My Cultural Identity

My cultural identity, as I know is Mexican American because both my parents are born in Mexico and I was born here. I can also be defined as a Chicana because that is another way used to call a Mexican American. My culture can be seen in so many different ways like for example it can be seen in food, music, religion, dance, art, festivals, and even more. Most of these traditions have changed a little bit over time as they were brought to the U.S. What I mean by that is that some of those traditions were brought from Mexico, and had a little change into them because they were combined with some traditions that have already been here in the U.S.

Most people call me Colby, but on the field i'm know as number 40. Soccer has been a part of my life since I was 3, my 12 years of experience have influenced how I act, what I eat and most aspects of my life-like who I hang out with and what I dislike. In the United states especially, sports are a huge part of everyone's cultural identity. With all this in mind I would call my cultural identity a soccer game. It can change in a blink of the eye but is consistent through life.My family is like the other players, education is like the field and my hobbies are like the ball.

Charles F. Glassman once said, “In a few seconds, we judge another person and think we know them. When, the person we’ve lived with the longest, we still don’t know very well- ourselves.” Writing about my values has gave me a better understanding of who I am. I now understand the several ways my culture has shaped me to become who I am. My cultural autobiography will allow me to reveal who I truly am by understanding my cultural identity. My cultural identity is the combination of my worldview and values as well as my position in the eight microcultures.

“Dale, dale, dale, No pierdas el tino; Porque si lo pierdes, Pierdes el camino”. The classic piñata song that is sung at parties. It translates to “Go, go, go, don't lose your aim; because if you lose it, you will lose your path.” The phrase ties in with my identity because of my cultural background and experiences at parties. Who am I? What is my cultural identity? The questions that have me trying my best not to have an existential crisis. I am a Mexican American, my parents were born in Jalisco and I was born in California. As for my cultural identity, I am a NSHS student that has been shaped by music, technology, and sports.

Food is something that is not inherited, it is learned, much like culture. When I was about three years old, my parents moved from Argentina to America. Since all we knew was Spanish, we found ourselves associating with many other Hispanics. One thing that I find all these cultures have in common is food. Food is something that ties us all to our roots, to our families, to our heritage, to our culture. Argentina, Mexico, and America, my take on food shows my family’s migrations and changes, it is who I am and will become, it is my cultural identity.

Integrated set of values and material traits of a racial, religious and social group is culture. Of course, there are many other attributes that pertain to each individual that influence their culture. As for myself, I identify as a Black American male. The notion of referring to a black person as an “African American”, as more socially acceptable, I personally disagree. Simply since the white man brought my ancestors here against their will, and stripping them of their ethnic background, I have no ties with my African roots. With the prefix of african, in my opinion, insinuates that I am familiar with the customs in a country in Africa; which is not true. As a last resort, I have to stick with the stigma the white man constructed to categorize people of color. The only customs I am familiar with is black american traditions that my race has curated on their own. Furthermore, my sexuality, family and friends impacted my authenticity today

Do you ever get that preconceived look from others? When they judged you by your facial expression or your race. Do people constantly question what you think you are because you share aspects of different cultures but they do not notice their own? When people look at me they see a stereotypical black girl they assume you know all of the latest dances and slang. When you talk people automatically assume that you do not know the basics of grammar but they soon find out that you do just in time for them to tell you that you talk like a white person. My cultural identity is not one of a strictly African American nature. My individual culture is an assortment of features that stem from my friends and family. The organized lifestyle, religion, values and traditions, I’ve gotten from my mother along with the music, clothes and pastime activities I share with my friends all come together as the

My family’s Portuguese customs and my experiences living in the United States profoundly influenced the person I am today. The assimilation between Portuguese beliefs and living the American dream reshaped my self-concept and ignited my curiosity about diversity. The concept of acculturation summarizes my experience with integrating more than one culture and crafting my values. J. W. Berry states, “Acculturation comprehends those phenomena which result when groups of individuals having different cultures come into continuous, first-hand contact, with subsequent changes in the original culture patterns of either or both groups” (as cited in Morrison & James, 2009). Appreciating my cultural background allowed me to develop my racial identity which brought awareness to my own privileges and biases. As I am furthering my education to become a counselor, I hope learning about myself will help me guide and empower clients to do the same.

One of my lifelong challenges has been navigating my cultural identity. Growing up in Southern California in an Indian-American household, I was more “Westernized” than my other similarly situated Indian friends. At the same time, my upbringing as a child of immigrant parents made me different than other Americans.

What is your cultural identity? When asked that question one may be baffled or unsure. When you hear “Southern Girl” people often tend to think of cowgirl boot, braided pigtail, plaid shirt wearing tumbleweeds passing in front their “barn” redneck type of girl. I guess you can say the south has a stereotype of being like off those “Wild Wild Western” movies. Although my family is nowhere near country we still have some southern traditions. Our food, language, and maybe hobbies can be very different as suppose to someone living in New York.

A symbol that reflects my personal cultural identity is liquor. It reflects my personal cultural identity because everyone in my family drinks a lot. They drink for celebration, hard times, devastating disastrous times when we suffer the loss of a family member and just because. Liquor is also a symbol because certain types of liquor reminds me of certain family members and the good times we had together, but also the atrocious barbaric times. For example, when I see a Miller Light can I think of my uncle John and my cousin Mercy. It reminds me of the times we go to Mexican Fiesta together or Summerfest where we would dance fool around and have a good time. When I see a Budweiser I think of my Grandfather and my Father because it is their

influenced my cultural identity and how I see myself? I address the complexity of my racial

Cultural Identity to me is what I identify myself with. My Christian upbringing, and the environment I grew up in are the two components that I identify with the most and they are what made me who I am today.

I am a twenty-one-year-old female. I am Chinese American. I grew up in a Buddhist household, but I am Christian. My family celebrates the Chinese Traditions at home, but do not go to Temples. I participate in the events that they celebrate because that is what I grew up doing and it is something I enjoy doing as a family. I am open to listening to any type of music except for rock, screamo, and metal. I am a full-time student with a part-time job as a substitute teacher assistant in early childhood education.

Imagine that you could split yourself in two in order to be in two different countries at the same time so that you could experience each culture, taste their food, listen to their language and absorb every bit of information that these two places offer. In my case, this is how my mind and my family gatherings feel like. I was born and raised in Ecuador but I am also an American citizen. My family is half Ecuadorian and half American; each has kept their native countries’ traditions alive within their lives and homes. I grew up listening to different accents, learning two languages and experiencing the best, the worst, and everything in between in both cultures. In the middle of this beautiful and confusing environment I have realized that my dual cultural background has highly influenced my beliefs, decisions, thoughts and actions. Being Ecuadorian-American is an essential part of my identity.