NORTHRIDGE, CA - Connecting with one's culture may be difficult for some second or third generation Hispanic Americans, however, it is not impossible. Hispanics in the San Fernando Valley are sharing their experience connecting to their culture this year during Hispanic Heritage month.
CSUN Music Major Destiny Ramos; Photo by Natalie Sierra
A 2017 report by the Pew Research Center shows that more than 18% of Americans identify as Hispanic or Latin, making them the second largest ethnic group in the United States. Second generation Hispanics have a Hispanic self-identification rate of 92% and third generations have a self-identification rate of 77%. This research shows that as time passes, Latin and Hispanic generations are, the more distance they are from their culture.
CSU Northridge freshman Destiny Ramos, who identifies as Mexican-American, said that she feels significantly distanced from her culture as she is not Native Mexican. Moving around a lot as a child did not help Ramos’ situation either.
“It just became very vibrant before my eyes how much I was missing out on like a very important part of who I am,” Ramos said.
However, she says music has played a large part in her connecting to her Mexican culture and heritage. Watching and listening to artists such as Jesse Reyes and Natalia Lafourcade has allowed Ramos to learn about her culture.
“You can hop all around like Mexico and Spain through music,” she said.
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An article in Panoramas Scholarly Platform, written by California State University adjunct Professor Jorge Andres Herrera, explains the role that music has in shaping a person's identity. It is important to relate to one’s culture though language, food and especially music. In the article, Herrera writes that music helps Latinos who are distanced from their culture by empowering them and reconnecting them with their true selves and serves as a way of embracing their heritage and identity.
For Ramos, music is not only a way for her to connect with her culture and heritage, but with her family as well. It allows her to learn the language she needs in order to to communicate with her relatives.
“There were a lot of niche pronunciation things that I wouldn’t normally have exposure… that I’m exposed to though music,” Ramos said. “Honestly, it’s just a lot easier to kind of hold on to and keep with you.”
Music may be a big part of Hispanic culture and Ramos' journey towards connecting with her culture, but it is not the only way.
“I feel like food also another really great way to connect to the culture,” she said.
A report by The Institute for Latino Studies at the University of Notre Dame titled, “Orale! Food and Identity amongst Latinos,” shows that food is a part of one’s identity. The report uses the phrase, “you are what you eat,” switching it around to, “you eat what you are” as a way to explain the importance of food in the Mexican community. It goes into specific detail about certain food, such as guacamole, saying that the ingredients represent Mexico since the come from that region. It also speaks about spicy foods, stating that only in Mexico are chiles used in such a sophisticated manner.
Although Ramos says she is not as close to her heritage as she wishes to be, she still makes an effort to connect to her culture.
Video Credits: WWLTV
Video Credits: Natalie Sierra
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By: Natalie Sierra
Contributions from Pew Research Center,
Panoramas Scholarly Program,
The Institute for Latino Studies, University of Notre Dame,
Video, WWLTV,
Video, Natalie Sierra,
Audio, Natalie Sierra
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