Personal Narrative: My Identity As A Latina

I identify as a Latina. I have always considered myself as a Latina, but throughout time, I believe that I have assimilated more into a white individual because of the privilege that I hold and because I have lived in the US most of my life. I have received mostly negative messages from those who are not from my ethnicity. My peers and I were told we wouldn’t graduate high school and be laborers for the rest of our lives. With the current politics, I believe that this still holds true where some people still hold stereotypes and give oppressing messages to Latinos. This exposed me to certain microaggressions, such as If I was really born here and if I speak English. I have received a mix of positive and negative messages from those who are of my same

Some push me forward and want me to become an affluent professional and others consider me more “white.” Being white to others of my same race can be negative because of the privilege and power that is associated and it is automatically assumed that because I am educated, I am “better” than other Latinxs. My thought about other Latinxs are that they are hardworking individuals and are resilient besides the additional obstacles, such as language, citizenship, and financial struggles that are faced daily. For those who are of different ethnicities, specifically white individuals, I believe they are universally privileged. Statistically, higher education is predominantly accessible to white individuals, which leads to better jobs and housing. I notice that even in Latino culture, if you have lighter skin, you are considered more desirable. For other ethnic minorities, I feel more of a sense of community with them and believe they face similar struggles and want to be that supportive