Am I Latina Enough?

As a second generation Latina in the U.S who is bilingual and bicultural since birth., I’ve pondered that question many times throughout my life. My relatives and friends in Latin America would not necessarily identify me as a Latina and to Anglo-Americans I am not “American” enough, often detecting a subtle accent in my English.

There’s been a lot of talk lately on whether it’s necessary to speak Spanish to be considered Latino in the U.S.?  Um…no.  According to a recent survey conducted by Pew Research, 71% of Latinos do not think it’s necessary to speak Spanish, while 28% think it is.  For Hispanics in the U.S., there’s so much more that contributes to your Latino identity - language is just one piece of it. It is our cultural spirit that unites us, even if from different Latin America countries.

Being Latino is an attitude.

It’s merengue, familia, reggaeton, pride, perseverance, salsa y sazón. It’s our heritage, our family values, our actions, our passions, our home, our rumbas, our music, our aspirations,..all collective and in search of our own version of the American Dream.   We are all connected as Latinos in the U.S., we intermingle, we adopt each other’s foods, music and dreams. So regardless whether you speak the language or not, this is what defines Latinos today, where it’s cool to be from somewhere else, and where many Latinos that don’t speak Spanish have found their niche and feel just as Latino as anyone else.

Yet, interestingly enough, 95% of Latinos in the U.S. think it’s important for future generations to speak Spanish. For me personally, speaking fluent Spanish is one of the things that makes me proud to be a Latina and something my husband and I push for in our kids. There is something magical about the language and being able to read a classic novel in Spanish, watch a movie in Spanish, and understand the lyrics in Spanish. Sometimes movies, music, poetry, heartfelt conversation and more can lose their essence in translation. I’m also able to fully immerse myself with family, friends, strangers, and their stories when traveling back home or anywhere in Latin America. Knowing Spanish gives me an understanding and an appreciation of cultural references and nuances that English-only Latinos are missing out on.

So while many Latinos (including myself) do not consider it necessary to speak Spanish to be Latino, life is greatly enriched when you do speak and understand the language.  It empowers you, gives you a greater sense of pride and connection to your heritage, and allows you to see things in a different light.