Elizabeth Lara-Rivera Reflection
The motivation behind our group project was rooted in the desire to highlight the diversity within the Latino experience, emphasizing that there is no singular definition of Latinidad. To manifest this idea, my close friends, Anthony and Ximena, and I collaborated, each hailing from distinct major cities—Pasadena, Los Angeles, and New York. Our objective was to unveil the contrasts in foods, education, and neighborhoods, offering our classmates an authentic glimpse into our lives and unveiling the intricacies of being from a Hispanic and Latino background. Our collaboration was a journey into vulnerability, allowing us to share stories about our favorite foods and reminisce about unique cultural experiences. One memorable moment was centered on the cautionary tale of waiting for the sopa de fideo to cool down to avoid a tongue discomfort that would linger throughout the day. These shared memories, often laced with laughter, were revelations that might never have been unearthed without the medium of our project.
This project with our course, which delved into Latino demographics and Puerto Rican voices, struck a personal chord with me due to my Puerto Rican heritage. The exploration of Puerto Rican migration to New York was particularly enlightening, unveiling historical aspects such as available job opportunities and the push and pull factors influencing migration patterns. A highlight of our course was the insightful session with guest speaker Virginia Grise, who shared her community project—a narrative to our Cultural Crossroads presentation. Engaging in dialogue with her allowed us to acquire different perspectives and deepen our understanding of community storytelling. The culmination of our learning experience was the final project, which echoed the course’s overarching goal of encouraging collaborative storytelling and sharing diverse perspectives. This project mirrored our exploration of Latinx identity and history in the United States, providing a platform to collectively articulate our narratives.
Group presentations, as observed in my classmates’ projects, had a comprehensive learning experience. The final project, aligns with the class’s cumulative learning objective, encouraging students to collaboratively share diverse narratives and perspectives, mirroring the course’s exploration of Latinx identity and history in the United States. I thoroughly enjoyed my classmates’ projects on personal topics that resonated with their individual experiences because they brought a rich tapestry of diverse perspectives into the learning environment. Exploring personal narratives allowed for a deeper connection to the subject matter, fostering a more profound understanding of the material. Through these presentations, I gained insights into the unique cultural backgrounds, challenges, and triumphs of my peers, broadening my appreciation for the complexity of their stories. Witnessing their passion and commitment to their chosen topics sparked meaningful discussions, and I found that personal narratives enhanced my comprehension of broader concepts covered in the course. Group presentations offer a holistic learning experience by promoting collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. Through this collaborative process, participants develop research and organizational skills, honing their ability to synthesize information. Moreover, the diversity of perspectives within a group stimulates dynamic discussions, encouraging individuals to challenge assumptions and broaden their worldviews.