Essay On Being Half White

My entire life I have had to fight to prove that I belong. Being half Mexican and half white is hard. I have to prove to the White Americans that I belonged, that I was one of them, and I had to prove to the Mexicans that I did not abandon my culture, my roots, or my language. I had to be more American than the Americans and more Mexican than the Mexicans just to prove I belonged. I go to a college prep school where only 26% of the students identify as culturally diverse. I am a minority in a mostly white school, taught by all white teachers, led by an all white administration, and at times I felt out of place. I felt inferior, like I could not amount to what they could do academically just because they were white. I worked hard trying to prove that I was not the charity case given a spot in school just to increase diversity rates. I hated being known as the “Mexican” Jasmin. I hated feeling as though my ethnicity was the only thing that defined me. So, I conformed, trying to prove that I could fit in with a typical white teenager. I changed my music …show more content…
I tried to be just a typical American teenager, but I was not. I tried to be as Mexican as the rest of my family, but I was not. Every time I tried to emphasize a part of me, the other half of me disappeared. I realize now, having grown up, that I am not just an American teenager, nor am I just a Mexican. It’s taken me a long time to realize that being mixed does not have to be a burden, but instead an advantage. I have gotten to see and live through both cultures. Being half white, I’ve gotten incredible access to education. Though I may feel out of place at times, I am challenged and pushed to expand my knowledge everyday. But being half Mexican has given me an advantage in the classroom. I have a different perspective compared to my classmates. I have a compassion and understanding toward others who have faced the same difficulties I