Dear Society,

So the other day I was asked if I was ashamed of my ethnicity. When I asked why they replied, “Because you don't act Mexican.” Confused on how my ethnicity could define me as a person, I asked if they could explain themselves a bit more. Their response was “Because you’re super White Washed. You don't like tacos, and you don't like speaking Spanish. You don't listen to Mexican music, and you’re always drinking Starbucks...”

First and foremost let me just start off by saying that I am not ashamed to be Mexican. no one should ever be ashamed of their ethnicity nor be degraded because of it. It’s something that you can’t control and it’s upsetting that even in our modern day society this is still an issue. What upsets me is that because I am Mexican you think I should like certain things because it’s in “my culture.” Newsflash. I am human. I have different taste and likes and my ethnicity certainly does not define me.

Do you ever wonder why the world is the way it is? Well, I think it’s because as a society we feel the need to have stereotypes and labels. We unknowingly label ourselves and everyone around us: Girl. Boy. Young. Old. Teacher. Student. Athlete. Bookworm. Good. Bad. These are all labels.

Are we really that afraid of not fitting in that we feel the need to label everything? We label ourselves with things that we can't truly define, so my question is, why do we have the need to do so? Can we truly define something so broad and should we even try? For example, a doctor. Can you define what it means to be a doctor? Maybe you're saying yes that you can, it’s the person that has an M.D, but that's just a degree. We're allowing yourself to be defined by a degree. Think about it….since when did a piece of paper have so much influence on how people treat us? What if you can't afford an education but you know everything there is to be a doctor, are you still not considered a doctor? What if you love taking pictures but you don’t have the right "technology," are you still not a photographer? Does technology define us? If objects are starting to define us then who are we? How do you define yourself if objects are starting to define you? If you have the latest iPhone or Mac then you’re rich. Where is the logic in this?

Well, all I can say is that I am constantly changing and learning new things about myself so I don't think I fit the "identity" or the label I am expected to be…a college student or even Mexican. I definitely cannot define myself when I am still trying to figure out who I am. Therefore, I am no longer allowing you to define me. Am I just young and naive? I don’t know. Neither do you. I know who I am yet simultaneously I am also discovering myself. This doesn’t mean I am having an identity crisis. Don’t label me with it. Perhaps it is “okay” to think this way because it's “normal” for someone my age. But what is the excuse for people who are younger and/or older than I am and still are having trouble discovering themselves?
To be quite honest it’s an interesting yet scary feeling not knowing how to define yourself. It's a feeling of uncertainty yet a feeling of certainty. I am always too young or too old. I am experienced but at the same time, I am not. With all these labels and people defining me I have come to a point where I am still not sure who I am and I begin to wonder if I ever will.

If I enjoy eating Hamburgers does that make me American? Does my skin color define me? Does my personality define me? What defines someone? For my family, I am too "whitewashed" because I don’t embrace my "Mexican side" or I prefer an education over a relationship. On the other hand to my friends, I am “too dark” to be white but I’m not “Mexican enough” because I don’t "Act like it." Everyone has a different label of me and all I want to say is that I am a mixture of things and it is impossible to meet everyone's expectations. Therefore, I am making my own expectations. You would label me as a contradiction but I am making a new name for it. I am human.

Sometimes I have trouble defining myself but I want to be true to myself not who you define me as. Therefore, I am human. I will not define myself and I won't let you define me. And yes I can blame society for my confusion but I also can't help but to blame myself for allowing myself to be identified label and then trying to live up to it, good or bad. So humanity, please stop labeling people and stop labeling yourself.

So, therefore, I am human. I am not Mexican. I am not White. I am not Chicana. I am not Asian. I am not short but I am not tall. I love spicy food but that doesn’t mean it’s because of my ethnicity. I hate fast food but that does not mean I won't crave a burger. I don't love fast food pizza but I love homemade pizza. I don't like soda but I will drink it when I crave it. I love meat but that doesn’t mean I am an animal killer. I love dogs but that doesn’t mean I hate cats. I also want a cat. I spend most of my time studying but that does not mean I’m studious. I can speak Spanish but that doesn’t mean I’m fluent so stop asking me to speak Spanish so you can listen to prove I’m a true Mexican. I love looking at flowers but I value the environment too much to receive them. I am in a sorority but that doesn’t mean I am constantly partying or that I only talk to frat boys. I am a college student but I don’t fit the "college norm." I don’t enjoy the idea of hooking up with someone, because I think you should get to know them before you have something intimate with them, but I don’t judge people who do. It’s your life. I care too much for people but that doesn’t mean I can't be mean and drop someone from my life.

I enjoy listening to Drake but that doesn’t mean I don't listen to Classical or Odesza. I listen to The 1975 but that does not mean I'm a hipster. I love technology but I also love sitting in the middle of a park and watching the sky. I am young but that does not mean I have not experienced life. I enjoy life but that doesn’t mean I hate death. In fact, I have come close to death, but that doesn’t mean I don’t fear it. I have the seen the impact death has on people, and the pain that it leaves, but that doesn't mean I don't welcome it. I am loved but that does not mean that I am have never experienced not being loved. I know what love is but I have yet to discover the meaning of it. I am successful but that does not mean I haven't experienced failure.

I am a little sister but that doesn’t mean I am not as mature as my older sisters. I love to read but that does not mean I am a reader. I love but that does not mean I can’t hate. I believe in God but that does not mean I am religious. I am emotional but that does not mean I can't be emotionless. I am an adult but that does not mean I can do "adult things." I don’t have thousands and thousands of dollars in my bank account but that does not mean I am poor. I have friends but that does not mean I can’t feel alone at times.

So I am human. I am a mixture of everything. The question now is, who are you? Will you define yourself or let society do it? Are you a mixture of things too? How do you define yourself?

Sincerely,

I am a human.