Americano

¿Estas Latina?”
“You’re Latina?”
Asi, soy Latina. Incluso con mi piel blanca. Soy latina porque soy fuerte, como mi papá.
Yes, I’m Latina, even with my light skin. I’m Latina because I am strong, like my father.
Soy Latina porque soy poderosa, como mi mamá.
I am Latina because I am strong, like my mother.
Soy la hija de un inmigrante.
I am the daughter of an immigrant.
“Hija de un inmigrante” pero MAS de eso, “Daughter of an immigrant”, but MORE than that
I am the daughter of hands that work until they bleed.
I am the daughter of 24 hour shifts.
I am the daughter of a man who dared to dream.
I am the daughter of concrete, of dirt, of nails, of passion, of grit. That’s what being Latino means.
It means sacrifice. It means “I love you” means “I would cross 100 borders for you.”
It means my last name becomes more than a name, it becomes a declaration of who I come from, of who I am. It becomes a promise to my father’s sacrifice, to achieve all that hard work can achieve. It is standing at the water fountain and using it, knowing my grandfather never could. It is a dare to look hatred in the face and still choose to love. To stand up against injustice by flooding the streets with music and dancing. To continue dreaming, to continue laughing, to continue fighting. To continue believing in the American Dream, to hold onto hope, to work 10x harder for half the result. To see the flag I was created from be swung with pride on the world’s largest stage and smile loudly, to watch my parents
That’s what being Latino means. That’s what being Americano means.