Bertha Fernandez

Professor Shahrazad Encinias

CAS 115

20 September 2023

P1.1:

In “Visibly Hidden Language Culture and Identity of Central Americans in Los Angeles” by

Magaly Lavandez discusses the erasure of Central American culture. The author shares stories of

different peoples experiences and how they reacted. She gives background about herself and how

her interest in central america came to be and then gives background into different cultures with

her putting the main attention to El Salvador and Guatemala and explains how the Spanish

language can vary depending on the countries.

This article stood out to me the most out of all the articles I’ve read so far because of a certain

story she wrote about that being “What part of Mexico is El Salvador”. For most of my life I

have been slightly embarrassed of where my parents were from mostly due to the fact that people

never seemed to acknowledge it. It didn’t matter to anyone where I was from I was always going

to be referred to as Mexican no one ever asked me about my ethnicity all they labeled me was as

a mexican. Honestly growing up I envied those with Mexican background because they were

always being praised and acknowledged. I wanted to be a part of it. Did I ever identify as a

mexican no I didn’t and I always corrected people whenever they labeled me as so. Now there’s

this whole controversy about correcting people about where your from and how it’s hurtful

towards mexican and honestly I can see their side of it but at the same time it’s also about being

proud of where you’re from because in all I honestly didn’t really appreciate it and most who

grew up in the U.S probably didn’t either. So I understand where the person who shared this
story was coming from when she was questioning herself and everything about her because at

times it seems like all you’ll ever be is Mexican when you’re not. It wasn’t until I started using

social media that I started appreciating my culture more because I was seeing more than what I

saw on television or the news and seeing that made me proud because most of my friends who I

grew up with were either mexican or half mexican half but I noticed they would always resonate

more with their mexican side than their other as if that part didn’t exist. My friends and I spoke a

lot of spanglish and there were some differences with words. Sometimes they used words that

meant something different compared to how I would use them or I would use words that they

had never heard of. It was a small struggle of me wanting to forget about my culture because I

didn’t have anyone willing to show me anything or teach me anything. However as I grow up I

see more and learn more and I try my best to embrace it with what I know.