‘‘ What does being Hispanic mean to you, and how do your life experiences shape your answer?’’ Being a Hispanic has given me a rich culture that I hold closer than anything to my heart. It gives me the hope and assurance that with hard work, anything is possible. In today's world, being Hispanic can be negative but not to me. Throughout the years and as I have grown older and acquired more capacity, I've seen how my culture is been attacked due to stereotypes that society has established for our ''kind''. Hispanics have the reputation of being dangerous, drug dealers, and rapists like Trump assures. We have been enclosed in this box that ''defines'' us as a person. And I can certainly say that racism towards us is still a reality. I'm proudly Puerto Rican wherever I go. I have good grades, I'm responsible, just got into college, …show more content…
and I care about helping other people every opportunity I get, even though they don't share my beliefs or culture. Nevertheless, let me express my ideas and thoughts about being Hispanic from various points of view. Since I was little, I was taught to love who I am and appreciate everything that surrounded me. My parents are such good and unique people, for which I'm grateful to God. Yet, we might not be the richest culture with regard to money. Still, as soon as you touch Hispanic land you feel the way in what we are really the richest culture in my opinion. We are warm towards each other, we celebrate everything we can, shake hands and greet people we don't even know in the streets that, but we do it because that's just how we are. We really enjoy food, and even invent our own words that don't and will never have a translation in any other language but ours. However, all of these amazing parts of us get hidden under what every-day-news project, or maybe due to how political leader or high-society individuals strike based on what they think they know.
Killings, kidnappings, suicide, prostitution, drugs, cartels, and assaults are all parts of our visualization. As a consequence of that, now that I moved to the U.S, I've seen how some people try to camouflage who they are and where they come from, dreading what others might say. In contrast, I've learned to love my country and its culture even more. And it motivates me everyday to strive to be the example that everything we see on television is not the harsh reality.Yes, there are people that don't accept me because of where I come from, so I just try to not pay attention to them, but to to show them that to be Hispanic doesn't come along with being stupid or a bad person. In conjunction with, the only thing I have left to say is; I love my country, I love my Puerto Rican origins, and I love being Hispanic. With that said, I would never change who I am, because my ethnicity is one of the most precious pieces of my
life.
Growing up in a Mexican-American family can be very fun and crazy. Having two different perspectives on two different cultures almost daily really shapes you to become a certain way as you grow up, which is what happened to me. Ever since I was about three months old I have been taking trips to my parents home town for a month time each time we have gone. Practically growing up in both Mexico and the United States for six years has really helped me understand my cultural background and the different parts of my whole culture, such as the food, heritage, language and culture.
A question that every high school student is faced with is: “What extracurricular activities so you participate in?” Some can answer confidently while others are slapped with a moment of sudden realization. These people are just floating along with the crowd, with no driving force or motivation. What I believe differentiates me from my peers and gives me a sense of uniqueness, is what I do outside of my academia. Out of the deluge of activities that are available, Latinos In Action is the one that I feel the most passionate about and shapes my persona the most.
It is in the solving of social problems in which Hispanics can be of tremendous service to the country. One of the greatest attributes of hispanics is the willingness to mix, and by doing so, have created cultural forms, new human relationships, and life styles. Because this, Hispanics can help look for solutions to barriers, prejudices, and stereotypes that have divided us as a
In understanding how my worldview was subconsciously constructed by my life experiences from the past nineteen years, I had to first think about my roots. I was born in Tampa, Florida to a Puerto Rican mother and white father. They divorced when I was too young to remember, and while I did have a relationship with my dad, I lived with my mother and was raised in a tight-knit Puerto Rican family, often times being cared for by my grandmother. I was an only child for ten years which I’m sure has impacted my personality, and at ten I got a baby sister whom I am very close to. Growing up in Florida was interesting because I was half white and half Hispanic, which mirror the main demographics of Florida well, but I never quite fit in with either group because while I look very white and this is what people perceive me as, I was not raised by the white side of my family but rather the Puerto Rican side. Still, I don’t quite fit into this group either because I don’t speak perfect Spanish at home and most Hispanic people treat me as an “outgroup” and not one of them.
