Ethnic
terms are arbitrary labels
No
Me Calles
Julie Guevara
September
is Latino Heritage month, and as such last
week was full of celebration and different
festivities not only on campus, but off
campus as well. The Women's Expressions
group used "Viva La Mujer." as
their theme for their monthly collaboration
of poetry, dance, art and songs. La Raza
set up a booth to honor the month and Super
Estrella was invited to promote their station.
In
attempting to deliver the news about some
of these events, my peers and I found it
difficult to give this period between Sept.
15 and Oct. 15 the correct term without
offending anyone. The question that came
into play was, "Do we call it Latino
Heritage Month or Hispanic Heritage Month?"
I quickly jumped at the opportunity to tell
them why I felt it should be labeled Latino
Heritage Month, but I was asked to seek
an expert's opinion.
This
same week, I stopped by the bookstore to
check out the books that were on sale because
of what they called Hispanic Heritage Month.
One of the books I picked up was on how
to correctly label the particular group
of people from "Latin" or "Hispanic"
countries. The book posed the same question
-- Hispanic or Latino? I refrained from
this purchase because I did not feel that
someone else should influence what I wanted
to label myself.
So
what do we call ourselves without offending
those who don't agree with our term? If
I say I am Latina, will I offend the person
who calls themselves Hispanic or the Chicano
who feels that I am not doing enough by
simply calling myself a Latina?
What
essentially makes me a Latina and am I using
the term correctly? "Soy Latina"
because my family is from several states
in Mexico. "Soy Latina" because,
to me, it is a way of living vicariously
through my ancestors who made me who I am
today. When people ask me what nationality
I am, first I say Mexican, then I say Latina,
and lastly I say American. I was born here,
but my past is what created my future. My
past is Mexico. My present is Latin and
my future is America, though I will always
be more greatly influenced by the first
two.
Not
only did my quest to find the proper use
of these terms influence my need to express
these views, but so did an e-mail from a
woman by the name of Sophia Gonzalez. Gonzalez
supported my idea of implementing Spanish
into "No Me Calles" and being
proud of my culture. To Gonzalez, thank
you. To other Latinos, Latinas, Hispanos,
Hispanas, Chicanos, Chicanas or whatever
you choose to label yourself, be proud!
It is part of who you are and makes you
unique. In a time where we try to bring
people together, we can unite but learn
to understand and respect our cultural differences.
Whatever title you give yourself let it
shine through you. It's just a title, but
you can make it so much more than just that.
"No
soy Latina porque la gente dice que soy.
Soy Latina porque es algo que you siento
y yo vivo todos los dias, cada momento,
cada segundo y siempre." I am not Latina
because people say that I am. I am Latina
because it's what I feel and it's what I
live every day, every moment, every minute
and forever. "Les doy la gracia a mi
familia, mi novio, mis amigos, mis profesores
y el mundo por educarme sobre mi cultura,
la cultura de otros y por dejarme celebrar
quien soy." I give thanks to my family,
my boyfriend, my friends, my professors
and the world for educating me on my culture,
the culture of others and for allowing me
to celebrate who I am. Celebrate everything
you identify with this month and every month.
"Viva Mexico! Viva La Mujer! Viva America!
Viva todo proque sin todo no tenemos nada!"
Long live Mexico! Long live women! Long
live America! Long live everything, because
without it, we have nothing!
Julie
Guevara is a communications major at Cal
State Long Beach and can be reached at MissJewels212@aol.com.
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