Mexico Is In Our Blood

On September 4th 1904, my paternal grandfather was born. Rosalio

Ruano-Ponce migrated to the U.S. right after his 16 th birthday. He was a bracero
and traveled where ever he could find work and stayed as long as he had a job.
My grandpa at 45 years old married my grandmother, Maria de Jesus Ruvalcaba
who was only 21 years old, in Yahualica Jalisco, Mexico, on February 1949. Even
though he continued to travel for work he always came back to his home town
where my grandmother lived.
Together they had 7 children, my
dad was the oldest born in 1950.
These pictures were both taken
around the same time, May 1957.
My grandpa sent a message to my
grandmother asking for her to take
this picture of her and their children
because he wanted to make sure
they were all well. Meanwhile he
was in Calexico, California working as a bracero. He passed away in January
1963 of a heart attack in my grandmothers arms.
My dad was only 12years old and was expected to take on full
responsibility for taking care of his family. Although, he only went to school up
until third grade, my dad learned a lot from my grandfather. At his very young
age, he was obligated to work. My dad migrated to the U.S. 5 years after my
grandfathers passing to help support my grandmother and his siblings. When he

got here, he already had a place to sleep and a job. My dad says he has never
felt discriminated against. Even though he has lived in the United States most of
his life now, and even speaks the language, he says he will never be American.
He was born Mexican and he will die
Mexican. After all, this land was Mexico.
My dad met my mom, Guadalupe
Bustamante Felix, in Culver City, also
Mexican descendant, and married in
1975.
When I was 12 years old, my dad
took us back to Guadalajara, Jalisco, to
live. We lived there for 8 years. I must
say that I felt more out of place living
there than in Los Angeles. I was made
fun of because of the way I spoke. The kids in school would call me pocha or
gringa and I was required to learn to speak, read, and write proper Spanish,
which I appreciate now. I also feel the same way as my dad. Even though I was
born in Los Angeles, California, I come from Mexican parents. I may be an
American Citizen but I am Mexican one hundred percent.