Have you ever felt disconnected from your own culture? It’s okay if you have.

The majority of both sides of my family lived in Southern California. My mom is Mexican, while my dad is a mix of English and Irish. While my Latinx family grew and expanded together in California, my parents moved to the East Coast. Instead of growing up surrounded by my hispanic culture, I was raised in a small, mostly white, mostly conservative, and mostly Non-Hispanic town. I was never taught Spanish language until it was a requirement in high-school. This unknowingness of this major aspect of my family, who I would not be able to visit often, made me feel separated from my culture. My immediate family still taught me about some traditions such as Cinco de Mayo, Día de Los Muertos, and making certain dishes, but all I really knew was that I was “Mexican”.

Think: Do you ever remember a time when you were talking with your friends about each other’s heritage? Were you at all intrigued to hear what others had to say? How about when it was your turn to speak about it?