The Language of Belonging

As Amy’s (name changed for privacy reasons) six month visit in America turned into a permanent stay after unexpectedly finding love, she built a life with her husband and two daughters while navigating the opportunities and challenges of starting over in a new country. 

“We received a permit…for only six months, and I was planning to visit friends here for that period of time, six months. But I met a guy here, and I started thinking about the possibility [of staying here] for [a] longer time. Then we got married and we started a family, and I stayed here for that reason,” Amy commented.

Even after starting a new life in America, however, Amy still felt the importance of retaining the essence of a Latina. To her, this meant the language her children spoke at home. “We don't have family here [as] our family is in Mexico. I want both of [my daughters to] have the ability to communicate with their family when we travel to Mexico. And I always [took] that effort to teach them and to ask them to speak only Spanish at home. It was like a rule for the house that they have to [speak] in Spanish here,” she remarked. For Amy, speaking Spanish became a bridge that kept her daughters connected to their family and culture. 

Language, however, wasn’t the only tradition that Amy wanted to preserve. As a racial minority, many Mexican immigrants often face stereotypes that limit their ability in the eyes of society, where they are associated with domestic workers who work minimum-wage service jobs. “Sometimes people think [that] we are only capable [of] cleaning or work that [is] just for ‘our people,’ I don't think that is true…there [are] a lot of things that we are [also good at]. And I try to teach my daughters that way…to prove that we can do the same or more things,” Amy commented. 

In addition to raising her daughters to not be constrained by the stereotypes society has put on them, Amy has always encouraged them to be proud of their culture and not be afraid to explain various misconceptions about them. In this way, they are able to integrate into American society while keeping the essence of Mexican traditions and culture. Even though Amy’s daughters were born and raised in America, they will never forget who they are or where their family comes from. 

Amy carried this same determination to her career, refusing to let stereotypes define what she could achieve. “I [started] with small jobs, when I just [got] here. First as a nanny, then in a restaurant, then I [started to look for] the opportunities to do what I like and started working [on] my career here. After one or two years, I [found] the opportunity to do it,” Amy reflected. “I think that Hispanics are really talented people and hard working but sometimes they stay at the same work for many, many years. In the end, they don't see the improvement of their lives [that] they deserve.”

The opportunities provided within the United States gave Amy the chance to build both a stable career and a stable family life. With her degree in Communications from a Mexican university, Amy found opportunities that reflected her belief in the American Dream – where anyone, regardless of their background, can create a better future for themselves. 

Discrimination, however, continues to shape Amy’s experiences. “There are always people or situations that make [you] feel that [you’re] not from here. You always feel like you're not eternally part of the country…it’s because other people have other ways to do things. And [when you’re] put in that situation you always feel that you need to do more than people who were born here,” she noted. “But the thing I like to [tell] my daughters is that they [should] feel like they’re a part of the good things in this country, and they feel appreciated and part of the diversity in a good way. [Speaking a] different language is nothing that you need to change, it's something that you always have to be proud of. We can use all that to make this country and this society better.”

As a country with people from all walks of life, it is crucial for everyone to approach others with an open mind. With the political landscape becoming increasingly polarised, minority immigrants are often generalised and used as scapegoats rather than recognising their individual stories and the skillsets they bring. Despite all the challenges Amy has faced, she remains optimistic both in the career and familial sphere of life. Rather than existing in conflict, her Mexican and American identities together shape her identity as a whole.