OPINION: Latina reflects on what it means to be Hispanic

By Jhoanna Angeles
Social Media Manager
Published Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021

The memories I am most fond of include standing in front of the crowd, observing the matachines do a dance for the Virgin Mary, and enjoying delicious Mexican delicacies, like tamales and champurrado. Going to the plaza with my family to watch the valet folklorico groups perform traditional dances to celebrate “El Grito” or Mexican Independence Day are times I will never forget while experiencing our wonderful traditions with my family.

I still remember my grandmother telling me that if I do not sleep, the cucuy will take me during the night. It is very present in my memory that my aunts would tell me to never walk under a ladder, or else I would get bad luck, and to never break a mirror, or I will be out of luck for the next seven years.

It is hard to imagine my life without my experiences in the Latinx community.

It is beautiful to say that I have Mexican blood running through my veins and that I come from a community that is built of humble, hard-working people.

I think that part of the reason why I do not like to depend on other people is because of the cultural values that we have of working hard for what we desire. Words that are always present on my mind on my day-to-day life come from my fraternal grandmother: echale ganas y no te rajes para que nadie te diga que lo que tienes es por ellos (Give it your all and don’t quit so that no one tells you that what you have is because of them).

What a great motto to live by.

I guess that motto is the reason it is difficult for me to get anything “given.” Hard work and earning things on my own account is something heavily enforced in me since I was young, but I do not mind that. I personally feel like it is something that helped me learn and get experience in many things, since I do things for myself. Being a double minority influences my decisions when it comes to voting since I want to have leaders who care for me and my community. It is important that we have leaders who are willing to give us a voice, and who are willing to listen to us.

I really think I was blessed to be born Latina. I get to be part of a beautiful culture that’s driven strongly by the family bond. And I almost forgot to mention, I get to enjoy memes in two languages.