Identifying with a specific racial identity has been difficult for as long as anyone can remember. In this week’s readings and podcast, readers get a glimpse of the struggles of trying to fit in spaces while others make them feel as though they do not belong. American society is built on the foundation of a black and white binary. Racial identities in between of these identities go unrecognized and/or experience negative misrepresentation.

In the podcast “Being Blaxican in L.A.” scholar Walter Thompson-Hernández discusses his experience of living with his Mexican and Black racial identities. Although it was a struggle trying explain his background to others, he eventually learned that as long as he is comfortable with his identification, then the ideologies of others do not matter. He started to use social media as an avenue to address issues regarding biracial struggles and successes within communities around American society. Other biracial folk are given the opportunity to talk about their stories in a safe space free of judgment.

Assimilation is another topic that is constantly talked about within the area of social justice. Assimilation is the act of adapting to other cultures and traditions for reasons including the desire for privilege and acceptance. As discussed in the paragraphs above, the black and white binary is an ideology in which we only see two racial groups among society with blacks being the oppressed population and white folk being ‘superior.’ Within the Latina/o community, there is discrimination and a racial hierarchy with people admiring Eurocentric features and denying other such as dark and indigenous complexions. In the article “Why Latinos Won’t Become White,” author Gabriel Arana explains how the Latina/o community sometimes look up to the White community because they feel as though it would grant them privilege and keep them safe from discrimination. This is damaging because it only influences and encourages racial discrimination more. Regardless of how much they want to belong to the ‘superior’ population, they are only lying to themselves and others.

My questions for you are: do you think assimilation is an excuse for surviving in racist American society? Have you always been comfortable with the identity you are claiming today? Do you feel sorry or anger towards folk who have chosen to assimilate?

In the Latino USA Podcast “Being Blaxican in L.A”, Walter Thompson-Hernandez born and raised in L.A is a Blaxican meaning his mother is Mexican and his father is Black. At the age of eight he was told that he was Afro-Chicano, however he had no clue as to what that meant. His mother tried pushing him to take a class with a teacher by the name Ms. Sanders because she was black and he would be able to gain some knowledge from her on being black. As he grew older he began to understand that he was biracial. He navigated along with his multiracial experience and decided to create a project that would help others understand both races. His project is Blaxicans of L.A, it is an Instagram page which gives a founding voice and identity and reconciling worlds that were broken. Several biracial individuals have often been looked at when they go out with their parents and they do not have the same appearance. They are asked unnecessary questions that just make them feel uncomfortable. However through this project they are able to accept that they are multiracial and no longer be ashamed. On the contrast, in the article “Why Latinos Won’t Become White” by Gabriel Ana and “The Latino Flight to Whiteness” by William Darity Jr. they bring up a term of “ethnic attrition”. In the article “Why Latinos Won’t Become White” the term ethnic attrition means, “As Latinos intermarry and climb the socioeconomic ladder, the theory goes, they are likely to self identity as Hispanics”. When Latinos gain success they no longer want to be considered a Hispanic because they want to be accepted in society, and rather assimilate and identify as white. They let go of thier own identity in order to fit in within society. Do you believe that is true? Do Latinos not accept their identity after climbing the socioeconomic ladder?

In this week’s readings and podcast, explored the issues of racial identity for Latina/o individuals in the U.S. “Race” is always at the center of discussion most of the time, whether it’s how we identify ourselves or who we are racially characterized by society in the U.S. For many Latina/o’s, our racial identities is a constant issues that are brought into questioned because of the way we define ourselves among others. “Race” is relative because is an issues we have to often deal. In the U.S there are many identities especially among Latina/o’s. The Latino USA podcast, “Being Blaxican in LA” Walter Thompson Hernandez has to question his identity when he is confronted with the reality of what his race really is. However, Walter who is part black and part Mexican but has dealt with the being biracial/bicultural growing up as child. He discussed although in the U.S biracial is seen to be only black and white; it can also be black and brown. As for Walter, he sees as a struggle to identify between both because they are both two distinct Ethnicities. Therefore, he considers himself multiracial for having a little bit of both but not fully identifying with both ethnicities fully. I myself identify, as both part Mexican and part Salvadorian. As a result, I considered myself bicultural but sometimes I find myself dealing with what culture do I identify more. What are your thoughts on the different racial identities of Latina/o’s in the U.S?

On the contrast, “race” continues to be in Latina/o’s. In the readings, “The Latino Flight to Whiteness” by William Darity Jr. and “Why Latinos won’t become white” by Gabriel Arana discusses similar issues of the Latina/o fight against whiteness. Both describe about how Latina/o’s can assimilate with time to become more white. Arena mentions, “The idea of Latinos becoming white in the American sense a vision of racial and cultural assimilation independent of self-identified race…” Latinas/o’s racial identity is discriminated in the U.S. However, with time Latina/o especially lighter skin Latinos can assimilate to the white culture similar to the Irish. Even when marrying to a non-Hispanic marriage can end up for identifying more white than Latino. Do you believe as time goes on, Latinas and Latinos can assimilate to the white culture?

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?