• Home
  • About
  • Work with me
  • Praise
  • Media Kit
  • Blogger Networks
  • Contact

Mommy Teaches

Honoring the Uniqueness of Every Child

Join the Mommy Teaches Newsletter

Discover how you can bring out the best in every child.

  • Blog Topics:
  • Parenting
  • Mommyhood
  • Family Travel
  • Education
  • Reviews
  • ASD
  • Culture
  • Positivity

I Feel More Hispanic Than Ever

September 15, 2014 By Eileen Carter-Campos

When I was a young girl, I learned Spanish because I wanted to communicate with my Abuelita back in Puerto Rico. Born and raised by a Puerto Rican mother and American father, I never felt awkward about being “different”. I didn’t come from the typical Hispanic family where dinner always consisted of platanos with rice and beans. I always say, “I was blessed to have the best of both worlds in my childhood.” I grew up with variety but I knew I was different. That said, I always felt as though I was Hispanic, even with the last name Carter.

photo.PNG-80I was raised in a predominantly African American area in Brooklyn and I stood out with my curls. Those curls screamed Latina and, although many thought I was Italian, I knew I was Hispanic right from the start! I was always proud of who I was: my curves, my curls and even my accent. I liked to be set apart from the rest and didn’t have a problem coming from a Hispanic mother and a father who was a mix of all sort. Still today, we don’t really know my father’s ethnicity and I am okay with that. I feel more Hispanic than ever now, and I really can’t say why.

photo.PNG-79

I never had that burning desire to fit in with the crowd, nor did I feel as if I never fit in anywhere. There isn’t an easy way to explain it for me. I’ve been told that I’m NOT fully Hispanic because my dad was American and because I was born here, but yet my mother always told me, “you are what your mother is.” Did I care what others thought? NO! I think it’s insane that people say someone isn’t Spanish enough because they don’t speak the language or because their last name isn’t Rodriguez. What makes you more Hispanic than others?

 

When I was recognized in El Diario months back, I remembered my mother’s Aunt saying, “but you’re not Puerto Rican!” At first, I was at a loss for words in response. I mean, she’s entitled to her opinion but I most definitely wanted to voice mine. Why wasn’t I Puerto Rican enough in her eyes to be called one? I don’t have the answers to that either, but I do know that I have always felt Hispanic, and again, now more than ever!

photo.PNG-78

Maybe because my mother spoke to us in Spanish and our home was always overflowing with the aroma of sofrito and other spices. I do the same in our home now and my boys still don’t want to learn the language (an entirely different post). Do I force them? NO..I model it at home, hoping to inspire their desire to learn, by speaking with my husband. If they choose not to speak it, it doesn’t mean that they are less Hispanic than anybody else. It doesn’t take away their culture and the fact that their dad is Dominican. I always get, “you NEED to speak to them in both languages” or a list of questions about my parenting wondering why I’m not doing more in that area.

 

I feel I am Hispanic every single day through the food I make in my home, the traditions I follow that have been passed on through my Abuelita, the Spanish that I speak even if it may be improper, I can defend myself and I know how to write Spanish better than I give myself credit for (sometimes I miss a few tildes). The bottom line is that NO one can tell me I am NOT Hispanic and I don’t allow them to. I may not have a perfect Salsa step but I have the blood running inside of me and I carry myself with pride and poise and I will do the same with my boys!

 

Care to share: Have you ever felt as though you don’t fit in? What are your thoughts?

Share:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Heritage & Culture, Writing & Blogging Tagged With: Hispanic, Hispanic Heritage Month, Latina, Latinos

Trackbacks

  1. My Boys Don’t Speak Spanish...So What? - Mommy Teaches says:
    September 20, 2014 at 9:55 am

    […] I Feel More Hispanic Than Ever […]

  2. Feeling Thankful For The Memories - Mommy Teaches says:
    November 24, 2014 at 9:01 pm

    […] with my Aunt and her family as well as my grandmother, grandfather (from my dad’s side) and my mom and her side of the familia. We all huddled together in this one small apartment to break bread and give thanks. I remember […]

  3. I Am Latina But Don’t Celebrate Three Kings - Mommy Teaches says:
    February 19, 2015 at 8:54 am

    […] with my mother and her family and our plates were blessed with the deliciousness of our culture. I felt more Hispanic than anything else growing up because I never felt like anything less. I know the language (but that didn’t make […]

  4. Proud of Our Hispanic Heritage | Mommy Teaches says:
    October 7, 2015 at 12:33 pm

    […] truly was the best vacation ever for me and I hope for my children. They were able to explore and I felt even more Hispanic than ever revisiting the places where I had been when I was a child. My dad made it his business to […]

Welcome to MommyTeaches.com

Hi, I'm Eileen, an educator, mom of two, and proud Boricua!  Here on "MommyTeaches," you'll receive real insight from a teacher of more than 15 years and a mother of two boys who love to explore the world around them.  But "Mommy Teaches" isn't just the name of the blog, it's my life!  I'm teaching every single day, whether in the classroom or at home with my own kids.  As mothers, we know just how important our role is, as we become our child's first teacher. [ Keep reading → ]

Connect with me

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search Mommy Teaches

Listen to the Mommy Teaches Podcast!

LISTEN ON ANCHOR »
The Network Niche

Watch Me On Periscope

@EileenCCampos

As Seen On

Recognized as a Top Bloguera

Spanglish Baby ReadMe

On Instagram

This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: No feed found.

Please go to the Instagram Feed settings page to create a feed.

On Facebook

MommyTeaches

Networks

Everywhere Society Member

Vote for Me

Site Navigation

  • Home
  • About
  • Work with me
  • Praise
  • Media Kit
  • Blogger Networks
  • Contact

Top Posts

  • Huggies® Could Have Saved Me From This Memorable Mami Moment
  • Reading Counts Everywhere!
  • Say No To Summer Packets
  • Celebrating 11 Years Of Motherhood
  • 4 Ways To Be The Substitute From Hell

Blog Topics

  • ASD / ADHD / Asperger’s
  • Books & Reviews
  • Couples & Relationships
  • Educational Crafts
  • Family Health & Safety
  • Family Travel
  • Heritage & Culture
  • Managing Mommyhood
  • MommyTeaches Parenting
  • Positivity & Graditude
  • Social Networking & Events
  • Sponsored / Promotional Content
  • Teaching & Education
  • Writing & Blogging

Copyright © 2025, Mommy Teaches · Web Design by Chantilly Patino