Shirley Rodas ​8111 Nordhoff Street

Professor Shahrazad Encinitas Northridge, CA 91330

CAS 115 September 12, 2016
September 22, 2023

Dear Magaly Lavandez,

My name is Shirley Rodas, I am a Cal State University Northridge student. I have read
your article “Visibly Hidden: Language, Culture and Identity of Central Americans in Los
Angeles” and was truly intrigued by your studies on students who have immigrated to the United
States. Coming from two Immigrant parents from Guatemala, I have thought all my life that this
discrimination as a student was such a unique experience, then finding out that many others have
felt the same way I have was just mind blowing.

While I was reading your article, I found it very interesting when you said “that Central
American immigrant students were more likely to be referred to special education, despite the
fact that they were not “low performing students”.” Immediately after I read this I stopped to
think about my own experience and how it could relate to others that went through the same
thing as me. When I was in elementary school I was put in a program called “ELA”, English
Language Arts, simply for the fact that my first language was Spanish but I knew english. They
had labeled me as a low performer, they would pull me out of class to go to another class where
we would review English literature terms and our understanding of readings.

Growing up I was ashamed to speak Spanish even though that is all I spoke at home.
How would you integrate “emerging research on Central Americans” into modern day
schooling? I believe if I had more representation growing up I would have been so much more
eager to speak spanish and tell others about my culture. As you mentioned in your article that
some spanish-speaking kids have trouble with their identity with being American and Central
American, where do you find yourself relating to the most? Knowing that your interest in Central
America started over 15 years ago must mean that you know alot about the cultures, do you find
yourself participating more in those cultures then American cultures?

Another interesting point that you have mentioned is code switching and shifting. I found
it really intriguing how immigrants living in the United States have “mixed” their Spanish with
other countries, mainly Guatemalan, Salvadorian, and Mexican spanish. Having the idea of
Spanish in Los Angeles creating a “new spanish” is something I never learned about, but I wish
it was. Knowing the “Los Angeles Spanish” then going to Guatemala for the first time was quite
fascinating since there were words I have never heard of. Although the spanish I learned gave me
more insight on salvadorian and Mexican spanish it did not prove quite helpful, when I was
talking to a friend of mine who is mexican, I spoke in Guatemalan spanish, she did understand
but there were a few words she said she never heard of and I got really confused because we both
grew up in Los Angeles. There are just some words that are still strictly from your home country
that I learned that day.
Thanks to your article I was Able to understand the difference in Spanish and the similar
experience which I thought was uniquely mine.

Thank you,
Shirley Rodas