What it’s like growing up in a biracial family
I may not look like every other Ecuatoriana, but it is 50 percent of who I am and I embrace it whenever I can
When people ask me what race or ethnicity I am, I often find myself feeling a lot like Cady Heron in Mean Girls when she’s asked, “if you’re from Africa, why are you white?”
Of course, the question people usually ask me is different: “If you’re Hispanic, then why are you so white?” Well, the answer is I’m both Hispanic and White. I am biracial and although it is pretty awesome being a part of two different races, there are some cons that come along with the pros.
The cons
I don’t necessarily fit in either racial groups
Being both Hispanic and White, I find myself not knowing where exactly I fit in. Even though I grew up with Hispanic culture being very prevalent in my life, I never felt as though I really belonged. I could hardly speak Spanish, I can’t dance for my life, and I don’t listen to Spanish music. At the same time, I felt too Hispanic to really be what is usually considered white. The regular meal in my house for dinner was arroz con pollo or chuletas and of course, Adobo and Sazon were always popular seasonings in my house. Finding my place has always been difficult for me.
People can never tell what race I am
And when I explain to them that I am both Hispanic and white, they immediately are in shock, not understanding how someone so fair who sounds extremely American when speaking Spanish could possibly be Latina. Well, it’s possible because here I am. Although I may not look like every other Ecuatoriana, it is 50 percent of who I am and I embrace it whenever I can.
Filling out surveys is extremely annoying
Whenever I have to take online surveys, I am extremely grateful when there is a “select all that apply” option when it comes to defining my race and ethnicity. Too often I would have to opt for “Other” because I didn’t know whether to click “Hispanic/Latino” or “Caucasian.” The worst was when option such as “Hispanic (non-white)” or “Caucasian (non-Hispanic)” were there.
The Pros
My ancestry is super cool
Since I am Hispanic and White, my family’s ancestry is really interesting. On my mother’s side of the family, which is Ecuadorian, my great-grandfather was an important mayor who even has a street named after him in Santa Elena, Ecuador. My father’s side of the family is a bit more interesting. They come from many different parts of Europe, some which are from Ireland, England, and France. After doing some digging, we learned that we are actually descendants of King Charlemagne of France, who is also sometimes called the Father of Europe. Feel free to call me Princess Olivia, if you’d like.
I get the best of both worlds
It’s not a Van Halen album or a Hannah Montana song, it’s my life. I do not choose to identify myself as one race over the other. I am both and I love it. I get to celebrate Christmas the true Hispanic way by opening presents at midnight on Christmas Eve and singing “Mi Burrito Sabanero” word for word. Then the next morning, we celebrate again with the rest of my non-Hispanic family with a nice Swedish Pot Roast. During the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup, my family is always sporting our Ecuadorian and USA jerseys and cheering on other countries where our family descends from.
My family is a symbol of love and acceptance
It is becoming more and more common for people of different races to marry and have children together and I am proud to be a result of this kind of love. My Ecuadorian grandparents came to support me in the all the St. Patrick’s Day Parades I marched in and my Irish aunt has even learned some Spanish to better communicate with my grandparents and the Hispanic students she teaches. Rather than having race be something that divides people, my family proves the exact opposite.