My mother is Mexican.
Her mother is Mexican.
Her father was Mexican.
My father was Mexican.
His father was Mexican.
His mother is Mexican.
My bisabuelos on both sides were Mexican.
Their parents were, as far as I know, Mexican.
Mexico is a five hour drive from where I live.
I grew up eating Mexican food.
I grew up hearing and speaking Mexican Spanish.
And even though it all happened on the other side of the border….I still very much identify with being Mexican no matter how you may choose to categorize me!
I am Mexican.
I am American.
I am Chicana.
I am Latina.
Sometimes I am Hispanic.
I am also pocha.
I am mexicana and proud.
These are some of the ways I self-identify.
Identities aren’t static.
They ebb and flow depending on where I stand and to whom I am speaking with.
So please, don’t give me a box to check. It’s not that simple.
Interpretations of a Bilingual Life
"If you really want to hurt me, talk badly about my language." -Gloria Anzaldua
Identities aren’t static.
5 responses to “Identities aren’t static.”
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Love it…and love the new look.
I get it, by the way…my gringo husband says that sometimes I am too gringa for his tastes….he likes the Latin me much better! xo.
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That’s what I say about my mitt husband. He’s Latino and Gringo. I tell him sometimes he says the most gringo things I have ever heard him say to me like, “I have never seen anyone eat limes the way you do.” I like to squeeze the lime juice in my mouth after putting some on my food….its a Mexican thing.
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I meant to write—miti …thats what he has referred to himself as being half anglo, half latino
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Great post thank you. I really loved the last line, “So please, don’t give me a box to check. It’s not that simple.”
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Hello! I just started following your blog and I experienced complete deja vu when I read this entry…I am also Mexican American, parents and grandparents born in Mexico, but I was born here. I also grew up hearing and speaking Mexican Spanish, eating delicious comida mexicana, and it doesn’t matter that I’ve grown up here, I still strongly identify with my Mexican side. I lived five hours away from the border as well, in Houston, TX!! My husband was born in Mexico, but has been here since he was 12 and considers himself Mexican American like me. To top it off, I wrote a poem very similar to yours back in college!!! Thank you for your post!!
Interpretations of a Bilingual Life 
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