Thoughts, Reflections, and Experiences

While watching the Latino List (vol 2) on Netflix, I remembered an instance in middle school, after we had all gotten our acceptance letters to different high schools. Backing up a little, by the grace of God, I went to a good middle school, one that had advanced classes and prepared you for getting into good high schools. Thus, all the competition and why we were getting these acceptance letters. So, there I am, in the cafeteria, with a group of girls, all asking each other where we got in, what our top choice was, etc etc. I had gotten accepted into all of the high schools I applied, including my top choice, then (and maybe now too?) the number 1 public school in the state. It gets to me and I say I got into my top choice and I'm excited to go there! Later, one of the girls (who didn't get in to that school) says that I probably got in just because I'm Hispanic and they need to meet a quota. In the moment, I tried to just play it cool and not get angry or act hurt. ...

I am brown.  What does that mean?  I believe the answer lies within my narrative and the narrative of my people.  Who are my people? As I seek to understand my history, my place in society, my identity as a Latina, I realize something. I realize that in order to understand that, I must also understand what it means to be a person of color. Brown, black, yellow, whatever color makes us "different than." I am not blinded to the hurt and pain of my fellow black brothers and sisters. I see their pain. I do not understand their pain as much as I sometimes wish I did, or sometimes even believe I do. But as a Christian and as a Latina, I believe it my responsibility to seek to understand more. For me, for them, for us. The struggle of being a Hispanic-American woman in this country is not just rooted in my being Hispanic. It is rooted in America's history. In America's treatment of Native Americans, Black Americans, Asian Americans, Middle Eastern Americans....

15 Latino Documentaries You Should Steam on Netflix Maybe I can post reviews if I watch any of these!

More on this tomorrow...rather, later today. It's 2:30am and time for bed.

Yo Soy Mimi. My face is brown, and my eyes are dark. My hair is black, with some rays of light. My height is short, and my feet are small. My language is Spanish. My heart is colored. My family united. My blood is mixed. My identity, also. My strength in the divide. In the divide. Spanish or English? American or Ecuadorian? Here or there? Why not everywhere? In the divide. In the divide, I consider myself blessed. Blessed to stand with people like Esther, Paul, and Jesus. Blessed to look up to those that have stood in the divide. Oh, am I blessed. Blessed to have an education. Blessed to have a job. Blessed to have a chance to vote. Blessed to have my faith on God. Blessed to know one day, equality will be restored. Blessed to know in Christ, there is hope. Hope. Hope for days when my brothers and sisters stop dying on the streets. Hope for days when my mothers and fathers stop being seen as "less than"

First page. I'm excited already (: I feel like I've been seeing Díaz 's name around lately, so I'm glad that the hold I placed on this book is now available!