Mexicans Who Speak Spanish Analysis

Growing up in a Mexican household means being surrounded by hard working individuals. Many did not have the same opportunities that their children have today, but they have persevered from their hardships, and strive to give their children the experiences that were not offered to them. For example, as a teenager, my mother worked three jobs, and attended night classes to obtain her GED, in order to contribute to the household. To this day, my mother is still a hard worker and passes on her knowledge of the working life to my sister and I. Also, my father worked in the fields, in Mexico for any wage, in order to make sure there was food on the table. He grew up in a family that did not emphasize the value of education, which is why there is

2. Latino – Is a broad term that closely resembles the term Hispanic with the incorporation of Latin American populations of South America. Other Countries and populations of Central America might also describe themselves as Latin American.

The Spanish conquistadors’ motives greatly affected the people living in the new world. These motives influenced the Native Americans in all different ways some ways better or bigger than others. Three of the biggest motives that effected the Native Americans were gold, Christianity, and glory.

Anzaldúa wrote about the conflicting views that Chicanos face involving their own self-identity growing up in societies that tell them they do not belong. Chicanos are people that were born in the United States but have parents that were born in Mexico. They face constant criticism for the way they speak, by both American and Mexican people. Often times Chicanos are told that they’re cultural traitors and that they’re speaking the oppressors’ language and ruining the Spanish language when they are heard speaking English by Latinos (Anzaldúa, 17). They are made to feel as if they need to choose a sole identity to represent and anything other than that is going to be looked down on. Chicanos have felt as if they didn’t belong anywhere, so they created an identity to fit in and belong to “Chicano Spanish sprang out of the Chicanos’ need to identify ourselves as a distinct people” (Anzaldúa, 17). A feeling of

Love me or hate me no matter what you may think of me I stand for millions that can't stand for themselves. I am from somewhere you can't imagine and I was brought up in conditions where many would not survive. What your see in front of you is a strong, intelligent, Mexican American also known a Chicano/Chicana. I am seen less than what I really am, and viewed as an immigrant our even in some people's eyes labeled as an outsider. You people label me as Hispanic but I am not, I am a proud Mexican-American “Chicano.” The Chicano Culture base comes from Mexico, slang name also known to be Mexicano. It was used in ancient times to spot each member from the Aztec Indian Tribe. Anyone who was born in Mexico was seen as a Mexicano. Although most people don't know the difference an Chicano isn't a Mexican, he/she is a Mexican-American that was born and current lives in the United States since the early 20th century.

Clara E. Rodriguez wrote an essay titled, "What It Means To Be Latino". In this essay she explains the difference between the terms Hispanic and Latino. She elaborated on how the term "Hispanic" was created by the U.S. Census Bureau in 1970, to use it as a general term to describe all of the people who came from, or, had parents who came from a Spanish speaking country. Then she states that the term "Latino", is a term considered to be more neutral and racially inclusive by many people in this population, although she made a good point of view, it still failed to describe the more complexity on the meaning of the term Latino.

During the Mexican-American War the border moved, but the people didn’t. History has shown us that no matter how thick the border might be Latino Americans have a strong connection to their culture and roots; instead of assimilating, Mexicans live between two worlds. The film, Ballad of Gregorio Cortez gave us a perspective of two cultures; “Two cultures- the Anglo and the Mexican- lived side by side in state of tension and fear” . Cortez is running for his life as he heads north, while the Anglo believe that because of his Mexican ethnicity, he would travel south to Mexico. Throughout the film there were cultural tensions and misunderstandings; language plays an important part of someone’s identity, and for many Latino Americans Spanish is their first language. The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez also shows us that language plays an important role, and can cause confusion between two different groups. For example, Anglos refer to a male

“... heavy English ‘accents’ in Spanish are perfectly acceptable for Whites, even when Spanish speakers experience them as ‘like a fingernail on the blackboard’”. Reading this sentence draws heavy attention to the degree by which White privilege is tolerated in the Spanish speaking community. Spanish speakers face discrimination every day in many aspects of their lives, including job interviews, parent-teacher conferences, public speeches, and even ordering food at a restaurant. The list goes on with the different scenarios in which Spanish speakers do not feel safe or welcomed because of how they speak the English language; however, White people who do not speak perfect Spanish are excused without being reprimanded. Although this extends

