Racism

Yesterday in class we had a group discussion, Public Conversation Project, on Racism. Let me give some background on my class. We all get a long very well. We all have class together though the entire week. The racial make up of my class is 8 Whites, 6 Blacks, 1 Hispanic (Thats ME!). Where I am located in South Georgia, there isn't much of a Hispanic influence. There are not many Hispanics here and I feel the only real exposure people have to Hispanic culture is when they visit their local Mexican or Cuban Restaurants. When I speak about Hispanic culture in class, I feel like I am teaching my classmates something they have never heard about before. Its a very interesting feeling. We were at the curious question portion of the project. My instructor asked me a curious question, she asked "Rosie, I remember when you were speaking you stated you were a Mexican and not a Mexican-American, why is that?"

My reply was, I feel that I have to say I'm a Mexican since the term Hispanic is an generalized term for, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Mexicans etc. and the term Mexican I use that to specify which subgroup I am under. The reason I don't say I'm Mexican-American because when you start to hyphenate things, people in your subgroup start to think you are turning into a "Gringa" and that you are straying away from your roots." I went on to say that the more generational American you are the more you start blending the two together.

I also discussed the funny looks my fiance (Who is White) and I will get from both Whites and Hispanics. I don't consider us a in interracial couple, but society may. Back in Texas seeing a White and a Hispanic person together is very common. Here in South Georgia, it is a different story.

Tell me what you think about my response? I'd like your opinion and if you have ever been in a situation where you had to be an "Expert" of your own ethnicity?

Thanks!!

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Hermanas/Sisters

OH MY GOODNESS! Has this been a week! I posted earlier this week about having a stressful week and let me tell you it has been ROUGH! I moved 45 minutes away from school, so now I'm having to commute and I'm still trying to adjust having to leave 40 minutes earlier than I am used to. I lived 5 minutes from campus previously... The things we do for LOVE!My middle sister celebrated her birthday earlier this week ( LOVE YOU DREA!) and I called her to wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I miss my sisters so much. She just turned 20 which means I'm turning 27 this year.. YIKES!!! My baby sister is just 15 years old.


After I called her I started thinking about sisterhood, sisters do not have to be blood relatives, they can also be best friends. I was taught growing up that your family is everything, you sacrifice everything for your family and I hold this to be true for my sisters. Since I am the oldest, I definitely feel this need to protect them. When I was younger, my mom was diagnosed with a Hyperactive Thyroid and so she would come home and just fall asleep. Since I was the oldest, became my duty to take charge and make sure that my sisters and brother were fed, bathed and ready for bed. My summers were dedicated to babysitting my siblings.


I adapted to this role, very easily considering the age difference between us. I did these tasks, with no argument, as I knew that I had to help my mom and so I did it because you do what you have to do to help your family. By my watching my younger siblings I would save my parents money so they didn't have to pay a babysitter. Sometimes it wasn't the most fun, because I would get invited to go with friends to the mall or the movies during the day and I couldn't go because I had to watch my siblings. Looking back at this time in my life I appreciate doing that for my family because it taught me responsibility and also I was able to develop a relationship with my them.


I went home this past Christmas Holiday and my baby sister and brother were home from school, and it was funny to see me jump back into the role of the "Older Sister". We were straightening up the house and I was dictating to them what to do and my brother told me "Why is it that you come home and start telling us what to do..." It was as if I just slipped back into my role as big sis!


I miss them soo much and am sooo thankful for my 2 sisters--Andrea and Adrianna and for my brother-- Anthony too!


Take Care and Until Next Time,

Hispanics on Television

I was watching Ellen yesterday and I saw that Rico Rodriguez was going to be on her show. Rico Rodriguez plays “Manny” on Modern Family. If you have not seen this show, it is a MUST SEE! It’s hilarious!! Rico is from my home town in Bryan,TX. His father owns a tire shop and it is still in operation. He said on Ellen’s show that he gets a $20.00 allowance a week. I think its awesome that the family is willing to try to keep their kids “grounded”.

