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Kayla E. Escobar
Professor Sheila Fielding
WRTC 103
31 January 2016

1/27/15
Embrace your roots
9:30pm
A Unique Blend
On June 12, 1997 my parents first child was born. She had her fathers olive skin and
dark eyes and her mothers curly hair and tender heart. She was the perfect combination of two
cultures merged into one. At times she struggled with her identity, as most teens do, but she also
learned to appreciate her multicultural background. Eighteen years later, she enrolled in James
Madison University where she entered yet another phase of self-identification and realization.
My name is Kayla Escobar. I am the oldest of four children and I grew up in Springfield,
Virginia, an exceptionally diverse part of Northern Virginia. I come from a mixed family, raised
by an Anglo-American mother and a first generation Latino father. Although I have always had a
strong connection to American culture, my appearance is that of a Latina. I identify myself as a
Hispanic American because I am a United States citizen of Latin American descent. Life as a

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Professor Sheila Fielding

WRTC 103
31 January 2016
Hispanic American allows me to experience a blend of two cultures that creates its own unique
culture. Being a Hispanic American has made me a hard working, determined individual who
stays committed to my personal values.
Hispanic influence in America dates back many years. In 1565, Saint Augustine brought
the first European settlement to the United States where he introduced Catholicism and the
Spanish language to present day Florida.(PBS) Today, Latinos have become the fastest growing
ethnic group in the United States and Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world.
According to the 2010 census, Hispanics or Latinos accounted for 17.4% of the people living in
the United States and this number continues to grow daily.(Census) Hispanic Americans are of
Latin American decent or have parents that are from Latin America. The phrase "Latin America"
started in the early 1800's to distinguish American countries with people of European origin.
(Jones) Some of the major racial groups found in Latin American countries include whites,
blacks, mestizos (Indian and white ancestry), and mulattoes (people of both black and white
ancestry). The people of Latin America are diverse because they represent many different
countries and landscapes.
Latin Americans value many of the same founding principles as other nationalities, such
as: strong work ethic, deep-seeded ties to family and community, and enduring faith in God.
Various world religions are practiced in Latin America, but most Latin Americans are Roman
Catholic. Although devoted to religion, Latinos also like to savor life and indulge in food and
music. They are well known for dances such as salsa, bachata, and merengue. Latinos value
education but not to the same extent as natives of the United States of America. This is largely

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Professor Sheila Fielding

WRTC 103
31 January 2016
due to the fact that Latin American countries often have less educational opportunities. Instead,
they place a higher value on family and their community and expect children to work at a young
age to support their family. When Latin Americans immigrated to the United States, they
brought these values with them and, as a result, shaped many of the values of Hispanic
Americans.
An eye opening experience that shaped me into the person that I am today was when I met
my Latina Grandmother from Honduras for the first time. I anticipated her arrival since the day
my father told me she was coming to the United States to visit. I couldn't wait to meet her! I
was a nave 8 year old and I planned her entire visit by making a list of activities and games I
wanted to play with her, without acknowledging the impact of language barriers. We spoke two
different languages and, unbeknownst to me, the smallest tasks would become the biggest
challenges. My role during her visit was to be an obedient granddaughter and keep her company,
but our interactions quickly became awkward because of the language barrier. Silence and polite
smiles soon became the norm. I remember her looking at me with an intent face; repeating the
word escoba over and over again. I had no idea what she was saying, so she grabbed a piece
of paper and a pencil and started drawing. She handed me the paper and I looked at it. She had
drawn a broom. I ran downstairs and grabbed a broom from the garage and handed it to her. She
smiled and we both seemed to draw a sigh of relief. This was how we communicated during her
two-week visit. Although I enjoyed my grandmothers stay, it wasnt without conflict and
uncomfortable moments. Women in Latin American countries are expected to tend to the needs
of the males in the household so she expected me to wait on my father and brothers. If they

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Professor Sheila Fielding

WRTC 103
31 January 2016
appeared to need something she would wave her hand in a motion to indicate that I should get up
and take care of it. This was very uncomfortable to me because I was raised in an environment
of gender equality. I began to realize that Hispanic Americans have different roles and identify
themselves differently than people living in Latin American countries. Hispanic American
females have a stronger sense of independence and individuality than females living in Latin
American countries. This experience shaped me as an individual. I value my equality and
independent thinking that is fostered in the United States because I know that women in other
parts of the world do not have the same opportunities.
Another experience that shaped me as a Hispanic American was when my third grade teacher
asked me to sit next to a student who recently moved to the United States from Mexico. My
teacher assumed that I spoke Spanish and expected me to sit next to the new student to
communicate and translate for him. Although Spanish was sometimes spoken in our house, it
wasnt often enough for me to become bi-lingual. My friends and childcare providers only spoke
English to me from the time I was very young so it was the only language that I felt comfortable
speaking. The new student looked at me for help and support and I certainly wasnt in a position
to give him any. I ended up explaining to my teacher that I didn't speak Spanish and couldn't
communicate with the student any better than the other students in the class. This experience
taught me that people often make assumptions about me based on my appearance.
This past summer I went to the Outer Banks in North Carolina with my family. On our last
day of vacation, the ocean was closed due to recent shark citings, so instead we decided to go to

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Kayla E. Escobar
Professor Sheila Fielding
WRTC 103

31 January 2016
an adventure park where there was rock wall climbing and rope swings. I went to the front desk
of the adventure park with my mom to turn in my liability form. The lady at the front desk
looked at me and then at my mom. She peered at us over the top of her glasses and said, This
form requires parental consent. Are you her mother? My mom, of course, responded, Yes.
The woman obviously didn't believe I was related to my mom. She asked the same question in
different variations, not once, but three times. She didn't believe I was related to my mom
because my mom is Caucasian and I have a much darker complexion. I was silent and
embarrassed as I watched my mom take care of the situation. This experience made me
unpleasantly aware that some people perceive a normal family as one in which all the family
members look the same verses a multicultural one.
Being a Hispanic American is a blend between two cultures that creates its own unique
culture. It has made me more introspective and, at times, caused me to question my identity. It
has also made me realize that an individuals appearance is less important than your personal
values when it comes to self-identification. Ive learned to appreciate my unique blend. Being a
Hispanic American has made me a hard working, determined individual who stays committed to
my personal values.
Works Cited
Jones, David M. "Latin America." Reviewed by Thomas M. Davies, Jr. The New Book of
Knowledge. Grolier Online, 2016. Web. 31 Jan. 2016.

Kayla E. Escobar
Professor Sheila Fielding
WRTC 103
31 January 2016
"Latino Americans." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2016.

"Census.gov." Census.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2016.

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