You're Mexican?” is a question that I have constantly asked since a young age. As a person of Mexican descent and little resemblance to stereotypical appearance- brown eyes, short, and black hair, it is of no surprise that this occurs. This unintentionally vindictive comment tells me,”No you're not Mexican because you do not look the part.” This view of ethnicity not only hurts me, but also spits on my culture. Because of this view, I have to assert that I am Mexican through my representation of the culture.

Research shows that a language can die by the third generation. Many languages and cultures share the same fate if each generation does not do its’ part in keeping a language alive. What motivates people to raise children that will carry on a language or the traditions of their culture? Through my research I was able to clarify some questions I had on the subject.

The database of Chicano Por Mi Raza conveys the lives of these many great and inspiring women from the earth of history to the light. One of these great lives was of Sonia Lopez. Though it was hard to decide on which these women carried the best story, because many of their stories carried the weight of a great-lived history. However, Sonia’s story, her history resonated brighter and glowed with a greater depth. Her struggle in early life, political activism in and out of college, and her path toward Chicano academics is what makes her story an adventure that Robert Frost would say, “I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”

Just Because I’m half Mexican… Just because I’m half Mexican I’m not a cleaning lady or housekeeping I’m not an illegal immigrant I’m not named a “Maria” or a “Consuela” Just because I’m half Mexican I don’t like being considered one race I do like being considered Japanese I’m not a “mutt face” Just because I’m half Mexican I should not be underestimated I do like a challenge and an equal opportunity Just because I’m half Mexican

Tuscany is a region in Italy often referred to as a charmed land. Not only is it considered as the cradle of art, but Tuscany is also a part of the modern charm and ancient splendor. Here, one will find a hidden palace, hilltop castles, old towns nestled in the mountains, and ancient chapels. Each spot in the land of Tuscany has hidden treasures to be found, such as an original colored piazza, famous museums housing masterpieces, a fresco in the church, large fortresses and walls, and majestic palaces and cathedrals.

Pochos are usually unable to speak spanish fluently if not well, and because of it not “rooted” enough in their culture. From a traditional perspective it would make sense to consider and carry language (In this case Spanish) with value. In it phrases and colloquialisms have become a part of the unique culture Spanish now carries in many Latin American states. From it great poetry and literature has been created and studied as well. Although, from a Decolonized standpoint spanish is an extension of the influence early colonizers had in many of these states as well. Making it understandable but almost ironic that many “rooted” latin americans find it key to have spanish known without bearing in mind the implications of it. The implication of pressuring Spanish onto someone that identifies with the same land and culture without having knowledge of the language that was used to subjugate people from Latin America. Martinez talks about in their paper of “Mestizaje and the discourse of national/cultural identity in Latin America, 1845-1959” stating, “Racial and cultural mixing has taken place most extensively and most violently because of the nature and timing of colonization, mestizaje is a theme that virtually every Latin American writer/intellectual has addressed in one fashion or another,”(Martinez-Echazabal, 21). What Martinez-Echazabal is stating and informing the reader is that the topic of racial and cultural mixing and individuals that come from it (Pochos, or Mestizos in this case) is a never ending topic but it must be a more effective and recognized one. For Latin America is known for its previous vast and migrating

For centuries, Mexican peasant farmers in the western mountains of Mexico have been cultivating a cultural legacy, Maize. Maize exemplifies a long-standing cultural importance of the cultivation of corn in Mexico, many living by and for maize. Corn for many Mexicans can be seen as a cultural reservoir, an important component in developing social identity. Many Mexicans refer to themselves as “children of the corn”, descendants of Mayans (Bollier). Corn is a cultural reservoir for Mexican culture dates back 7000 years with the discovery of caves in pueblo. The cultural importance of corn can be seen throughout Mexican cultural in art, myths and even cultural norms.