PERSONAL CULTURAL

PROJECT
Cynthia Guzman
EDU 280 - 4001
 CULTURAL BELONGING
Mexican Culture

➢ My parents moved from Mexico to the United

States looking for better opportunities. Even
though they had moved to the U.S. and knew
they would spend the rest of their lives here,
their pride in their country never faltered.
➢ My parents raised my brother and I in a
Mexican household which was somewhat
traditional with occasional modern twists.
➢ We were taught to work hard and make our
family proud.
Graphic provided by:
https://www.google.com/search?q=mexico&rlz=1C1NDCM_enUS708US709&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=662&source=lnms&tbm=i
sch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi46Jzv2qzSAhVlsVQKHRGqDFQQ_AUICCgD#imgdii=XQa2nR9aAjT39M:&imgrc=UCU1wuAsXjPa-M:
 CULTURAL BELONGING
American Culture

➢ They met each other in Chicago, Illinois and got

married.
➢ My parents knew we would become fluent in
English quickly so, they made sure to teach us
Spanish. Learning Spanish would keep us
connected to our heritage. It would be an
advantage and a weakness.
➢ We were taught to embrace the greatness and
opportunities of this country.

Graphic provided by: http://www.planwallpaper.com/america

 AMERICAN AND HISPANIC/MEXICAN CULTURE
➢ Fluent in English and Spanish.
➢ Citizenship in both the United States
and Mexico.
➢ I was born in Chicago, Illinois. Lived a
year in Mexico when I was about 4
years old in 2001. Moved to Las
Vegas, Nevada and grew up here.
➢ We had annual trips to Mexico to
visit family and avoiding forgetting
and embracing our culture.
Graphic provided by:
https://www.google.com/search?q=mexico+and+the+united+states&rlz=1C1NDC
M_enUS708US709&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjlsuTblK_SAh
XFlFQKHc8jBX0Q_AUICCgB&biw=1366&bih=662#imgrc=cBB-B3CEttTJRM:
 CELEBRATIONS, GENDER, RELIGION ETC.
➢ Most Hispanic/Latinos grow up in Catholicism but I was raised in a Christian household. My family and I went to
church most Sundays but as we got older we stopped going.
➢ I have no religion. I’m not an atheist or nihilistic. I don’t discriminate people for believing religions. I believe in
science but I also believe that there could be some mystical force or being controlling things. I like the comfort
that faith brings to people in moments of unclarity and trouble.
➢ I celebrate Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year’s, and most American holidays. I also celebrate Mexican
holidays such as Day of the Dead, Dia de Los Tres Reyes ( The Three Kings’ Day) , and so many more that are
too many to list.
➢ I identify as a female.
➢ My main diet consists of every traditional Mexican dish. Enchiladas, chilaquiles, tamales, pozole, arroz con
leche etc. My mother rarely cooked American or “ White people” meals.
 LIFE EXPERIENCES
SCHOOL:

➢ I faced stereotyping and name calling a little bit in elementary school. People thought I wasn’t
born in the United States or that my parents hopped the border. Some teachers thought
because I was Mexican and spoke Spanish that I wouldn’t be as advanced as the other kids in
reading but I actually was ahead of most of my peers by 2 years. Teachers would
underestimate my intelligence which only made me work harder.
➢ I spent middle school wanting straight hair and thin eyebrows like all my white friends. I
started accepting who I was and where my curly hair and bushy eyebrows came from.
➢ In highschool, I had come to an understanding of who I was. I was comfortable in my skin and
not afraid to share my culture.
 LIFE EXPERIENCES
Annual Trips to Mexico.

➢ My father always being detained

by immigration officials and
being questioned were my first
experiences of how people of
color are treated differently.
➢ Visiting Mayan ruins, such as El
Tajin (left) kept me connected to
my ancestors. The stories told
about great Teotihuacan warriors
and gods blessing the Earth for
harvest developed my pride for
my country and culture.
Graphic provided by:
http://visitamimexico.com/revista/explora/zonas-arqueologicas/el-tajin-veracruz/
 MY WORLD VIEW
VALUES AND STANDARDS I LIVE BY:

➢ “ You can do or be anything you want as long as you work for it. Nothing
will ever come easy in life.” - my parents for my entire life.
➢ Treat others like you want to be treated.
➢ Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.
➢ Do good for yourself and others.
 MY WORLD VIEW
SHORT TERM GOALS:

➢ Finish this presentation and hopefully get a good grade on it.

➢ Try to get through this week without an anxiety attack.

LONG TERM GOALS:

➢ Graduate college and get my Master’s degree in Elementary Education.

➢ Live a long, healthy life filled only with things that I enjoy or bring joy to
me and others.
 CULTURAL ARTIFACTS: MEXICAN
➢ The picture on the top left was
taken by me on my trip to Puerto
Vallarta showing one of Mexico’s
beautiful beaches and landscape.
➢ The top right shows traditional
marshmallow treats children
often get during celebrations. They
are designed with characters from
a Mexican tv show loved by all, El
Chavo del Ocho.
➢ The bottom left shows a dish very
popular from Mexico in regions by
the ocean.
➢ The bottom right and middle
shows keepsake ceramic boxes
designed with a Day of the Dead
skull and bird and a china
poblana doll which is very
common to see.
 CULTURAL ARTIFACTS: HOBBIES/INTERESTS
➢ Most things I like to do either help me relax,
stimulate the mind, or get my creative juices
flowing.
➢ I enjoy crafts of all types.
➢ Embroidery helps me calm down my anxiety
so I enjoy doing that.
➢ I love reading. I always have a book in my
bag, sometimes two.
➢ I’ve been making jewelry since I was 8 so
that’s something I really enjoy.

Graphics provided by: Google

CULTURAL ARTIFACTS: MISCELLANEOUS
➢ At the top left I included a photograph of a makeup
collection because it’s something I enjoy.
➢ At the top right, the bracelets photographed are a
family heirloom passed from my grandmother to my
mother to me. These gold bracelets were given to me on
my fifteenth birthday. A quinceanera is the day in
which a girl become a woman in Hispanic culture.
➢ The bottom left shows an old perfume bottle given to
me this past December from a friend. Most people know
I love vintage items because the history of where it
comes from fascinates me.
➢ I also enjoy photography, shown on the bottom right.

Graphics provided by: Google

 THE END.
THANK YOU.