I am from Puerto Rico, where I went to an American private school on the island. My English was/is excellent and I speak it without an accent. At times, I was considered very “gringa” and not Latina enough in Puerto Rico. When I moved to Miami and went to UMiami, at times I experienced being “too Latina”, not “American” enough and had my first ever experiences with racism and prejudice. Yes, you read that correctly, racism towards a Latina in Miami!
That “not enough-ness” slowly faded away and I found my place eventually, but it always stuck with me. I later learned that many Latinx felt this way living in the US. Sometimes they feel like they aren’t Puerto Rican, Dominican, or Cuban, etc enough because they have not visited their island enough times, or never got raised there, or their Spanish isn’t good enough. It also doesn’t help when we exclude our own people because they haven’t experienced the same thing we have. Is someone more or less Puerto Rican or Latinx because they never lived on the island? Many seem to think so. Well, I don’t. I think it’s a mentality used to stay divided and powerless. Being united as one people is where the strength is. Loving your brothers and sisters is where the power will always be, regardless of where they are from.
Have you ever felt stuck between two worlds? Have you felt like you felt like you’re not enough either?
I’m interested in hearing your thoughts…
Sending love, Cristina
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