Jocelyn Fernandez,
Santa Rosa, CA
When I was younger, I was able to speak fluent Spanish without trying to. I could communicate with my family without thinking twice and I felt closely connected to my culture. After growing up in America around many white people and barely any Spanish being spoken, I forgot how to say many things in Spanish. Now, having full conversations in my Native language can be difficult. Sometimes when my family speaks to me in Spanish I pause for a second trying to remember the correct word, but it just never comes to me. It feels so embarrassing, especially when my friends ask me about a word and I just say “I forgot how to say that”. Inside I truly feel frustrated with myself. Not just because I can’t remember a few simple words, but because I’m also losing a part of myself.
