What Does Being Hispanic Mean to Me: a Source of Pride

Growing up in a Hispanic family I was always thought to respect and love the difference of people no matter their ethnicity or gender. Someone asked me what does being Hispanic mean to you? In the essay I will give the answer and I will try to explaine how my cultural background affected the way I look at other people and the concept of equality. Accepting those differences will give us the achievement of equality for all. For me racial equity means that no matter the color of a person they will be owners, planners, and decision-makers in the systems that governs their lives. At the age of 12, I was proud to have been born in America because many people come to this country full of hopes and dreams to the “promise land”. They talked about how we have the freedom to express ourselves when other countries didn't have that, how this country was a diverse one with different cultures, different communities and being a part of that can be something astounding.

At the age of 13, I found more information about my families background. How my parents had to leave Mexico not because they wanted to but because they wanted a better future for their children's and that's what many people do, they come to the United States to find that escaped and freedom. It's America after all, but it's far from the truth because what people fail to realize is that once they come to a new country there will be people who will discriminate them because sometimes they're afraid of change or they can hate you for no unknown reason. Being a person of color in America you have to overcome many obstacles to get where you want to be, you face discrimination or unfairness. Growing up I was so oblivious on what was going on in the world that I didn’t realize how that was affecting me because now at age 17 being a person of color is being more difficult than ever before because of the new president that’s ruling our country. I kept living in my own little world that I forgot what was happening to my people, I kept believing the world was a peaceful and fair place and once reality hit me all I wanted to do was cry because I was devastated on how many people were dying everyday in my community. Now people are ashamed of being Hispanic, African American, asian etc… because they have the mindset that caucasian people will always rule over us, this is the world we live in right now. Childrens are dying because now they are thought to stay in their own lane or hang out with their own kind, because being friends with a white person is wrong, that was the case of McKenzie Adams who at the age of 9 commited suicide because she was being bully for riding with a white family to school or the death of Stephon Clark an African American who died in the hands of a police officer because he had confused Clark’s cellphone for a gun. “ALL LIVES MATTER” this is no lie we need to change our world because mothers are crying everyday thinking this is gonna be our future from now on, but this is a new generation why are we still being separated. Racial equity is being able to give people access to the same opportunities as others not separating everyone because once we can ensure equity, then can we enjoy equality. The goal of equity is to create a world where everyone is able to reach their full potential, it creates a path from hope to change.

Even though I was born in America I’m proud to say that i’m the daughter of immigrant parents no matter what’s going on in the world or how much they want to change me, I will never be ashamed of my background because being alive is being a part of something and my ethnicity is something I should be proud of. Even when there are people who try so hard to change a person to look the same or make them be ashamed of themselves, America will always be a combination of different cultures we see everyday, people have to realize how lucky they are to live in a place that allows you to come here so you can be whoever you are. Every second that passes by people are defined by the color of their skin but no matter the circumstances we are right now we should always thrive for equity because only then can we truly make America great again.