Personal Narrative: I Am A Hispanic Woman

Being a five-foot tall Hispanic girl, I literally see the world from a different perspective. I was never the type of person to feel confident under my own skin because I belittled myself instead of embracing my physique, culture, and gender. As a young girl, I was inspired to run for president after reading a biography of George Washington, become an astronaut after seeing Apollo 13, and a computer scientist after learning about Bill Gates, but I was discouraged to pursue those careers because I am a girl.

When the teacher would ask what we wanted to be when we were older, some boys would say, “You can’t do that! You’re a girl!” and my soft, shy voice kept me away from participating in class discussions. It was to the point that I did

Even though I still had to look up at people, my eye contact was stronger than ever and my hands were no longer clammy nor weak when shaking someone’s hand. Coming back home, I felt as if I had reached a milestone in my life. I did not see myself as a small, insecure minority girl, but as self-assured human being. Learning how to proudly say I am feminist, defend my views with concrete evidence, and have a confident attitude within a span of a week made me realized how I could take what I learned and apply it to the rest of my life. Now when my paternal grandfather asks, “Aren’t politics a little too hard for you to understand?” I have no doubt in saying that as a girl, I can do anything a boy can

I am no longer afraid to say, “Yes, I am a girl, so what?” and hold my chin up high when I engage in political debates and speak about my career goals at home or at school. Explaining that times and expectations have changed to a grandmother who has never worked a day in her life because of the belief that women should stay at home has been a challenge, but I am determined to be a person who makes a difference in our society. One of my favorite reactions on people’s faces is when I debunk their first impression of me. After giving a presentation in my English class, a classmate came up to me and said, “Little lady, you fill the room with a strong confident voice” and I decided to take that as a compliment! Whether I am standing on a chair to project my voice or standing in the front and center of the room, I let it be known that I am proud of who I am and what I look like.

A year ago, I would have not been able to present myself as an outgoing person, nevertheless have a bold personality. But as time has passed, I have seen that there is always room for improvement and development of