Visionary Voices
Volume 2: Spring 2009
The New Face of Americans Feliz Navidad:
Feliz Navidad Feliz Navidad I want to wish you a Merry Christmas –written in 1970 by the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter José Feliciano.
Thirteen years ago “Feliz Navidad” had been one of the first songs I learned at school. All I knew then was that I was singing this song because it was amusing and Christmas was coming. Reflecting back on those days, I now realize those lyrics have a much deeper meaning to me. They represent the start of a new generation of Americans; they represent the existence of Latinization. I am an American; I am Mexican-American. The growth of “Latinization” in the United States is the permeation of the Latin culture in America and is what allows me to identify myself with the new face of Americans. As a country we have reached a point where it cannot be denied that what it means to be an American has changed, a change that can be seen in different areas of its culture. Latinization is what initiates people to accept the Latin American culture, because people are able to learn from their exposure to the Latin customs. Hector Tobar, a Los Angeles born author and journalist, tries defining this new American identity in our Spanish-speaking United States in his book Translation Nation by providing the reader with examples of how Americans have slowly changed over time. Our culture can now be seen in our daily lives more each day, and a feeling of acceptance as well as comfort can be experienced through the little things that have changed. An example of this can be the black beans Tobar mentions when he writes, “these days everyone eats black beans. They are a hip and healthy accessory to a cosmopolitan urban life, as familiar to the southern California palates as wonton soup or pastrami sandwiches” (Tobar 155). As insignificant as it may seem now, there was a time where we, as Latin Americans, would have been ashamed of having to eat black beans. As a child we would have been afraid for one of our friends to find out we enjoyed this dish because beans did not make us an American. Things have changed, Latinization has expanded, and what once made us feel ashamed is what now makes us unique. In addition to that, we are no longer associating black beans with the negative connotation of being a dish for the poor; instead we are finally appreciating black beans and acknowledging them as a healthy part of our diets, where they are valued for being a good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. Furthermore, we are frequently seeing restaurant after restaurant being built promoting authentic Mexican food or big restaurant franchise adding different Latin dishes to their menus. Taco Bell and Del Taco are examples of these changes, with their cheesy burritos , flour tortilla quesadillas , and chewy chalupas we are experiencing change and acceptance. Although this process of Latinization has taken some time and will continue to develop slowly, it is something that has been accepted into our culture. It can be used as a teaching tool for future generations in order to help them see the progress society has made when it comes to race and the acceptance of change. People all over the United States are now eating our food, listening to our music, and speaking our language. This is what makes us American: the ability to have these skills and use them to create new opportunities to reach the American Dream. Americans today are aware of the positive changes that have happen in the last fifty years. As Latin Americans we have moved from being ruthless pachucos and pachucas wearing zoot-suits, to powerful Chicanos determined to make a difference for our country. This was a powerful movement called the Zoot-Suit riots that started “in the United States in the summer of 1943 [and] had a profound effect on a whole generation of socially disadvantaged youths. It was during [this] period that the Chicano union activist Cesar Chavez first came into contact with community politics” ( Cosgrove 78). Furthermore, it was during this period that Latinos finally started to make it clear that they too had a place in America. The United States has developed into a finer nation because of the gradual acceptance of Latinization in our country. We have a variety of people who are accepting of our music, and who seem to find it a part of who they are, people who may not be a Latino or Latina, yet they identify themselves with this culture. Therefore, there is a positive outlook to the assimilation of the Latin culture in America and the identity is has to offer. Tobar uses Benjamin Reed, a Mormon who after returning from his religious trip, realized that he had, what he calls a “Latin soul,” as an example of this acceptance because of the change he goes through after becoming a Spanish-speaking radio host. Benjamin says, “I was born an Anglo but I identify myself as a Latino culturally” (Tobar 151). Through Benjamin Reed the music industry can be seen through new eyes, because he is an example of an Anglo who realizes that he is brown at heart. This helped him popularize into the character of El Chupacabras, a frightening character that is often featured with the Latin American culture. This