Personal Essay On American Culture

The morning after the recent presidential election students at Georgetown University struggled to find answers. After the initial shock subsided, the nature of the dialogue among my peers shifted from sensible inquisition to frustrated judgment. Supporters of the new president became characterized as “hillbillies,” “racist,” and “deplorable.” While troubled by the outcome, my own experiences forbid me from viewing a large part of the American electorate through this lens.
I grew up among two distinct communities in Kansas. Hispanic culture places great significance on family ties, and thus, my immediate and extended family constantly influenced my upbringing. The experiences of my family fall on a wide spectrum, yet, the lack of higher education is a common occurrence throughout. Many members of my family did not receive college degrees, and still, they have enthusiastically supported my journey. I credit both my awareness of the limitations faced by
The misogyny, racism, and bigotry that escaped from the celebratory rhetoric back home validated the attitudes of my classmates to an extent. Nonetheless, I held a unique perspective on the celebrations of people who did not vote from a place of intolerance. My experiences with my family in the Midwest highlight the large group of Americans who do not have the means to bring awareness to their own situation in life, much less the situation of others. For college students with the knowledge and platform to address the issues we deem important, we often overlook this fact. Furthermore, as the daughter of an assembly plant worker, I have witnessed the legitimate economic concerns of communities longing for representation. I can condemn the intolerant and divisive nature of our new president, but I refuse to ignore the concerns of those desperate to be