As a Latina woman living in the United States most of my life I wouldn't consider myself to belong in just one "community". As I previously stated, I have been living in the U.S. most of my life since I was about a year or two. I am Peruvian and proud of it so it is safe to say if I have to belong in any community it would with my latin family and friends. For example; I listen to all kinds of music from country to hip hop, however, when I listen to Salsa and Merengue its a different feeling. Its my passion, I love to dance it and speaking my language and having friends who are also hispanic and have the same interest is something I can say is part of me. I have never let myself just surround myself with people who share the same interest with me. I have always tried to have friends who are different so I can learn from them. Living in Arizona these past couple of years has been tough on my family and I. People like Russell Pierce and Sherriff Joe Arpaio have in some way made it okay to discriminate against Hispanics and people who "seem" illegal. When I read what Judge Chargin had said to the Chicano boy I wasn't too surprised since we have to remember that this was back in the day. I could not imagine the embarrassment the boy had to go through and what he must have felt. For the Judge to tell him; "you ought to commit suicide..."( Zatz & Mann p.132). What is happening to this world? I have to ask myself these questions because everything that African Americans went through in the past seems to almost be happening to Hispanics. Please do not get offended I understand African Americans went through way harsher times and I can't even compare. What I am trying to point out is this is how it all begins. First one law passes, then another passes, and before you know it NO Hispanics are allowed in the U.S.
I would love for people to not stereotype, however, it happens and sometimes it can be in a very negative way. As proud and happy that I am to be a Latina I do want to change people's perception on what a Hispanic is like. We are ususally known as loud, sometimes "ghetto", mothers are used to "popping" kids out, and much more. Yes we can be loud, but in a good way we like to show what we are passionate about. Mind you that I am not speaking for every Hispanic and I am only talking about the people I know and have been part of their lives as well as my own life. For me a Latin family is very close to their family, we are very loving and we will do anything and everything when it comes to helping any one of our brothers and sisters in need. I do want people to take certain images out of their heads; not every Hispanic woman that migrates to the U.S. is illegally here. Not every Hispanic woman has nine or ten children and is living on welfare. When I go to certain websites like http://www.azcentral.com/ you read about the current issues going on in AZ and when you read about new immigration bills being introduced you see people leaving comments on how EVERY hispanic is usually illegal, poor, and uneducated. There are more rude and ignorant comments from hundreds of Arizonians. I always thought we should be united and stand as one, but it seems that it doesn't matter to anyone if feelings are hurt or we seperate ourselves.I would like to think that as a Latina I try to not to fit that stereotype that most people think of when it comes to Latin women and men. I would like to think I have been somewhat of an influence on people like my family for instance. I try to teach me younger sister she should be proud of being Hispanic and that it is okay to be different.
Sometimes we take our country for granted, we live in a country where we are allowed to wear whatever we want, listen to whatever music we choose, and most important we are allowed to be ourselves whether we are Hispanic, Caucasion, African American, etc. It doesn't seem though that America was always like this; when reading Fertile Matters: The Politics of Mexican Origin Women's Reproduction I had never heard of that happening here in America. How was it possible that thousands of women were sterilized with basically no details given. Most of the women were not aware of the permanet sterilization because doctors and nurses had the women believe tubal ligation was reversable (Gutierrez p.145). In the reading it was stated that all of this was happening because the government wanted to end the reproduction of "Negro and Hispanic women", that was something that I did not expect. Our own government wanted to end the Hispanic and African American population. I am so glad that we have come a long way as a country and we have certain rights that can NOT be violated. Most Americans still have the same thoughts and perceptions of what Hispanics and African Americans are. People still think most hispanics are only here in the U.S. to have as many children as we can and live on welfare, or work in the U.S. only to send money to their home country. I know there are people if they could have their way Hispanics and African Americans would NOT reproduce.Last night I went to class and my instructor showed me a video on youtube about an ASU graduate student explaining ways her parents who are legal immigrants have been stereotyped and treated unfairly. I then started reading the comments left by different online users and the things some people left were outrageous! One user said " You're only an American if you are white!!" How is that possible? I was left in shock just to say the least.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmYFEteznsg. 
I do think it is important for everyone to have social identities and for their to be different kinds of communites. However, we need to inform others and change the perception of the same typical stereotypes. If we didn't have different communities then we wouldn't belong anywhere else. It is good to belong in certain groups, it makes us feel wanted and a sense of belonging somewhere. Power has a lot to do with how we view certain people. There are people of power who make it their priority to make an imapct and change people's lives. Like Jorge Ramos, he is a spanish newscater on Univision and he now uses his fame to try to educate and inform people on what exactly undocumentd students look like. That is just an example on what someone who has power and what one does with the power. There are some people who may have power and use it in negative ways and try to brainwash those who might not be well educated. I don't want to ever offended anyone but I do have a strong opposition against people like Russell Pierce who is inventing bills that call for stereotyping and discriminating in such a negative way. Maybe because I am a Latina that I take such offense to the damage he has been causing our state, Arizona is basically a joke to everyone else not living here. I do believe in following the law and also agree with making our state a safer place. I don't agree with the way Pierce is using his power. I saw on CNN today that there 1,002 hate groups in America, I have to say I strongly feel it is because of those in power and have power portray certain minorties in such a negative way http://articles.cnn.com/2011-02-23/us/splc.hate.groups_1_patriot-groups-southern-poverty-law-center-mark-potok?_s=PM:US. We are all different and America is a melting pot, we should be proud to have such diverse characters!
