I’m Latina but not Mexican

Lea este artículo en español aquí.

Being Caribbean at USC is like being a tomato in a fruit basket. The Latine community and its organizations are the fruit basket in which I should theoretically feel included. However, this is far from reality. Although the University appears to value all of its Latino students equally, it is just a facade as most of the time only Mexican culture — and occasionally some Central American cultures — is represented.

One of the main reasons I chose USC was because it seemed to have a vibrant Latine community. However, coming here and seeing the organizations and events planned by the University and the clubs was like taking a cold bath. The only culinary options at Latine events seem to be tacos, pupusas, pan dulce and churros. I have lost count of how many events include lotería — which I had never understood until I sat down to write this piece. The special guests for the activities are mostly Mexican, and when they aren’t, they feel like a non-Mexican Latine diversity token. For example, a recent event featured three panelists with Mexican roots and one Colombian panelist. The lack of balance in cultural representation is evident.

The situation improves a little musically, but not completely. Although it is common to hear the Caribbean sound of reggaeton at some Latine parties, it does not take much analysis to conclude that attendees only know reggaeton thanks to the recent worldwide fame the genre has achieved after Bad Bunny’s unprecedented success. Plan B and Don Omar songs go unnoticed while everyone sings “Un verano is ti” at the top of their lungs. I am extremely proud of the work that Puerto Rican artists have done to make the genre recognized worldwide, but this discrepancy reminds me that until a few years ago, reggaeton — and Caribbean vocabulary in general — was degraded by the rest of the Latine community and labeled as “bad Spanish.”

However, these parties where I can identify with the music — although not completely — are the only connection I find with the rest of the Latine students at USC. In search of Latine connections, a Colombian friend and I tried to join a Latina sorority. Although I was accepted, I decided not to join because between the majority of the chapter being born in the United States and its events typically revolving around exclusively Central American cultures, I felt like a puzzle piece that didn’t fit. Although I was surrounded by Latinas, I had no sense of belonging.

During the last Latine Heritage Month, one of the most popular Latine organizations created a series of Instagram posts highlighting different Latin American countries. However, my joy at the representation of other countries did not last very long. The posts included each country’s independence date and, when it was Puerto Rico’s turn, the author did no more than a three-second Google search — and if you’re wondering, yes, I did the exercise — to conclude that our independence date was July 4 because we are part of the U.S. The problem? Puerto Rico is a U.S. colony and therefore we do not celebrate any independence date. Although the organization later made another publication rectifying its error and briefly explaining our colonial situation, this did not erase the bitter taste of the error made during one of the few times I have felt represented at the University.

Don’t get me wrong. I understand that the Mexican population is the largest among USC’s Latine populations due to geographic and sociopolitical reasons. I understand why this community is more catered to than South America and the Caribbean. However, organizations should recognize that this gap in representation is significantly bigger than it should be and work to close it. I’m not saying the University or its organizations have never done events that include South American elements, but they are rare and far in between. A diversity between Latine cultures that barely exists should not be advertised.

As Latines, if we demand more representation in the media, we must first work on our intracultural diversity. We cannot denounce Hollywood for presenting the Latine community as a monolith when Latine organizations in an institution with USC’s influence treat the Latine community the same way. The fact that we are all Latine does not mean that we share the same culture. It’s the cultural diversity that makes Latin America so rich. For starters, there is no reason why Latine events should feature the same food each time when there are so many cuisines to choose from.

During this school year, I have been blessed with an incredible group of Latino-Caribbean friends with whom I momentarily feel at home. We get together to eat rice and beans with fried plantains while we listen to salsa or old reggaeton. However, this inevitably leads me to think about how nice it would be to have organized events in which we are better represented and in which we can connect from our diversities. In a city I rarely feel represented as is, I would hope the Latine organizations at my college would at least try to include my culture.