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Personal Narrative-I Am Latin America

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When people see me for the first time, they assume that I am African-American because of my skin color. However, when they hear me speak, they assume I am Latina because I speak Spanish. When they finally meet me, I can tell they are very confused. Yet this very confusion is what I appreciate most about my identity. No one can say for sure who or what I am, and I like being an enigma. In reality, I was born in Medellin, Colombia but my roots extend all the way back to Africa. I am the product of the complex historical process known as colonization, where the Spanish enslaved my people, invaded Latin America, and destroyed the lives of the indigenous peoples. True, colonization was a brutal stain on history. However, one beautiful aspect …show more content…

I read about it in books. Schools in Colombia certainly did not teach me this history. I grew up in a small, economically depressed town in Quibdo, Colombia where few students finish high school and even fewer go to college. Many of these people share my skin color and the lack of opportunity is a reminder that racism still very much exists throughout the world. The “negras” are at the bottom of the social hierarchy in Colombia and receive a substandard education. Many are forced to work at an early age to support their families. My grandmother is one of those people; she gave up her education to raise her five children. It is because of her that I had such a beautiful childhood, despite my forlorn surroundings. When people think about Colombia, they often think about the narcos and the guerillas. I think about playing barefoot on the streets. I think about mis tios y primos, who were always around and more like parents and siblings. I think about dancing to the music played by the elders of my town, and the didactic games they shared to keep us children away from violence. In many ways, I was oblivious to the violence, which grew worse and worse. Soon my musical children became one of fear. Later, I lost someone very dear to

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