1811 Nordhoff Street

Northridge, CA 91330
October 10, 2022

Oscar Moran
12345 Road Street
Whittier, CA 90605

Dear Papa:

In my Central American studies class I have learned about the struggles Central American
immigrants and their children face with becoming part of American society. A lot of immigrants,
especially indigenous people like Maya, are forced to assimilate and blend into American culture
in order to avoid discrimination and other risks like deportation. It has been very eye-opening for
me to learn about what life is like for immigrants like yourself.

As your child and a child of immigrants from Guatemala and El Salvador, I can relate to a lot of
topics like invisibility for being Central American. It saddens me also to know some Central
American immigrants, especially Maya, are forced to blend into the large Mexican crowd in the
United States and are ashamed of their culture or ethnic background. Some even choose to stray
away from their culture and leave their heritage behind. In an excerpt from Expressions of Maya
Identity and Culture in Los Angeles, Giovanni Batz details why some Maya feel uncomfortable
expressing their culture when coming to the United States. In the reading, it states, “Maya
immigrants are forced to blend in with the Latino community in order to avoid attracting
attention and being identified as immigrants by local authorities. For instance, many Maya
women are unable to wear their traje in public out of fear of deportation.”

In Visible Language Culture and Identity of Central Americans in Los Angeles, Marlon Morales
talks about his experience in fourth grade when a classmate asked him where he was from. His
mother has told him to never speak about his Central American background and simply say he is
from Mexico or from “here.” In this conversation with his classmate, he says, “‘My mom said
I’m supposed to say this all the time, even at the Union Avenue Elementary School. Anything
Salvadoran like pupusas, pacaya, flor de izote and Spanish was always left at home, never in
public. Regardless, I looked back into Alex’s eyes. ‘El Salvador,’ I blurted out. ‘I’m from El
Salvador.’” Central Americans face a number of challenges trying to blend in with American
society and culture. Oftentimes, this means distancing themselves from their roots.

With love,
Michael Moran