My Native Quo Espada Analysis

Martín Espada's poems have consistently contributed to the unglamorous histories of the struggles against injustice and misfortune and his childhood interest in political activism has brought Espada to shed light on the racial issues present in America, mainly Puerto Rican issues but racial inequality as a whole. “My Native Costume” is an example of the preconceptions that people may have about POC’s (people of color) and that they are just seen as their native selves. Espada’s use of irony and satire throughout all of his poems demonstrates the racism that POC’s have to endure everyday.

Espada’s utilizes satire to depict the struggles of being a Latino. “You know, the teacher said, a Puerto Rican costume.” (Espada 144) People will not see