Diana Iraheta

Professor Shelia Fielding

Critical Reading and Writing 103
31 January 2016

Second Generation
I grew up knowing nothing of my parents native land. I grew up
in a household where I learned both English and Spanish at the same
time my parents learned it. Im a second generation Hispanic
American. Hispanic Americans are the fastest growing minority group
in the United States. Growing up in both a Hispanic and American
culture has shaped my life in many ways. It has given me insight on
how lucky I am to be part of a community of second generation
Hispanic Americans. I get to experience both types of culture and
blend them together. It has taught me how to become a stronger
person and a more multicultural individual.
Hispanics today have formed the fastest-growing ethnic minority
in the United States. Numbering about 22.4 million in 1992, they make
up the second largest minority in the nation, African Americans being
the largest (Hispanic). About 60 percent of these Hispanics trace
their origin to Mexico (Hispanic). There are two basic reasons for
Hispanic immigration to the United States: economic opportunity and
escape from political persecution (Hispanic). Like my parents, other

Hispanics immigrated to the US to create a better life and to start

families. My parents started a family in the United States on the main
founding principles that most Hispanics do, to present their children
with the many opportunities that their homelands couldnt. The main
beliefs of Hispanic Americans are that hard work and the great
opportunities like the ones offered in the United States could create a
better life. One of the main focuses of the Hispanic culture is family on
the other hand the United States culture is a lot more individualistic.
Getting to experience both types of culture is one of the main
components of being a Hispanic American.
Hispanic American do face controversial elements, one being
stereotypes. Hispanics American face stereotypes like being
generalized that they are all Mexican, or that they cant speak or
understand English (Hispanic). Another controversial element of
being a Hispanic American is the expectation of moving up the
economic ladder (Hispanic). The main barrier for most Hispanic
Americans is assimilating into the economical culture of the United
States. Overall, being born a Hispanic American has given me insight
on how lucky I am, and created opportunities that I wouldnt have if it
werent for my parents coming here.
Being a Hispanic American, and a second-generation child I have
certain unwritten roles that I must fulfill. One of them is doing well in
school. My mother always says that we are lucky to get such a great

education and that in her country that wasnt possible. The plan since I
was a child was to go to school, be successful and go to college. Most
parents of second-generation children make it their goal to work hard
for their children to be able to attend college because they couldnt. As
members of the second-generation, I do more than learn to speak
English well. I also absorb values and ideas that are often foreign to my
parents. The United States is considered my homeland. Even as my
parents try to maintain their traditional values, like only speaking
Spanish at home or going to Spanish mass, as a second generation I
bring home a new culture, a new set of traditions that often clash with
the values of my parents. One of my roles as a Hispanic American is to
blend these two culture together. Im expected to maintain my parents
Hispanic traditional ways but at the same time assimilate to the
American culture. Also, as a member of the Hispanic American
community Im expected to move up the economic ladder. Im
expected to do this by going to school and getting a good paying job to
later on support my parents since the Hispanic culture is more family
oriented.
Being a member of the Hispanic American community, I have
been stereotyped by some of my peers and teachers. Ive learned to
find it amusing when people tell me that my English is really good for
being Hispanic. When I transferred schools in high school, my new
school made me take an English proficiency test. It didnt matter that

Id been in Honors English since middle school, or that my old school

records showed that my English was way stronger than my Spanish. All
that mattered was that I was Hispanic and that I spoke some Spanish
at home and because of that they needed to test my English. In my
opinion, the test was a waste of my time and it insulted me a little. Ive
had similar experiences where some from the Hispanic community
didnt think I spoke or understood Spanish just because I was too
Americanized. These experiences have shaped me to be a better and
stronger individual because it showed me that stereotypes still existed
and that some believe that one culture has to suppress the other. As a
Hispanic American I have to show them that I can still hold traditional
Hispanic values and at the same time American Values.
Like many second generation Hispanic Americans, I consider the
United States my homeland and carry many of the beliefs and values
of this country. It becomes difficult to pick and choose which Hispanic
or American values to keep. It amazes my parents that I can rehearse
the US national anthem and the pledge but know nothing of their
native home. This creates barriers between my parents and I. One of
the major barriers is the language gap. Over the years my English has
suppressed my Spanish since I speak it and use it more in my everyday
life. My obligation as a Hispanic American is to keep the main
traditional values, like speaking Spanish. It becomes frustrating trying
to explain something to my parents in Spanish when I know so little of

it and they know so little of English. Or trying to tell them a funny story
but the humor isnt the same when I translate it to Spanish. Ive had
experiences where I just needed to speak Spanish to communicate or
translate something really important to my parents and I just couldnt
do it. The outcome of this experience showed me that some traditional
values like speaking Spanish are really important to keep. It taught me
to become closer to my familys culture and become a more of a
multicultural individual.
Being part of the Hispanic American community has given many
opportunities. Many first opportunities that my parents couldnt
experience, like being first to go to college, knowing to speak two
languages, being able to interact with two whole cultures that wouldnt
be possible if I wasnt born a Hispanic American. My experience as a
Hispanic American has made me a stronger individual, showing how to
handle hard situations and made me open to new cultures. Personally, I
believe that being part of this group has shaped my whole life. It made
me the person I am today, a strong, hard working, multicultural
individual.

Taken: January 27, 2016 at 6:30pm

Impression: I was born a Hispanic American.

Work Cited
Hispanic Americans. International World History Project. International
World
History Project, January 2007. Web. 22 January 2016.