What being latina means…

I am not less latina because I was born on a different continent.

I am not less latina because my spanish is mixed with english.

I am not less latina because I am the first of my family to be born in a different country.

I am not less latina because I am not catholic.

I am not less latina because I don’t wear hoops all the time.

I am not less latina because I don’t only listen to latin music.

I am not less latina because I don’t have many latin friends.

I am not less latina because I don’t eat lots of latin food.

I am not less latina because I don’t have a close family. Or a big family. Or any family.

Latina and latinidad are ever changing and growing identities that make up one part of who I am. Indigenous communities who roamed and cultivated what’s now known as latin america spoke many dialects and had different customs from each other.

From o' reliable Wikipedia, "Maya is a modern collective term for the peoples of the [that] region... there was no common sense of identity or political unity among the distinct populations, societies and ethnic groups because they each had their own particular traditions, cultures and historical identity.”

What we know today as latin america is a hot pot of colonized countries starting from Mexico to the bottom of Chile, who were forced to speak spanish, practice christianity, and have been used as drug and resource mules for modern day colonizers. So what is latina?

If all that creates this cultural identity is the culture of colonization and roots to a continent than I am more than latina, I’m latina 2.0.

I was not only born to two Salvadorean immigrants who moved from a colonized formerly mayan region to the modern-day colonizer, United States, I was born in the United States. The birthplace of modern-day colonization. After having emancipated itself from its mom, Great Britain (one of the forefathers of colonization), the United States was set on making a name for itself, taking cultural washing, capitalism, and mob mentality to the masses under the guise of liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Peace Corps, United Nations, World Health Organization, and many others have the so-called mission to help other nations so that others can have a path to resources and development. However, so many people from “underdeveloped” nations find their way to the United States, documented or not, because their countries are still being depleted and have slim chances of liberating themselves (from the United States).

Welcome to the land of the free (the 1%) and home of the brave (immigrants).

I am more than latina because my hair and skin color show my heritage.

I am more than latina because my language doesn’t define me.

I am more than latina because my blood shows the journey of my ancestors through slavery and colonization.

I am more than latina because geography is a concept.

I am more than latina because the lineage rests on my shoulders.

I am more than latina because I am all the things, people, and places that came before me and will come after me.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments ⤵