Don’t speak Spanish, I’m still Hispanic

Victor Santana-Melgoza,
El Paso, TX.

For most of my life I have been rejected by many people in the Hispanic/Chican@/Latin@ community for not learning and practicing Spanish (as well as not following other cultural cues). I was raised in a household where English was the main language spoken. I am 4th generation American, raised by two parents with professional careers, and was trained as a classical musician. I represent another chapter in the Latin@ culture. One that is not bound to old traditions. Some call it selling out, some call it assimilation. I call it living beyond the myth of the pan-Latin@ experience.