Reflective Essay: Rites Of Passage

My rite of passage occurred when I was thirteen years old as I was forced to leave my childhood behind and become an adult. In my Mexican culture a quinceañera marks the transition from childhood to womanhood; however I fast-forward the preparation for my coming of age ceremony. I clearly remember my rite of passage ceremony: It was the day that my parents returned to Durango, Mexico and I stayed behind to permanently live with one of my older siblings. A few months before my rite of passage my parents and I had immigrated to California escaping economic struggles and in search of opportunities. My parents had a very difficult time adjusting to the lifestyle here and decided to go back to Mexico; however, they wanted the best for me and my education. At thirteen years old I was self-conscious of the difficulties that came with our decision, but I also understood the powerful …show more content…
I understood the terminology of identity formation, as well as the importance of conducting research with the purpose to inspire change. As a teenager immigrant I underwent an identity crisis, the transition from subsistence agriculture based rural community to capitalist California was drastic and an important factor of the person that I have become. I soon learned the language and adapted US customs, although my immigration status forces me to live in a continuous liminal stage that when it comes to political or legal issues disenfranchises me. However, living a liminal stage is not of all negative since it allows me to fully embody the social issues of my community giving me a critical perspective. This perspective allows me to be a bridge between the academia and the undocumented community. Understanding their issues and because of my background I am an adequate critic of the representation of undocumented immigrants in