demonstrates how not only the American culture is being acceptant of the Latin culture, but how the Latin culture is also being tolerant of those who would like to be a part of it as well. Like Benjamin Reed, many radio hosts have found it to their advantage to be in a Spanish-Speaking radio station, because they have developed and grown so much, that it has created jobs for those with a talent in the language. Therefore, many do learn to speak Spanish because they know that in doing so they have an advantage over those who only speak English. In our American society, the media plays a big role in the promotion of a bilingual culture. Taco Bell with their catchy “Yo Quiero Taco Bell” slogan proves that they recognize the importance and value of our Latin American people, and in doing so they able to build stronger relationships with a larger audience. Because our Latin American population has grown drastically and will soon be the largest minority in America, the media is seeing this as an opportunity to attract more people and obtain higher ratings; in return our culture and customs are being exposed to a larger population. Our music and our language has become a part of these new Americans. Even those who are not Latino, like Benjamin Reed, are going about their day listening to our music, learning our language to understand the lyrics, and going to dance classes in order to learn how to swing their hips to the fast rhythm of our songs. People all over the country are doing all these little things that eventually build up and are what causes the changes in our culture, therefore triggering a new way of perceiving and understanding Americans. Furthermore, our education system has shown a vast change in this aspect. Years ago it was forbidden for children to speak their native language in many schools, and countless parents were told not to speak it at home either, because this was the only way to become an American. Tobar mentions this problem in Translation Nation , when he states:
Fortunately for us, things have changed and the idea of only knowing English has become a disadvantage. Our education systems now provide the students the ability to take on a second language, and for many this is Spanish. These classrooms would also be the place where they are educated about the Latino culture, and where they are taught that Spanish is a fundamental key of communication. With this act, we realize how important Spanish is. It forms connections and we realize that there is no need to be ashamed of our ability to speak the language; rather we embrace it. We are told that knowing another language other than English will increase our opportunities in this country, and many of those who have kept their native language seem to now have the upper hand. We are living in a country in which those who get the better jobs are those who speak more languages other than just English because they are able to communicate with more customers, therefore bringing more money to the work place and helping our economy progress. This thirst of reaching out to our culture has created overall wealth because it is no longer just the Latinos who are spending their money on colorful jewelry, bright clothing, and traditional Latin American food. We have people from all type of cultural backgrounds taking interest in our Latin American culture and are buying small objects such as paintings, clay utensils, clothing, food, and jewelry. In effect, Latinization has produced high rates of tourism to Latin American countries, and by doing so it has increased their economy as well. Tobar mentions the idea of transnational identity, which he describes as “[peoples'] bodies and souls [living] between two countries, that the physical border need not exist in [their] mind” (Tobar 33). What this means is that the new face of Americans are those who not only identify themselves as American, but also as something else as well, hence the name Mexican American, a name often used for those who feel that they belong to both the Mexican and American culture. I am an American, I am Mexican-American, and I am proud to see how far the process of Latinization has come in the United States. It is something that I can take full advantage of and has helped me grow into a better individual in this country. It has provided opportunities for many and changed our country's view of who is an American; we no longer label an American by their pale skin, blue eyes, and blond hair. We are Americans, we no longer need to live in fear of becoming “a spectator to [our] own beating in [our] frontyard[s],” writes Gustavo Arellano from OC Weekly. We have come a long way, and like Tobar says, “America is a different country now… a lot of Americans look like me. There are parts of the United States filled with people who look like me” (Tobar 334). Indeed, the United States is now entering its new face of Americans, full of gente orgullosa de tener raizes Latino Americanas.
Works Cited Tobar, Hector. Translation Nation. New York: Berkley Publishing Group, 2005. Arellano Gustavo. “ The Smoldering Struggle”. Los Angeles Times, 2006 Cosgrove, Stuart. The Zoot-Suit and Style Warfare. History Workshop, No. 18 (Autumn, 1984), pp. 77-91. Oxford: Oxford University Press. |