Module 4 Paper

Robert Miller
College of Integrative Sciences and Arts, Arizona State University
OGL 350: Diversity and Organizations
Stephanie Salazar
November 8, 2022
 This assignment has been one of the most interesting and eye opening that I have

experienced since being back in school. The individual that I interviewed has been in my life for

over a year now. Without knowing, I have been doing this interview since we have met, learning

things about her that tied directly into the interview questions and readings. I feel that I was

lucky with the selection of my readings because as I read them, I was thinking how I have heard

Fabiola say these exact same words.

I have the pleasure of knowing Fabiola Sosa for over a year now and whom I can call my

friend. She has turned to me for advice when it comes to work and when she has management

questions, since I am almost twice her age, and amongst other personal related issues. I was

turned to her when I asked for ideas about our next module assignment, which she suggested,

Día De Muertos, or The Day of the Dead, which I attended last Saturday, and I will tell you

about in the next paper. Since I work with Fabiola, the interview was conducted over a couple of

days in a casual environment.

My interview started with the first question on the list and then my questions came from a

combination of the readings and what I already knew about Faby. Her idea of what culture is

what we do in our community, with our family, our beliefs and what we do. Her family is very

important to her, and it shows especially since her dad visits on a regular basis at work. She does

live with her parents but not her grandparents, but her grandfather wants to get married to

someone 40 years younger than he is. She does talk about her family a lot, so it was obvious to

me how important they are to her. I already knew that Faby spoke Spanish, but I did not know to

what extent. I have heard her help customers who only spoke Spanish, but since I do not, I could

not tell her level of expertise. While I was reading, “Gloria Anzaldúa’s Mexican Genealogy:

From Pelados and Pachucos to New Mestizas”, I was thinking about things that Faby has
discussed with me. I remember her telling me that she didn’t quite fit in when she would go back

to Mexico because she was no longer a native and her Spanish wasn’t perfect. Faby also said that

she felt like she didn’t quite fit into either world. She wasn’t accepted when she would go back

home because she was born in America and because of her Spanish, and she didn’t quite fit in

here. She was made fun of when in Mexico for reasons I didn’t understand until I read this part

of the article,

Anzaldúa describes the way Chicanas have developed an inferiority

complex under the heading “Linguistic Terrorism”. Chicanas who grew up
speaking Chicano Spanish have internalized the belief that we speak poor
Spanish. It is illegitimate, a bastard language. And because we internalize
how our language has been used against us by the dominant culture, we use
our language differences against each other.

I never realized how complicated things were between individuals with the same blood and

tongue, from my point of view. Both this article and, “Resisting Borders: Transnational

Cartographies in US Latinx Studies”, both say almost the same thing, “That is, the influence of

the American context, along with a supposed "Americanisation", problematise their

"authenticity" as Mexicans.” This article also introduced me to the term, “mestizaje” and I asked

Faby if she felt this way or if she would consider herself a mestizaje. Her response was that she

did not like that term. In her mind, that is a term from colonial times, and it was negative. She

was more comfortable with being called a Chicana. She has felt the discrimination from other

Mexicans, especially when she goes back to Mexico, and from those that live in America

because of here mixed upbringings. Spanish was the main language in her house when she was

growing up but that changed to English when she got older. She has been told by Americans that

discrimination question, “Why don’t you go back to Mexico where you belong?” She has felt
what another article said, “’It is an intermeshing of Anglo- American and Mexican elements’’.

Therefore, the differences are profound between the two cultures due to the diverse respective

cultural traditions.” She has beliefs and traditions that are from a Mexican upbringing that have

been washed with the environment that was around her.

For Faby and her family, the importance of education is high to overcome the differences

she faces being part of two different worlds. If she is going to succeed here in America,

education will be the key factor to overcome some of the racism that she faces. A formal

education, and education in general, will help overcome discrimination. Educating people about

the issues that are present with minorities as well as the beauty that comes from your culture.

These are some of the conversations that she has with her family at the most important meal,

which is dinner. Some of the values that her father has tried to instill in her a good work ethic,

punctuality, and being a good person. Part of this was to overcome discrimination by not giving

others added excuses to dislike you. All four articles that I read supported the struggles and

education of what Chicanos/as are going through, “Literature written for and by young Chicanos

and Latinos is increasing and focuses on themes that are prevalent among this target group, such

as assimilation, bilingualism, biculturalism, intergenerational/intercultural conflicts, etc.”.

Fabiola and I had a chance to reflect on this from what I might have experienced. The

closest thing that would be comparable would be when I compared myself to others that had

more money than me. I was treated differently because of my clothing and teased. Her response

was almost identical to the article we read from the previous module by Deborah Megivern,

“You’re still White.”. The struggles that others have faced I will never know because of the color

of my skin. My privileged upbringings, which I thought I was discriminated against, were never

known to me until now. The feeling that Fabiola has, was something that I thought I had gone
through, but until you speak with and empathize with someone who has gone through this, you

may never know. Recognizing these unconscious biases or acts of discrimination will help

overcome some of our differences, but only action will make change.
 References
Özge Karayalçın. (2016). Pueblos Silenciosos/ Silent Comunities: Within the Grain, Against the

Grain.

Megivern, D. (2005). Supposed To Know Better - Accepting Privilege, Explorations in Privilege,

Oppression, and Diversity.

Macarena Garcia-Avello. (08/02/2021). Resisting Borders: Transnational Cartographies in US

Latinx Studies.

Mariana Alessandri and Alexander StehnGloria. (01/18/2020). Anzaldúa’s Mexican Genealogy:

From Pelados and Pachucos to New Mestizas

Amaia Ibarraran-Bigalondo. (02/16/2016). When the border educates: Malín Alegria’s Sofi

Mendoza’s Guide to Getting Lost in Mexico.

 Appendix

What is your definition of “culture?

Did you ever live with your grandparents or extended family?
What is the primary language spoken in your family? Any foreign-language speakers?
How important is an education in your family?
What is the most important meal of the day?
If you are from a culture that speaks English as a second language, do you speak your native
language?  If not, why?  If so, will you teach your native language to any children you have?
How much importance is placed on education?
How do you define success?
Is punctuality important to you?  Why or why not?
Have you ever experienced racism? In what form?
What can be done about racism and prejudice, in your opinion?
Have you ever felt excluded based on your gender or culture?
Do you feel like a mestizaje?