My Personal Identity

From my full name, Lesly Alejandra Marroquin, I know that a lot of my personal identities can be implied. Such as that I am female and probably Hispanic or Latino. Even if names are thought to be so revealing at the same time they leave a lot hidden. A person’s name and appearance do not delve into their personal identities. I currently identify myself as a second generation Guatemalan-American female. From my identity, I choose to leave out that I am white and economically low class. I feel more pride and comfort with my ethnic, cultural, and gender identities than my racial and economic ones. While they all have impacted my life, I have had many experiences where my identities have clashed. This has caused me to choose which ones I feel
This is because my family believes in the custom that you should name your children after your parents and elders. My mother’s name influenced my brother to name my nephew Antonio. This is only one example of how my Guatemalan family is traditional. The importance of tradition could be explained by many of family members being much older. My family is very Christian and while I was not brought up with a religious affiliation, I do feel comfortable with it. My family prays before meals and attends church on weekends. Everyone in our family is expected to be baptized. Moreover, there is a deep value for knowing the Spanish language. Some of my American born relatives are judged for only speaking English because it limits them from fully communicating. With my Guatemalan family, I have learned to value certain aspects of faith and tradition. I also find that I incorporate these things into my normal life, such as praying when I am scared or upset. In all honesty, I value being bilingual myself because I can successfully talk to my relatives. The culture in my Guatemalan family is special to me because I know that it has played an important role in shaping my morals and
As well as witnessing the standards Hispanic and Latina women have to fulfill. My mother has always been my role model. I witnessed her go through incredibly difficult times with the purpose of trying to support my brother and me. She somehow achieved to raise us successfully while balancing a full-time job, house chores, and financial responsibilities. I know for a fact that she struggled with being separated from our family and my brother, who lived in Guatemala, but stayed emotionally strong nevertheless. When I first traveled to Guatemala, I was not surprised to see my other female relatives were just as strong. I know that the typical Hispanic head of the house is usually the oldest male, but I personally believed it to be the oldest female. I observed my female family members doing the most to keep the household successfully intact. They handled taking care of their children, cooking three meals, cleaning the house, buying groceries, and sometimes even working outside of the home. Being raised in America, my mother never pressured me with having to follow the traditional housewife role, but nevertheless, I fully respect it. I think that this is because I relate being female to positive traits. Such as being strong, hardworking, determined, and loving. I do identify with my gender from birth, but my experiences make me value it even