Written by Cami Amaya; IG: @camiamayaaa
Normalize Our Colors
“When I meet people, one of the first things they point out is how white I am, what usually follows is me explaining I’m 100% Hispanic, that follows with me having to reassure them I am really Hispanic. Usually, they leave it be, except for the occasional comments. Calling me pale, a vampire, being told that as a Hispanic, I lacked color, and that I looked like a sick child. After having people I just met, friends, and even adults tell me I wasn’t what a Hispanic is, I eventually began to question myself, and who I was.
Being told you’re not something that is your identity, that has shaped your life and your story, it's heartbreaking. I was made very self conscious and insecure by all the comments on my Latinidad. I’ve come to surround myself with a positive outlook on my Latinidad, people who don’t question who I am, and comfortability in being a white Hispanic.
In my home country, El Salvador, I’m Hispanic. But in the United States, I’m white and Hispanic. Being a white Hispanic is part of who I am, but oftentimes people try to take away the Hispanic. I am not ashamed of my white skin or blatantly ignore the privilege that comes with, but I wish for once in my life I was seen as Hispanic and not further categorized by my skin.
Truth being told, there is no certain color Hispanics are supposed to be. It is so important to talk about Hispanics of all colors and avoid making Hispanics feel as though they are not what they are supposed to be.
Instead of offering what may seem like harmless jokes about our skin, that become hard to ignore and affect our identities, we need to appreciate and normalize our colors.”