Viva la cultura!

Every year, National Hispanic Heritage Month occurs from September 15 to October 15. When I first came to Mercersburg Academy, the idea of celebrating different cultures was intriguing to say the least. At Mercersburg, I was introduced to an abundance of traditions such as white/blue coat and the boxer/bikini run. I was surprised by the way people interact every day here. Stepping into an entirely different country from my own with its own rules, language, and atmosphere was a culture shock. I would often have issues trying to translate a funny picture in Spanish to my friend, who only spoke English, as they didn’t understand the slang or the purpose of the joke. I would also have trouble mixing up different words that would make sense to me, but to somebody else, it would be a completely made-up word. 

As a freshman, I was surprised when I saw four of my closest senior friends walk up to the stage and give a presentation about what being Latino means to them. In that moment, I felt a surge of pride fill my heart. The feeling of being represented and recognized is one of the most powerful feelings anyone can ever experience. Latinos have a small representation in the school; it’s not every day you see someone with a similar background walking around. Ever since joining the Latin Hispanic Student Union, I’ve been educated on different Hispanic cultures and traditions. People often confuse different Latinos, and conversations are filled with curious remarks such as “Do you speak Mexican?” or “Is Puerto Rico a part of Mexico?” I want the whole world to see that Latinos are composed not only of just Mexico, but an incredible amount of wonderful Latino countries and communities that resonate a strong cultural identity. 

In my junior year, I made the important decision to celebrate my culture and hold an official title at the LHSU. It isn’t easy giving a presentation in front of the whole school; it’s quite nerve-racking. Nonetheless, the confidence in my heritage guided me to speak my culture out loud. While other board members and I were working on the presentation, a single question kept arising: “What does being Latino mean to you?” 

I don’t know, what does being Latino mean for me? I kept asking myself that. Easier said than done, right? I mean, I'm Latina, shouldn’t that be it? I asked my mom what it meant to her: she gave me a well-thought-out response, but it wasn’t mine. It didn’t speak to me. With the help of the board members and more help from my mom, I think I came up with a suitable response to the dying question. Being Latino means that I have the privilege to share my culture in a community where I feel welcomed in my identity, to promote the pride that comes with being Latino, and to educate those who are curious about what makes me, me.