When I think of race relative to the United States, I think of White/Black binary constructs and umbrella terms like “Latino/as” which ignore certain members of our society. White/Black binary constructs and umbrella terms, unfortunately, ignore the fact people come from different racial/ethnic groups in the U.S. One in particular is Blaxicans, who often have to choose whether they are Black or Mexican when filling out the dreadful forms that collect demographic information. In the “Being Blaxicans in L.A.” clip we see the problems that persist from the “either or” dichotomy. The “either your this or that” dichotomy forces people to deny aspects of their identity. However, in the clip, we see how Walter Thompson-Hernández, has overcome the White/Black binary, embracing the fact that he is both Black and Mexican. He challenges binary constructs and embraces all aspects of his identity. He is not Black or Mexican; he is both Black and Mexican-a Blaxican. In doing so, he creates an Instagram page, a space, where people of color who are mixed share their powerful stories about identity in America and what that looks like for people of color who do not fit the White/Black binary. Similar to Thompson-Hernandez, and all the other people of color in the articles discussing identity in America, my daughter struggled with being a mixed child. Because she carries more of the biological features of a Black person, her identity has been ascribed to her. She is automatically marked as being “Black.” She has remarked on several occasions that people just assume that she is “Black.” Or, she gets the dreadful question of “What are you mixed with?” My daughter is Black and Mexican, who, similar to Thompson-Hernandez, is being raised in a single parent Chicano/a household. Similar to Thompson-Hernandez, my daughter does not deny her Black roots. She is proud to be a “Blaxican.” As a parent who is conscious of these binary constructs and how they have oppressed certain people’s identities in America, I make sure that she embraces all aspects of her identity when it comes to race, even gender and class.

My question would be: How do you identify and why? Do you embrace all aspects of your identity? If not, Why?

This week focused race and identity. I was particularly drawn to “The Pioneers: Sandra Cisneros” video. Even though it was relatively short, I was like fascinated with the video because my last name is also Cisneros. It made me think, that somehow we could be, or how cool it would be if we were connected (that would be so awesome!).I even had to show it to my mom. As I was reading the Eva Longoria article before the clip, and seeing how proud she is of her heritage and how she has so much knowledge about her ancestors, similar to that of Sandra Cisneros knowing about her ancestors it made me really jealous, because I unfortunately dont. I’ve heard a few stories about who my great grandparents were but that’s as far back as i have knowledge from. I think it’s important to know where you came from and i would be so interested in knowing more about my ancestors. I have always wanted to do the ancestory.com or the 23 and me where it tells your genetic makeup, but being a broke college student doesnt really allow me to do that. I’m hoping one day i will be able to know more about my ancestors, i believe it would really help me even know more about myself.

My question for you all is do any of you know about your ancestral background, if so do you have any cool stories about who your ancestors where, or anything cool they did?

Do you think it’s important to know your roots?

In the article “Masculinity Reconfigured: Shaking up Gender in Chicano/Latino Literature” by Pablo E. Martínez there is an analysis of the the novels “Pocho” by José Antonio Villarreal and “How the García Girls Lost their Accents” by Julia Álvarez. Martínez brings up the fact that these two novels have common leitmotifs, masculinity and machismo. Throughout his article, Martínez shows how these leitmotifs are deconstructed through nationalism, transnationalism, feminism and modernity. Martínez starts off by explaining that the father’s in both novels, Juan in “Pocho” and Carlos in “How the García Girls Lost their Accents”, grew up with a nationalistic ideology. They both came from countries where as men they held all the power in the family structure. This leads to them thinking that as men they can do whatever they want and can control everyone in their family. This is where the ideas of machismo and masculinity are found. Martínez then goes on to explain how transnationalism changes this. When the two families have to leave their countries and settle in the United States, the ideas of machismo and masculinity found in the Fathers are challenged. When they come to the United States, Juan and Carlos are not able to live like they did in their former countries. For example, Carlos who held a good job in his country ends up not being able to provide for his family in the United States. This leads to the breaking down of the nationalistic ideology of the Father’s. Martínez also explains that machismo and masculinity are challenged by feminism when the families are in the United States. The women in the novels are able to achieve more in the United States than in their past country. The women are more free to accomplish more and this challenges masculinity. In their past countries, women could not accomplish anything major only the men could. Through feminism in the United States, the women of these families are able to challenge masculinity and machismo. According to Martínez, the final way that ideas of machismo and masculinity are deconstructed is through modernity. When the Fathers come to the United States they have trouble keeping up with the times. They try to impose their ideas from their home countries in the United States but it does not work. Through modernity their ideas of machismo and masculinity are destroyed. Martínez explains in his article that masculinity and machismo can be erased through transnationalism, feminism and modernity.

My question is:

Do you think when men from countries that promote ideas like machismo and masculinity come to the United States they are stripped of these ideas through the society in the United States? Or are they still able to live their lives with these ideas?