2009 comes full of a lot of hope and, also, many challenges that have carried over. However, I feel that we, Americans and Latinos, can put our heads together to come up with some solutions.  The main thing to remember is to leave the past and our prejudices behind to do things that have previously been thought to be impossible.  Previous opponents must become allies.  People that have never spoken before must dialogue.  We need to look at “the big picture” so that we can focus on what is truly important. This will not be the year of the impossible but of the possible.

Having just spoken about prejudice, this is an important concern for Mi Estilo.  As we look at Latinos, they encompass all sorts of backgrounds and shades.  I look at me and my family.  I look like the “stereotypical” Mexican: black hair, brown eyes and have brown skin.  Nonetheless, I have family—aunts and cousins—that have lighter features.  Who looks “more Mexican?” Admittedly, this is something that not just mainstream American society thinks about but we, Latinos, buy into as well.  Each Latino is unique and not with some formula that can be duplicated.

There is also the issue of language.  The Spanish that I speak is probably a bit outdated, as I learned it from my parents and they’ve lived here for over 30 years.  Up until I started studying it at the university, my vocabulary was limited.  My grammar and writing were horrible.  My r’s became harder to roll.  However as my studies progressed, so did my ability to read, write and speak Spanish.  Nonetheless, as I began to speak it with other Latinos, I felt less and less insecure because my Spanish was still a bit rough around the edges.

The realization came to me last night as I was reading a chapter of Mario Bosquez’ The Chalupa Rules: A Latino Guide to Gringolandia.  In Chalupa Rule 6 (Swim In Your Culture), he talked about being proud of whatever Spanish that you might speak.  Whether it’s Tex-Mex, Mexican or Guatemalan Spanish, any is valid because it is your expression. Your Spanish is the summary of your family’s cultural history.  I realized that my Spanish is as good and as valid as anybody else’s.

Language is one of the elements of culture and identity.  It’s also something that for many Latinos is fluid and constantly changing.  As immigrant Latinos continue to live in the United States, they will find that more English words start sneaking into their daily conversation.  The home culture mixes with the American one and becomes some strange combination that somehow works.  The thing to remember whether you’re an immigrant or a generational latino is that your culture is a unique expression of who you are and from where you came.  This is something to hold up as a source of pride.  Your culture is part of your style—tu estilo.  Live it.  Own it.  It is yours.

Author: Jose A. Rodriguez