Final Blog/Reflection
Guillermo Reynoso
The many themes and topics covered in Introduction to Latinx Studies prompted a curiosity that led to my final project being a family biography focused on my parent’s migration story and the complex, interconnected issues that influenced and shaped their migration story and ultimate outcome. Very early on, focusing on general Latinx history and culture initiated a recurring process of putting myself in these themes as a way of self-analyzing myself and my own history. The topic that interested me the most was and what ultimately led to my final project was the discussion of immigration and the idea of understanding where one’s roots came from in a couple of class lectures. Through participation in partner discussions, I better understood the complex and breadth of Latinx roots and journeys those Latinx members have either historically or personally experienced. Through these community building practices, learning about my fellow classmates’ stories and those of their parent’s regarding migration, I found that I lacked understanding of my own history and the migration story of my parent’s. The topic of immigration was introduced through relying on political and historical points that affected our Latinx community. For example, my interest actually began with the Treaty of Guadalupe discussion held in lecture. Within this lecture, the idea of citizenship and who is bestowed that label is not only a personal one but one that transcends borders. The theme of citizenship is one that sparked debate not only in our class but also within my own ideals. Citizenship is usually constricted to one’s birthplace rather than where one grew up, spent most time, or simply identifies closer to. More importantly, citizenship is what drove my parent’s decision to migrate. My parents did not migrate to live the ‘American Dream’ and raise a family in the U.S. but rather they migrated to ensure their children were U.S. citizens and could reap the benefits of being a U.S. citizen. The opportunities they ensured for me, thanks to their decision to migrate, came from a wish for their child to have more options than what Mexican citizens have to better their life. Therefore, I wanted my own project to rely on specific important events and policies that had a definite and direct impact on my parents’ decision to migrate. Another theme that played a factor was the transnational aspect of the story. As I mentioned previously, policies are extremely important in understanding my parent’s decision making to migrate because policies may have direct and indirect implications that shape the decision making of individuals like my parents. Therefore, I learned that it is vital to focus not only on the state of Mexico but also the U.S. policies and agreements with Mexico that may have influenced and shaped my parents’ migration story. While investigating my parent’s migration story, I found a counter narrative that contradicts the typical ‘American dream.’ As I mentioned before, my parent’s did not wish to follow the path of completely emigrating and living in the U.S. but rather use migration as an economic tool while ensuring U.S. citizenship to their child in order to increase their future opportunities. This counter narrative completely shattered my identity, which is another theme in the class. I assumed I was a product of the movement of migrants wishing to live the ‘American Dream’ and assumed my role as a typical first generation, son of immigrants. However, after understanding my parent’s true intentions, I find myself liberated from the constrictions of the ‘American Dream.’ I do not have to label myself in any way regardless of my history or my parent’s decision making in the past. I am who I decide to be.