Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Sylvia Sierra
ENG101
11 October 2018
¡Para la Cultura!
It is currently Hispanic Heritage month, the time of year when people recognize the
cultures, history, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. It is a 30-day period that
the rest of the America grasps an idea of the constructive presence of the Hispanic and Latin
culture that lives here on American soil. You, the youth of America with a Latin descent, are the
future for your ancestors, for your parents, for your future children, and most importantly for
yourself. You have been brought here for a better life with countless opportunities offered to you
so there is no struggle. Although you were born as an American citizen, do not forget about your
cultural heritage that rests deep in your heart, that pumps through your blood, and never be
Give notice to the amazing food, the music that has you grooving, swinging those hips,
the art that comes with your culture such as clothing, paintings, dances, and even landmarks.
Think about the variety of famous dishes that your grandparents and parents made when growing
up. Think about the famous artists that have made history with their art like Frida Kahlo and
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Diego Rivera. Think about iconic political activists like Cesar Chavez who fought for civil
rights. The traditional dance called “El Jarabe” is big in Mexico where women dress in colorful
flowy dresses dancing to the sound of drums, guitars, and trumpets. There are famous landmarks
in Mexico such as Chichen Itza that reflect the life of Mayan people in early times and in Peru
with Machu Picchu built by the Inca civilization. There is beauty in Latin culture that makes it
unique. I am a Mexican-American with a mother from California and a father from Mexico. I
grew up in a Mexican household with cumbias and canciones de amor, playing every Saturday
morning waking us up for a day of cleaning following Sunday waking up early for church. My
parents would be very strict with us saying “te calmas o te calmo” and “ve preguntale a tu
mama”. There was incredible food that was made at family gatherings and for the holidays such
as Tamales, Arroz con Leche, and Pozole just to name a few. Deductive reasoning
When you arrive to the United States, conflicts start to arise. In the school setting, you are
forced to speak in English causing you to either forget or not know your own native language
because of the English language being pushed upon you. When you speak in your native
language, you are looked down upon and told to speak English only because it is not a language
other children your age can understand. You shouldn’t be told to not speak a language other than
English because it is dehumanizing. “Let us simply speak to one another, listen and prize the
inflections, differences, never assuming how any person will sound until her mouth opens, until
his mouth opens…” said Allison Joseph in her famous poem, On Being Told I Don’t Speak Like
a Black Person. I am a fluent Spanish speaker and I am proud because it is amazing being able to
speak two languages. To listen is to give full attention to what you hear meaning that you are
fully explicating what is being transmitted to you. You do not just hear the words, you are
processing the sound. To prize something is to give it value, thinking it of it as more than an
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object, concept, or idea. Perceive it as something exciting as a toy prize from the claw machine.
Inflections are the change in the way something is verbally said. Languages of all sorts have their
changes in pitch and even loudness that differentiates it from the rest besides the form of writing.
To assume it to take it upon yourself to conclude something based on your personal perception of
the world. Overall, one should listen and appreciate the beauty in the diversity that comes with
language and one’s culture without making any assumptions. Don’t they know that “En la
Your culture is your heritage; it has been with you since you were born. It is passed down
for thousands of generations and many more to come. It is what defines who you are regarding
your background; it gives you a sense of knowing where you come from. Some of you do not
show the pride in your culture and that is acceptable, as long as you do not forget your roots and
hold that pride in your heart. We should be valuing our Latin culture because it is what guides us
in our growth and development as a person. We have an idea of how the world works, “A falta
de pan, buenas son tortas” meaning that to settle for the next best thing when the previous does
not work out. Our culture influences our core values, the foundation of our beliefs that tell us
what is right and wrong. Value, along with attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors are all a part of our
self-concept, influenced by our culture. There is a lot more than just our culture being the
different components from music to art, it is a lifestyle that affects us more than you think; it is
Embrace your beautiful Latin roots; the delectable food, the history, your ancestors, your
parents, the music, the dances that make people come together at grand celebrations, and most
importantly you being a part of it. It is a part of you that you can never get rid of because it is
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what gives you your characteristics. If you do not know much about it, then learn more about it,
live it, and love it because it is like loving yourself. “A donde fueres, haz lo que vieres”.