I remember a few years ago when Donald Trump Delivered a speech about the Immigration crisis in the United States offending thousands of Mexicans who lived in the United States. He accused Mexicans immigrants for drug transporting, crime, and rape. I found this offensive and I was upset because it was a very controversial moment to the point where everyone was talking about it. I come from a Mexican Background so I felt that his statements targeted me and my family. He later spoke about building a wall and have Mexicans pay for it. I was upset mainly because he spoke about my country in a large audience on national television.

In the essay “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” by Gloria Anzaldua, she talks about self identity between her mom and the rest of her family. In the section of “Si le preguntas a mi mama, “¿Qué Eres?”, she explains how “Chicanos” express themselves as an identity. A form of expression is calling themselves “Mexicanos”. However, it does not necessarily mean they are citizens of Mexico or have national identity of Mexico, but it is mainly to express their race. This is relevant to me because I am a person who has a Mexican background and when I am asked what I am, I tend to say I am Mexican. Similar to what Gloria said, that does not mean I am a citizen or that I am born there. I say I am Mexican because my parents are born in Mexico and my family is Mexican which means I am a Mexican race.

I was able to relate with the specific section mainly because I have given a similar response when I am asked “¿Qué Eres?”. Gloria states, “Si le preguntas a mi mamá, “¿Qué Eres?” te dirá, “Soy mexicana.”.  My brothers and sister say the same.” Growing up I’ve heard many different kinds of self identity involving a person with a Mexican background. I’ve heard “Mexican American” or “Hispanic”. When I was younger I would get confused on what to respond to. I knew saying just American would be wrong because being an American to me meant being white. I was not white so I knew that simply saying American was incorrect. Therefore, I would say I am Mexican American. However, recently I started to wonder whether Mexican American was a correct term. Nowadays I say that I am simply Mexican. In the essay it states a quote, “Identity is the essential core of who we are as individuals, the conscious experience of the self inside.” I believe that identity is very important for a person to know and feel comfortable with. I personally am not ashamed to say that I am Mexican because I honor my parents background and culture. But in some cases it is not always like that for me. When I go to Mexico for vacation and I tell my cousins I identify as Mexican, they slightly disagree and they tell me I am simply just American because I was born in the US and in that case it makes me American. It makes me realize that maybe if you are born in a specific place you should identify as that specific place. Sometimes I feel confused on what exactly to identify myself with.

Hello my name is Jason and I go by the pronouns he/him. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. I grew up in a latin community and lived surrounded by different cultures. However, most of my childhood I spent at my local soccer field playing soccer with my friends. Soccer holds a big part of my life and it is something I am really passionate about. I like to stay athletically active because it helps reduce my stress.

In 2020 I learned how to DJ. Coronavirus impacted the lives of many people. Everyone was told to quarantine to help avoid the spread of the virus and to stay safe. However, during these times I learned how to DJ in my basement. I was into music and I found it interesting playing my favorite music. However my hobby as a DJ went to another level. My uncle owns a dj company which I feel like I got the inspiration from. He takes me to the event he is a DJ for so I can DJ with him. The picture represents me using the DJ controller to play music at a private event.

I am very dedicated. I feel like this shapes my identity. I don’t give up easily and work hard to accomplish my goals. My family has supported me with my decisions in life which I feel grateful for. I like to learn new things and explore new experiences. I never feel satisfied with anything I do because I feel like I can always do things better.

“The First Day” by Edward P. Jones is a story of a little girl who was being registered for school by her mother. However, the story is told from the perspective of the girl. The author wrote the story from the point of view of this young girl to allow the readers to understand the moments that took place in the story. He does this by providing a lot of imagery details. For example, when the girl was getting ready to attend the first day. This moment was told in the perspective of the girl however, it was not in the present tense but instead it was a memory she looked back to. In the story the girl says, “in an otherwise unremarkable September morning, long before I learned to be ashamed of my mother” (Jones 1). This quote delivers the understanding that she is referring back to a moment in her life that involves her mother. However, this story does not just generally center on the girl but on the mother too. By the girl explaining all the moments of her first day of school we learn many interesting things about the mom. For instance, she is a single mother, she also doesn’t have the skills to read probably because she did not receive an education, and lastly she is not the wealthiest either. Regardless, the mother did not stop from trying to find the best education for her daughter. I was able to connect to this story because my parents aren’t the best when it comes to education. I have received the education that many members of my family were not able to relieve. The mother showing the care she has for her daughter reminds me of my mother. Mainly because I know that my mom would be determined to help me shape a better future. Which is why I value my family and my education.