CHICANA
By Giavanni Hurtado
First Generation Mexican-American
Representation of two worlds.
Two of everything
Traditions, celebrations, histories, bilingualism, holidays, beliefs, & standards.
Not only a Mexican-American, but a Mexican-American woman.
Go to college and get a career.
Get married and have kids soon.
Noise of two worlds around me, but not my own.
You're a pocha. You're not American enough.
Güera over there, but morena over here.
Two worlds that don't see me, but I see myself in them.
Chicanx, one world intertwining two worlds.
They look like me, and I look like them.
They get me and I get them.
Two tongues in one.
Finally, I belong.
Shhaaaoouu, is what I hear crossing that stage.
A stage that both worlds didn't see for me even though they're on my stole.
First generation awards. Reminder of learning as I go.
My Latina name on U.S. Honor roll.
Breaking cultural chains creating a new way.
I am my ancestors' dreams and I am the new world for those to come.
Michoacána
Mexicana-Americana
Pocha
Chicana
Latina
San Jonera
All me.
In my eyes, you'll see two worlds.
In my tongue, you'll hear the two.
On the dinner table you'll taste it too.
Spanish-English music playing can't forget that too.
Two worlds forever flowing inside me and in all I do.
Proudly Mexican-American.
Even prouder to be woman.
Two worlds that are no longer two.
Instead, forever interwoven into my identity.
Two worlds that intertwined, giving birth to the Chican@ culture.
