Mexican-American Identity

what does it mean to be Mexican-American?
pues....let me tell you.....or try to tell you

it is still an unanswered question despite the numerous discussions including the one on Sabado.
There isn't one right answer, at least that's my opinion, because we don't have the EXACT same experience. There are always variables that will make your Mexican-American different from mine, but there are similarities. That's why we can bond with fellow Mexican-Americans, Chicanos, Latinos, Hispanics, Mexican AND Americans, and what other name you go by.

The discussion I attended as part of the Chicago Humanities Festival featured Luis Alberto Urrea (and it's not pronounced UREA....that's a chemical in the body which is eventually converted to urine...don't think he wants to be a called Mr. "precursor to urine"), Manuel Munoz, Ruben Martinez, and Brenda Cardenas

Ruben who wrote "Crossing Over: A Mexican Family on the Migrant Trail" read something about what it meant to be a "Chicano"

(later in the day, when i was on the phone trying to activate my new ATM card, I heard this phrase and thought it could be added to what he said...
"To continue in English, Press 1.....To continue in spanish, Press 2"
"That's Chicano")

Something else Ruben said about "pinche" made me think of my post on nurses and Arnold....but that's a separate post in the works ;)

Brenda Cardenas read her poem "Report from the Temple of Confessions in Old Chicano English" which showed a beautiful blend of spanish and english (yeah both) in a poem. It sounded so natural, so smooth....of course.....if we can blend both in our daily lives, why not in a poem?

Manuel Munoz, author of "Zigzagger", spoke about his experiences as a gay Latino writer and some of the challenges in publishing works with gay characters. "Zigzagger" received a better reception from the Latino market than the gay market. His book garnered positive attention from the Latinos in California. This reaffirmed one of my beliefs about writers. There is always a group out there who needs a voice. Writers get to be THAT voice....one of the several voices that speak for a group with similar experiences and needs.

Luis Alberto Urrea, author of "The Devil's Highway: A True Story", discussed briefly how physical appearance and being from the border come into play with one's identity as a Mexican-American. He's been told by Mexicans....You're not Mexican, You're from Tijuana. To which he responded....Where do you think Tijuana is?

Another issue that came up was about influences? Who were these writers' influences? I could relate to Manuel Munoz who mentioned some of his influences are Black women. My influences are an eclectic mix. I have not been exposed to many Latino writers. The writers I've read are those typically studied in any public school in America....Mark Twain, Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, Edgar Allen Poe, Charles Dickens, etc. In college, I did read more Latino literature as part of a course. When my medical training began, I didn't have much time to read books which were NOT medical books. At this point, more of my influences are musicians.....some of the more prominent ones are white males. Yep...this Mexican-American has been inspired by a couple of talented white boys :)
But that is my point......I am Mexican and I am American.....I am influenced by American culture (but the Beatles are really more of a British influence). By diversifying my interests, i do have more female influences now.......a majority are still musical influences. However, I now have more time to read things which ARE NOT related to medicine. But I do have to count Medicine as an influence although Medicine isn't a person or a writer.

It was a lively discussion......good questions from the audience......but with most discussions, it raises more questions. The important point of these discussions is that we ARE thinking about it.....we don't have to walk away with a definitive answer.