How I Learned I was Latina

I didn’t realize that I was Latina until 8th grade. I knew that my family often spoke in Spanish around me so I wouldn’t eavesdrop, and I knew that words like Abuelo or Tio weren’t in the vocabulary of my classmates or friends the same way they were in mine. But, my paper-white skin and hazel eyes didn’t really help me connect the dots. If anything, the parts of me that may have appeared Hispanic were the ones I would attempt to conceal the most- wearing long sleeves to cover the dark hair on my arms or using words like Grandpa or Uncle to avoid confused looks from my peers. Overtime, these traits became few of the many aspects of who I was that I began to despise.

Something that I began to cling to during these trying times in my life was TV. Since it was coincidentally during a year where being a homebody was mandatory, I got a lot of time to reflect and watch different TV shows. Due to this newfound love, my mom encouraged me to watch the reboot of the classic Norman Lear Sitcom One Day at a Time. While watching this show, I saw myself represented in more ways than I could imagine. Justina Machado’s character, Penelope, was a strong yet flawed character that I resonated with to the core of my being. Penelope and her family were also extremely proud of their Cuban heritage, which was something I hadn't ever seen on any show I had watched prior. I later learned that the majority of the cast is actually Puerto Rican, just like I am. Watching these characters be everything I wanted to be, while also sharing something with me that I had never acknowledged the true power of, completely shifted my outlook on every aspect of my life. I am now proud of my community and am so honored to be a part of such an incredible group of people. I also am working to become a TV actress, just like Justina Machado, so I can help little Latina girls like me learn to love themselves for who they are. There is no greater gift in this world than being able to use the lessons you have learned to better the lives of the people who have yet to learn them.