4th of July
My family moved to San Antonio by way of Mexico City when I was 1. But before that, my dad had come trying to establish a better life for us. I can’t even imagine the leap of faith it took to leave your entire family and uproot your life to gamble on yourself to make it in a new country. Nevertheless, my mom and dad persevered and were determined to give my brother and I a better life.
Unbeknownst to them though, I grew up in a peculiar situation. Speaking Spanish at home but assimilating to life in the United States. Watching Nickelodeon, Rocky movies, and listening to the awesome music of the 80s and 90s, I felt I was pretty normal. But the thing is, nothing really looked like me in those mediums. In fact, the only time I really saw people like me were when my parents would turn on telenovelas from Mexico. It was interesting to grow up in that dynamic of confusion.
The good thing was we had made it to San Antonio. As I’ve heard it before, it’s where the Mex meets the Tex. We are so lucky to embrace our cultural background here with Fiesta and our food. We were never far away from a taco or a pan dulce!
But the identity crisis is non-stop when you’re an immigrant. In 1994, my mom became a citizen of the USA and my dad followed in 1996. As we grew up, my parents would always ask us, “when are you finalizing your citizenship?”
That question always made me pause. Not because I didn’t love this country. Far from it - my love for all things America ran deep! Watching the 1992 Basketball dream team or the US girls gymnastics team in 1996 are some core memories of mine. I recited the pledge of allegiance for our senior class at our Senior awards in high school. But I always felt a tug at my heart for the country in which I was born. My family was from there. That’s where people looked like me.
My mind shifted though in 2015. That year, my wife told me we were expecting a child and I saw the political landscape start to turn ugly towards Mexicans. I felt a threat I had never thought I would feel - and I needed to do something to make sure I protected my family. I went ahead and applied and 3 weeks after my son was born, I took my oath. I felt such tremendous pride and seeing the American flag for the first time as a citizen! It’s something I’ll never forget. My dad would always tell me “Now I can die” when I did become a citizen. He had worried that I would be at risk if I didn’t do it. He was so relieved when my brother followed in 2017. Seemed like his words were prophetic as he passed a year later.
This 4th of July, I think about the millions of immigrants that have similar stories. Their hearts are so big, they can love two flags and two nations. But one thing about our history is always true - we are a melting pot. Our diversity is our strength. And exposure to all cultures and nations will continue to expand our minds.
Stay safe this 4th of July and celebrate this great nation of ours. Tepache is a great addition to any cookout - Salud!