Pocho Next Gens: Evolving Empowerment

Growing up Pocho was a disadvantage. At least that's how I saw it. Not quite fitting in, not truly accepted by either non-Hispanics or "real Mexicans", i.e. immigrants. That's how I felt it. And, I've learned that I wasn't alone. Many US-born LatinoBoomers (and/or their children) felt that way. When cultural "conflicts" occurred, you just felt embarrassed and removed yourself from the scene. Problem solved, no? Not really. We segregated ourselves.

I've written about this before but I'm not just rehashing old ideas. Now that my daughter's in a public university, I'm seeing familiar themes, but with a very interesting (and uplifting) twist. Brought up in a slightly Spanglish, but definitely Hispanic home, she's was also raised a good Catholic school girl, her peers were fairly conservative, culturally homogeneous. (Lotta white bread.) Now among students of much greater diversity, she's confronted with a different mix of all kind of folk: White, Black, Asian, etc... and tons more raza. This last part makes sense because the University is in San Antonio and pulls a lot of commuter students from throughout Central Texas. The San Anto area is majority Hispanic. Not quite the density of the Valley (forever my home), but still.. S.A. = ese!

Anyway, back to the point: wide variety of Latino(a). In the stories that she's told me, and in my own observations of the way these kids interact, I've learned many of the same dynamics exist between Hispanics of varying backgrounds. In fact, she admitted that among her non-Hispanic White friends she feels very Hispanic, but among some (but not all) of her Hispanic friends, she feels more "White". Been there done that baby. "I feel your pain," I say in comfort and to show I understand. But, really, I don't understand. She doesn't need comforting.

Instead of dissing each other and separating, they accept, support and embrace. They're curious. They discuss. They share. The Hispanic kids that are more acculturated, or "Americanized", help those that are from Latin America or less acculturated to navigate the system here. And, they reciprocate by describing how some of the traditional customs are celebrated "back home". Authentic style. (And maybe correcting a Spanish word or two.) That's a little simplistic because there's more complex interaction, but you get the point. For them, it's all good.

Many of us grew up with prejudice and a bad habit of people, in general, building fences wherever differences were perceived. White vs. Black. Rich vs.

Poor. North of the tracks vs. South. Light skinned Hispanic vs. dark. We've seen a cultural evolution. We've seen the change and we're empowered by it. But we remember and I think it colors your POV on a lot of things.

This PochoNation generation doesn't carry the same baggage. They hear our stories and I think they appreciate where we've been. And, they still care about their culture, proud to be Hispanic. They are neither emasculated nor diminished by their differences. They are empowered. They have more options. They can do more because they are more. Encouraging, no?. Si!