Having been born in New York City, I feel like I was born into the center of American culture, the melting pot of the world, the place where innovation in art and fashion, science and technology and so much more happens. The place where people all over the world can only dream of one day going to. The place full of millions of people and languages from all over the world. However despite all this diversity, it was not always easy finding my own people and my own culture. I never truly felt a part of American society. This feeling is more palpable now with the current political climate and how the majority of this country views Mexicans and immigrants. Thankfully, I could rely on my Mexican side. This meant learning Spanish as my first language, eating different foods, listening to different music and watching different entertainment than what my peers would watch. This also meant having a big, and I mean really big, family, whom I wouldn’t always see, but when I did it was always pure love and care for one another. However, I don’t consider myself fully Mexican because I never grew up there or have even been there. I never faced hardships where I would have to leave school in order to work in fields and assist with the animals or have to help make bread to support the family. I never faced the hardships my parents or aunts and uncles faced in their small town. I never had to leave my hometown and family and everyone else I ever knew and loved just because my family didn’t have enough money to stay there. Despite all this, I have always been grateful for having been raised with love and support from my family, for family is the most important aspect of Mexican culture and while I may not be fully Mexican or fully American, I am glad that that value has stuck with me.
Similar to the Youth, I have always been in love with the arts, whether its theater or dance or visual arts and music. But the one aspect I am most drawn to has always been music. Since kindergarten, where I had my first experience learning the basics of piano, I have always been drawn to music. In middle schooI was drawn the orchestra and I became first chi viola for those years. In high school, however there was no music progra and so I looked elsewhere. It was in freshman year that I began to take piano classes all the way up until my senior year. In high school I met other people that had interests in the arts. I participated in talent shows and won one and even went to perform at another friend’s gig at his program outside of school. It was a fun experience, but it wasn’t until after my music classes ended around May of this year that I felt lost and didn’t know where to go. I no longer had a teacher or conductor to guide me. Every time I was able to perform or improve my skill I felt like I was a part of something greater, like I was destined to do something with this knowledge I have, but just as it reached its peak, something happened and it had to end. As of now I am still lost, but hopefully that will change soon as college begins to fully unfold and I begin to learn how to explore on my own without the need for a guide.
