respuestas published

¿QUIEN SOY YO?:
AT THE
CROSSROADS
OF LATINIDAD
Latines, we come in all shapes, sizes, colors, heritages, anything.
We are a vibrant community that encompasses a variety of people with
no set way of existing. But why have we for years continuously denied and
gatekept other Latines, particularly those of mixed heritage?
We have to ask ourselves why this happens, and push for a more inclusive community. For
this article, I interviewed individuals who reflect about their experiences with their own mixed
heritages. They express what it means to be Latine at a time when cultural experiences have
been radically shifting in the past couple of years.
Pictured: Makyla Burson
“...In the Latine community, it’s a lot harder to be accepted in a lot of different ways…”
Makyla Burson, affectionately known as Kyla, is a senior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Chicano/a and Central
American Studies. She identifies as being both Black and Mexican and navigates these identities every day at
UCLA. Many times, she feels excluded by both communities, as she feels that she’s “not enough” for either. Nonetheless,
she feels deeply rooted in both of her origins, especially with her Mexican heritage, as she often visits her
grandmother who helps her remain connected to this side of her identity.
She speaks Spanish, eats traditional meals, and remains tied to her Catholic faith and more—all aspects that tie her
with her Latinidad. For her, being Latina means having strong family ties, even through hardships or negative interactions
from the past. However, there are moments where her two identities come at odds.
Kyla recalls being teased by her cousins since she didn’t know a Spanish song that they all knew, and this was used
to make her feel excluded from her Latinidad. Apart from this, another conflict arises as she feels that oftentimes,
she’s preferred in the Black community over the Latine because she better fits their beauty standards due to her
lighter skin and looser curls. Instances of exclusion have made Kyla feel embarrassed by her heritage, but she also
feels angry about the imposition of a standard for Latinidad, in particular one that ties Latinidad only with Mexican
culture. Her disappointment in the community is reflected through our conversation, as she brought up that, as a
community, “we should know better by now” due to the greater ongoing conversations of diversity.
For Kyla, the conversations of inclusion have to start at home and in the classroom, where people can change their
mindsets and attitudes. For her, education is important to bring change for all ages, especially considering how
children who educate themselves can educate their families about these issues, even if it doesn’t always go well. In
her job as a tutor, she’s seen firsthand how a single class can change the trajectory of people. She further
elaborated on a Chicana/o Studies class that talked about Afro-Latines and covered the story of Blaxicans.
She expressed that this personally helped identify herself. It helped to hear about Black people in Mexico and
address the disregard of Afro-Latines. Ultimately, she hopes for greater diversity and open-mindedness within the
Latine community. In her opinion, friendships are where people can learn the most about the issues different people
face. In expanding social circles and getting comfortable with diverse people, they can be better supported and
incorporated into the community.
BY JONATHAN VALENZUELA MEJíA
21