I am writing about this not as an extension of what I wrote yesterday, but the number of Latino actors who are becoming more mainstream. Its amazing how far TV has come since the days of I Love Lucy. Its as if Hispanics are becoming more accepted into the world of entertainment. Its like Ricky Ricardo was a pioneer of Latino entertainment. George Lopez raised the acceptance level further; I would call him a modern day Bill Cosby. Its amazing. (I LOVED and still watch the George Lopez show)

Growing up I always wondered where the Latino shows were, besides on Univision or Telemundo. I didn’t speak fluent Spanish and if I tried to watch the Novellas on those channels, I wouldn’t understand what they were saying. It was like the total extreme. During my middle school days the movie Selena debuted. I watched that movie so many times in my freshman in high school Spanish class. Here was this woman who able to break though to Mainstream music. AMAZING!!! Not only that her movie really helped bridge two cultures together. She was able to balance both being Hispanic (Non-native speaking) and American.

Shows like George Lopez or Modern Family aren't so much about Hispanic families, as they are about families who happen to be Hispanic. This, in my opinion, can help increase the acceptance of Hispanics in the United States as well as give young Hispanics role models to look up too, who happen to look like them.

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Leaving Home

 Growing up my grandparents were just a few streets away, my uncles were near by so that if anything were to happen they were only 10 minutes away. It was great since sometimes they would stop by and say “Hi”. We often had family gatherings, some were very random, mom would make dinner and they would happen to stop by and they stayed and ate dinner with us. (I LOVED IT!) So I grew up knowing that my family was always close. Some research indicated that this is due to socioeconomic status, relying on each other and being close was just economically feasible. I honestly never thought that I figured it was just because my family was close and they loved each other.


In 2006, I met the love of my life. He lived in Georgia and I lived in Texas. I decided I would move to Georgia to be with him. I transferred jobs and schools to be closer to him. He came and helped me pack up my items and drove us to Georgia to start a new life. I hated the first year. I felt guilty for leaving my family. When is it ok to leave the nest? I still live in Georgia, I graduated and am working on my Masters. When visit usually during Christmas and in the Summer, I long to be home, but I also want to stay because I feel I have my own identity. Many parents lose their children because they live in different parts of the country. I have a niece that I only see three times a year and I don’t want to be that aunt that she only occasionally sees. From my experience I feel that its important to be there for your family which means you are a close, but at the same time is it really selfish to leave and live out your destiny. I think that you have to decide that on your own.

I decided to talk about this first because I am going though this now, I came home to visit my family and every time I leave I end up crying all the way home because I really miss them and can't wait to see them again!

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Trying this out...

Hello!! 

Let me introduce my self....

My name is Rosie and I'm originally from Bryan, TX. I'm a recent graduate of Valdosta State University in Valdosta, GA with my B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology. I am currently working on my Master's in Social Work at Valdosta State University. I live with my fiance and two wonderful puppies (Taylor and Reagan). I am have a graduate assistantship as the Managing Editor of a a journal titled Teaching Sociology. I love my job!!

My father is an immigrant from Mexico. He came here in his early twenties. He was able to pull himself up by learning to pour concrete, and eventually started his own business. My mother is a third generation American. She did not learn Spanish until adulthood. My parents divorced when I was a child and I lived with my mom and did not learn Spanish until I took it in Middle School, High School, and College. (On a side note-- I always find it interesting that people assume you speak Spanish because you are Hispanic!! "No intende"). My grandparents didn't speak Spanish to me but they spoke it to each other.

Why did I decide to do this?

I decided to start blogging about what it's like to be a Hispanic woman in America. I hope that people will be able to relate and also possibly see what is is like to be Hispanic in America. Have you seen the movie Selena? Her father gives us a great quote that sums up how I feel, and I think that most people feel when thinking about being Hispanic in America. "We have to be more Mexican than the Mexicans and more American than the Americans, both at the same time! It's exhausting! No one knows how tough it is to be a Mexican-American. " 

FeedBack

I hope you enjoyed reading this and please comment and give me feedback on your own experiences and insights! I'd love to hear them!! 

Take Care and God Bless!!!