Freshman Lucia Bermudez (left) poses for a photo with her family in 2002. At two years old, Bermudez lived in Lubbock, Texas with her mother, Maria Bermudez, father Stanley Bermudez, and younger sister Aida Bermudez. Photo courtesy of Stanley Bermudez.
By LUCIA BERMUDEZ – Staff Writer
Being Latin is an identity; it goes beyond physical appearances and stereotypes.
People seldom believe me when I tell them I’m Latina. A reason for this might be that I look like an ordinary White girl, with fair skin and blue eyes. I do not look like the American preconception of a Hispanic person.
I am the daughter of two immigrants. My mom is from Honduras and my dad is from Venezuela. I look like my hondureña mother. People likewise are surprised that she is Hispanic as well. My venezolano father, however, has a soft accent when speaking English and a darker skin tone.
Growing up, I was spoken to only in Spanish. It was my first language. I was taught to read and write in Spanish, and I attended a Spanish-immersion school through kindergarten where I spoke in both languages to my peers and teachers.
My dad has four other siblings, and my mom has 15. Needless to say, we have a big family. The majority of our family members that live in the United States, live in Houston. My family travels to Houston twice a year to visit extended family members. I am engulfed by Spanish speaking, huge parties and an endless amount of relatives.
I have never had a problem with my identity or my ethnicity. When I am questioned by my peers, or accused of lying about myself, it’s always a strange experience. To no avail, almost every single person I encounter is shocked by the fact that I’m Hispanic.
Through most experiences of talking to new people, I am amused. I am never offended that people are surprised by my ethnicity. To be completely fair, if I saw a girl who looked like me, I wouldn’t think she was Hispanic either.
I enjoy telling people about myself, and seeing the look on their face when they find out I’m not only what my appearance is. I love my culture and I am proud to be Latina, regardless of misconceptions regarding stereotypical appearances.
