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<h2 class="post-title"><a
href="http://blog.freedomarchives.org/the-search-for-identity/">The
Search for Identity</a></h2>
<div class="meta"> <span class="sep">Posted on </span><a
href="http://blog.freedomarchives.org/the-search-for-identity/"
title="7:46 pm" rel="bookmark"><time class="entry-date"
datetime="2015-12-14T19:46:11+00:00" pubdate="">December 15,
2015</time></a><span class="by-author"></span><br>
<b><small><small><small><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://blog.freedomarchives.org/the-search-for-identity/">http://blog.freedomarchives.org/the-search-for-identity/</a></small></small></small></b><a
href="http://blog.freedomarchives.org/the-search-for-identity/#respond"><span
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<p>During my third semester at the Freedom Archives I cataloged the
raw audio materials of Colin Edwards’ series on Californians of
Mexican Descent. In this ten part radio program from the early
1960s, Edwards interviewed Mexican-Americans from various
socioeconomic backgrounds in order to create a comprehensive
series that grasps the multiplicity of the Mexican-American
experience. Through a series of patterned questions asked to each
interviewee, themes including conflict over identities, pressures
towards assimilation and divisions between generations, were all
explored. It was interesting to find that many of the themes
present in this series are sentiments that still exist within
Chican@ communites. There is an underlying sense of not qualifying
as solely Mexican or American, but rather needing to successfully
navigate through and occupy both spheres. Although there were many
relatable issues, one thing that struck me when listening to these
interviews was the various outlooks towards discrimination faced
by the Mexican-American community.</p>
<p>Accounts of racial, social and economic discrimination varied
amongst the interviewees but having grown up in a predominantly
Latino community, I was unaware of discrimination towards Chican@s
in educational or professional settings. I never felt like a
“minority” in the community which I grew up in and those
surrounding me I was always part of a majority population where
there was no discrimination based on being “other”. It was not
until I moved away for college that I was made so conscious of my
ethnicity and culture. At home, it was easy to navigate being
Mexican-American because most people were Latino so there was a
semblance of a shared experience. Now that I have left that
comfort zone and I interact with diverse populations I feel the
need to be an American who simultaneously embodies and educates
others on the whole Latino experience, who points out the
intersections of gender, race and economic standing. In college, a
defining feature of my identity is the fact that I am Mexican. I
am often questioned about my language, customs and asked to
challenge ill-informed stereotypes. At home I am seen as too
American because I am not fluent in Spanish and I don’t retain
traditional customs and beliefs, I am deviating from my
upbringing.</p>
<p>After listening to individuals sharing their sentiments and
experiences, I felt a sort of validation. Never before had I
worked with materials in an academic setting that explores what
for me is a lived reality. Seeing this specific form of social
history documented and studied in such a way reinforces the
importance of individual lived realities. Even in institutions of
higher education where students are actually given the chance to
study different histories, they don’t always get the chance to
work with such personal accounts that resonate with and reinforce
overarching historical themes.</p>
<p>If you would like to support our internship program you can make
a donation <a
href="https://co.clickandpledge.com/sp/d1/default.aspx?wid=33005">here.</a></p>
<p>-Ariana Varela</p>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
Freedom Archives 522 Valencia Street San Francisco, CA 94110 415
863.9977 <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="http://www.freedomarchives.org">www.freedomarchives.org</a>
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