Being Honduran in America
EDUC 575 | By: Lizzy
What does being Honduran in America look like? To my father who came to America at the age of 13, it involved working hard, earning money, and thanking the Republican President who gave him his citizenship. To my father, it meant joining a gang in Los Angeles, trying to stay under the radar and survive. He came to America to find a better life. In Honduras, he did not have a good opportunity for growth in education. He arrived in Los Angeles without documents and worked multiple jobs to make ends meet. After 10 years, under the Reagan Administration, he received his citizenship and moved to North Carolina. He made a name for himself in the construction and asbestos field. Now, he is a supervisor in his job and has had a successful career.
What does being Honduran in America look like? To my mother who came to America in 1999 to start her life with my father, it involved finding a job, house, and church to build their roots. To my mother, it meant learning English, teaching me Spanish, balancing a language barrier, and building a home. My mother left her life in Honduras after years of being a pharmacist and became an asbestos worker for years. She left her successful career to start a family with my dad. She looked for a church to continue her religious journey. Within a week she found a church to call home and found a new social circle. She learned English in a daycare she worked part-time. She came with a green card and became a U.S. Citizen 20 years later. She now works for Estee Lauder as a freelancer.
What does being Honduran in America look like? To my sister who came to America at the age of 6, it involved repeating first grade to perfect her English, learning how to interact with American kids, and becoming an older sister. To my sister it meant, navigating FAFSA, SATs, APs, IBs, and ACTs. She had to juggle being a student, translator, and work on her English. Within a year of being in the ESL program, she graduated and became an academically gifted student. She applied to one college because of how secure she was in UNC’s decision. She received her acceptance letter and got a scholarship and continued to excel in her education. She now works as an events coordinator for a start-up in Raleigh.
What does being Honduran in America look like? For me, the only one born in America, it involved forming and nurturing two identities. It meant eating sopa de marisco and sweet, North Carolina style barbeque in one week. It meant translating papers for my parents, not being allowed to go to sleepovers, following in my sister’s footsteps, and remembering this isn’t my only home. I was fortunate enough to be taught English and Spanish at the same time. My father taught me to work hard in any job. My mother taught me that sticking to my beliefs is important, no matter where I am. My sister was patient and helped me in school, applications, essays, and anything else I needed help with.
In the Cycle of Socialization, what our parents, institutions, and culture may teach us will result in a crossroads (“Cycle of Liberation/Cycle of Socialization”). Will you promote the status quo or question what you’ve been taught? My father had a different life than the one I lead. He has been shot at, imprisoned, and forced into a world, unlike mine. My mother had a different life than the one I lead. She has immigrated to a foreign country, learned a different language to survive, and lost her Pharmacteuical degree to live here. My parents broke the cycle of socialization. They questioned the status quo, chose to go against it, and find a better path for my sister and me.
My sister and I were both propelled into the Cycle of Liberation. We questioned misogynistic Latinx notions within our families. We had the opportunity to further our education. Many family Latinx values are stemmed from empowering men. To push our community forward we need to question what we do. To further ourselves we have to rebuild our community, work together, create change, and take care of ourselves. Our parents challenged those notions and taught us that men and women are equal.
How do we do this? How do we break the Cycle of Socialization without having to move to another country? We have to educate ourselves, read, support community-based funds and uplift local businesses. We have to support our community and chose to love ourselves more.
