can not understand this because they know I speak fluent Spanish. My father was a migrant worker. My mother was from Mexico and her English was okay however it was obvious she preferred spanish. […]
Problem: them or us. Solution: us
Sue Sanchez Mexico When we separate people into those who are like us and those we perceive as being different it can lead to fear, hatred or abuse. If we can include everyone in the “us” category maybe we would be less likely to fear, hate and abuse them. After all, our similarities are much […]
You Can’t be of Mexican Descent!
Damian Solorzano, Sacramento, CA. Don’t let my skin tone, size and acculturation fool you. Like the Author of the above piece, I check “Hispanic” on the appropriate boxes. Mom was born in Dinamita, Durango, Mexico, Dad in Earlimart, California. Grandparents? Well, my Maternal Grandmother was born in Corcoran, California, Paternal Grandmother in Brownsville, Texas. Grandfathers […]
Sad truth: racism is still alive
Javier, Roma, TX. I grew up in a little town in Mexico, near the border with the US, there was not as much cultural or racial differences as bigger cities have. I know that racism exists in Mexico, because I have read articles where they explain how Mexican people discriminate people who they consider Indians, […]
People think im always from Mexico
Nayeli Lemus, Hodgkins, IL.
You’re spanish and don’t speak it?
Keatan Oliva, McAllen, TX. Growing up near the boarder of Mexico, where I would often cross with my mother to have lunch on weekends, it seemed expected of me to know Spanish fluently. Although I was raised in a town named Rancho Viejo, which might even be considered nearer to Mexico and its culture than […]
Border life safety, mass murder, lose.
Patricia Valdez-Harrison, El Paso, TX. El Paso Texas for the fourth year in a row as been reported to be the safest city in the country even though it shares borders with one of the deadliest cities in Mexico. I chose to end my sentence with lose not only for the lose of so many […]
Mexican. Culture. Identify. American. Human.
Lorna Seidel-Owen, Outside USA. My mother is from Mexico. She married my father in 1959 and came to live in the United States. The plan was for my dad to eventually work and live in Mexico. She never planned on staying here for the rest of her life. Although she never planned on staying here, […]
What do you mean “White Latino?”
Andrea Fabiola Vazquez, Ridgefield, CT. I grew up in Ohio, but both of my parents are from Mexico. I speak Spanish, most of my extended family lives in Mexico, and I identify very much as a Mexican American. Still, when people ask me where my family is from—and people as me this a lot—they are […]
Female Chicana, not from Mexico/Philippenes
Mariela Uscanga, La Mirada, CA. When people see me, I am often confused as Filipino or from Mexico. People will speak to me in Spanish or Tagalog. It’s a bit frustrating only because when I tell people that I don’t speak Tagalog people question my honesty with them. Or, when I tell people that my […]
One sixteenth Irish, are you serious?
Roberto Contreras. Mexico. I’m a redheaded Mexican-american. I self identify as Mexican, having grown up in Mexico, but whenever I say my heritage is Mexican the next question is always “Are you sure you are not half-spanish or something?”. No, parents are Mexican, grandparents are Mexican, so it’s interesting to see specific heritage being such […]
Just call me a human being
Rocio Tapia, Forest Park, GA. Being from Mexico, I do not have any sense of race. I know what I am and do not identify with any of the categories listed when I am asked about my race or ethnicity, so I often leave it blank or choose “Other” if I am pressed to select […]
Am I from here or there?
Laura Martinez, Hays, KS. I was born in Mexico and came to the USA as a child. I am so proud of my culture and love Mexico, but I also love the US. When I visit Mexico with my mom people in Mexico see me as not a “true” Mexican, because I haven’t actually been […]
I’m not Mexican, I’m Spanish
Ryan Gonzales, Vacaville, CA. Everyone looks at my last name and think that I am Mexican because my last name is Gonzales. My family came from Spain not Mexico.
You speak Spanish? But you’re white!
Adriana Pedroza Both of my parents were born and raised in Mexico. Looking at my family pictures, I’m the odd one out. As a child, I was blonde, and my eyes have always been on the lighter side. My skin is not dark. I don’t have my mom’s dark hair or my dad’s dark eyes […]
No, I am not from Mexico.
Valarie Castillo Albuquerque, NM New Mexico IS in the United States.
Light skin doesn’t make me privileged
Em New York, NY Born in Mexico, to mexican parents, crossed the border to find a better life, learning english on tv, grew up in Queens, the most ethnically diverse county in the US, with Colombians, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Ecuadorians, two brothers many shades darker than I, my mother “the help,” always having too […]
People see white- but I’m Mexican!
Mikah Broken Arrow, OK A lot of people are surprised when I tell them I’m Mexican… I’m light-skinned with dark hair and it disappoints me that it’s hard to get a dark tan or that people can’t tell. I’m proud to be a Mexican American and I’m still finding my identity as a person and […]
I’m brown, no I’m not Mexican.
Cristian Amaya Mountain View, CA Most of the time people in general assume I’m Mexican because of my brownish skin color and because i speak Spanish. I never get offended by it because Mexico is a great country, but I fell is somewhat stereotypical that people assume you’re from there just because of your appearance. […]
I don’t know anyone in Mexico!
Graciela Kavulla Houston, TX As a young woman I was asked. Where are you from in Mexico.? As a 6th generation Chicana, I stammered and; did not know what to say. Now and for years (at 73) I answer truthfully, “I know no one in Mexico. As 6th generation my family was probably here before […]
My ancestors were Appalachian slave owners.
Cindy Hutchison Russell Guadalajara, Mexico Took a graduate course in circum Atlantic slavery – did my own family research – discovered that my direct ancestors in the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee – were slave owners – as were hundreds of small farm owners and dirt farmers in the 1700’s and 1800’s…
Check Race: “Other-American Melting Pot”
Roberta Wyse Torres Houston, TX When I completed my childrens’ forms to enter kindergarten, I was confronted for the first time with that droplist, “Check race: select one only:” Really? It went on to explain that if you did not select, then the school would select for you based on the teacher’s best guess, because […]
Too mixed too choose just one!
Tess Escoto, Citrus Heights, CA. My roots are in Texas and Mexico. While some may look at me and say that I appear to be Latina, often they aren’t sure. My father’s last name is of Italian origin and my grandmother and grandfather (paternal) both had blue eyes and black curly hair. My mother’s family […]
When did California become Upper Mexico?
Jennifer Carter, Oroville, CA.
Mexican and yes, I’m highly educated.
Gabriela Bonilla Palmdale, CA Both my parents were born in Mexicali, Mexico and migrated to the USA for great opportunities. I was born into a blended family and had a total of four sisters and two brothers. Growing up in a home with several sisters, my sisters and myself were stereotyped that we would live […]
Raised in America, Born in Mexico
Daniel Garcia USA
Yes, I really am her mom!
Erin Fatica Outside USA, Mexico I was bused (from a white neighborhood to a formerly all-black school) to integrate Milwaukee Public Schools in the 70s and 80s. I experienced Black History Month and MLK Day before they were mainstream. I never thought I would be raising the only “black” (biracial) girl in a Mexico City […]
We all don’t come from Mexico
Ashley Castaneda Newark, NJ
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