Heritage in Liberty City

I think that been different is a plus, is what makes us unique but at the same time we want to be treat equally, we want to have the same benefits and we get offended if we feel that we are getting less than the rest.

During Multi-Ethic class, I experienced how important is for most of us, the concept of identity. In my case, I don’t have a cosmopolitan mixture as other classmates who were born here but their parents are from other countries, or the ones who had moved from city to city. I am Colombian, born and raise. I lived in Colombia until I was 19 years old, I was a grown up already and we moved because we have to, no because we wanted, but that is another story.

Going back to identities, it was shocking for me to see how passionate we are when we have to defend our culture or explain a stereotype. During class, one of the most “informative” answers and the one I think I remember the most, is the one that explained how African American people feel about black people from the Caribbean and vice versa. My classmate who is from Jamaica said that African Americans think of blacks from the Caribbean that they didn’t suffer as much as they did during slavery and blacks from the Caribbean think of African Americans that they haven’t let go the time of slavery and racial segregation and that is time for them to move on.

I am a person who doesn’t really care about the color of the skin; in Colombia I didn’t see many cases of racism or discrimination. When I started to take classes here in the US and I learned about the times of segregation I couldn’t believe how people could be so cruel. It was hard for me to understand that people with black skin had to use different buses of even have to use different restrooms. I really admire the people who fought for their rights and the ones who sacrifice their life.

In Colombia, I think that we don’t care as much as here about the blacks or whites, off course there are some cases but we care more about the social status and the region of the country were we are from. For example, people who live in an island call San Andres feel that they are not part of Colombia; they even have another language, a Creole language that combines English with French. They also prefer the Baptist church rather than the Catholic Church, which is the one that most of Colombians follow. Another example is the rivality between regions, as the Coast and the interior and also the coffee zone. Inside Colombia the culture of the regions it is very different, some are more conservative and others are more open, but once we are in another country, we are one, and we defend our country from the typical idea that people have about Colombia. We hate when people just talk about drugs and violence, Colombia is so much more that is painful to hear that we are drug dealers and hores.

Multi-Ethnic it’s what we are, and its good to talk about it, is good to ask and to clarify concepts. I think that is important to stop for a second and hear the other person, understand why he or she is saying something that for us could not have any importance or be the most painful thing we have ever heard. Most of the times we don’t agree with others but at least should respect and hear them.