Since before I was born, my Hispanic heritage played a huge role in who I am and what I have achieved. My great-grandfather immigrated to this country with the desire to provide his family with a better future than his own. My grandpa grew up in Texas on the boarder of Mexico and traveled to Blue Island, Illinois as migrant crop worker. This desire passed down by my grandparents and my great-grandparents has played a tremendous role in propelling me to where I am today. Each generation sought to make the the lives of their children better than their own. My grandma received the opportunity to live in the country of opportunity from her father, and my grandpa paid for my mom to get an education. My mother pushed me to do my best in school and
Culture is customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group. It includes behaviors, attitudes, beliefs, values, and norms that is shared by a group of people to sustain their lives. Mexican culture is influenced by their familial ties, gender, religion, location and social class, among other factors. Today life in the cities of Mexico has become similar to that in neighboring United States and Europe, with provincial people conserving traditions more so than the Mexican living in the city. In the United States Mexican includes any person of Puerto
Child rearing and family structure within the Hispanic culture is noticeably different than what is present in the mainstream Western culture of today. One apparent difference is in gender roles. There exists a vastly different expectation in Hispanic culture for males and females. The male is considered to be the independent breadwinner, and the head of the household. Accordingly, the female role is one of submission and provider of childcare. In contrast, it is more than acceptable in Western culture for a female to maintain a non-traditional role. Hispanic culture additionally differs from Western culture in the traditional makeup of the family. Within Hispanic culture the extended family plays a huge role
Latinos who were raised in the United States of America have a dual identity. They were influenced by both their parents' ancestry and culture in addition to the American culture in which they live. Growing up in between two very different cultures creates a great problem, because they cannot identify completely with either culture and are also caught between the Spanish and English languages. Further more they struggle to connect with their roots. The duality in Latino identity and their search for their own personal identity is strongly represented in their writing. The following is a quote that expresses this idea in the words of Lucha Corpi, a Latina writer: "We Chicanos are like the abandoned children of divorced cultures. We are forever longing to be loved by an absent neglectful parent - Mexico - and also to be truly accepted by the other parent - the United States. We want bicultural harmony. We need it to survive. We struggle to achieve it. That struggle keeps us alive" ( Griwold ).
Latinos have struggled to discover their place inside of a white America for too many years. Past stereotypes and across racism they have fought to belong. Still America is unwilling to open her arms to them. Instead she demands assimilation. With her pot full of stew she asks, "What flavor will you add to this brew?" Some question, some rebel, and others climb in. I argue that it is not the Latino who willingly agreed to partake in this stew. It is America who forced her ideals upon them through mass media and stale history. However her effort has failed, for they have refused to melt.
What is culture? Many people ask themselves this question every day. The more you think about it the more confusing it is. Sometimes you start leaning to a culture and then people tell you you’re wrong or they make you feel like a different person because of your culture. I go through this almost every day. Because of the way I was raised I love Mexican rodeo but I was born and raised in Joliet. This can be very difficult trying to understand culture. I live in this huge mix of culture. Culture is personal. People can have many cultures especially in America and because of globalization. Cultural identity is not one or the other, it is not Mexican or American. Cultural identity is an individual relevant thing.
My skin is white, my eyes are brown, and my hair is dark brown. I am confused with Europeans, such as Italians, Portuguese, or Spanish. As early as the sixth grade, I experienced prejudice indirectly. I grew up in a predominately white neighborhood where I consistently heard racist thoughts about Latinos. Throughout the hallways of my school or outside in the playground, I would hear that Latinos are drug addicts; they don't work; they depend on welfare. I also heard comments, such as Latinos are gang members, Latin mothers are slaves to their husbands, and the only job Latin women can have is working as a maid. Growing up, there were few Latinos in television and Hollywood. Even then, Latin characters were portrayed negatively. They were criminals, maids, gang members, drug addicts, or drug dealers. Presently, a dramatic change has occurred with more Latinos in the media along with different characters. Since Latinos were portrayed negatively in the media, many people internalize this belief bringing forth racism.
Hispanics are becoming a large part of the economy in the America and its community. The Hispanic culture is as unique and special as any other, and should be treated with the correct hospitality as any one else. From pop music to food to political campaigns and corporate marketing the Hispanic community has made very strong present in the United States. I think as the years goes by we see that the Spanish community will become the majority, instead of the minority. I’m really drawn to the Hispanic ethic group. I admire there traditions and how they are very family oriented. The overall Spanish culture has brought a lot of traditions and culture to add the American diversity.
As far as personal experience, living in Miami,-Florida, as a none-Cuban Latin, makes it easier to have an insight in all kinds of prejudice and stereotypes within the same Hispanic society. This behavior makes it hard to not feel negatively judged by others who do belong to the majority group. Unfortunately prejudice is not simply an attitude that remains internal to its owner; it impacts behavior. When negative attitudes on the basis of differences translate into behavior, we have as a result, discrimination and the social inequity it produces. Therefore, efforts to reduce prejudice are well advised to take the social context into consideration when focusing on the individuals' attitudes.
Racism appears everywhere and is playing an enormous role in society, not only to the Hispanics, but also to the African Americans. In fact, Being Latino in American society can be challenging there are many stereotypes that are said about Latinos. Not only do politicians give Latinos immigrants a bad name, but they also attempt to debase immigrants. From living in a Caucasian neighborhood, and going to a high school with five percent Hispanic. Politicians giving Hispanics a bad name, I know firsthand experience does not only affects me but everyone. Racism is an issue that was introduced to our environment through Cultural beliefs.
As a young Hispanic woman, being stereotyped is not something unfamiliar to me. Horrendous expectations are relentlessly bombarded at me, and I am constantly required to repel these expectations by reminding society that I am just as courageous, intelligent, and accomplished as others. I am often identified through stereotypical and judgmental eyes. For example, when television bestows its eyes on me, it visualizes drug cartels