BOOK 1, Post 2

After finishing America Ferrera’s American Like Me, I felt understood. I felt like this personal, unique experience of mine was actually the experience of many people throughout the country, each filled and woven with their unique perspectives. Throughout life I’ve had experiences that I felt like I couldn't share with people, not because I wasn't able to, but because I felt that they wouldn't get it. Reading this book has allowed me to feel like I was able to talk to someone.  I truly felt as if I was talking to these people and they knew what question I was going to ask and gave me their answers.

I was able to relate to so many people on so many different levels. From Anna Akana’s mom telling her “‘Tagalog is a poor man’s language’” (Akana 219) to America Ferrar’s journey to La Esperanza and her realizing that there was a huge part of her family history that she didn't know, it was all relatable on some level. While I was never discouraged to speak Spanish, I have noticed this trend amongst young Mexican Americans who refuse to speak Spanish. They, like Anna Akana’s mom, have internalized this idea that their language, and thus their culture and heritage, is inferior to that of the other dominant language. When I first went to Mexico to visit my family, I was shocked. I had never seen such a beautiful landscape, vast trees and farming land nestled inside mountains and a volcano. In that same paradise, there was an extreme level of poverty I had never imagined. Such sadness and despair in the eyes of the children. As little as six years old, working already, doing manual labor. It was a world where the concept of “childhood” did not exist. I also grew up believing that I should be extremely grateful to be born in the US, and I am, and that trip to Mexico put it all into perspective. This idea of the American Dream and truly how much people around the world owe to the US for all the opportunities it has provided us. I learned about water rights, land rights, indigenous rights, and it was fascinating and disheartening to hear about the corruption, to see the corruption. It was so unfortunate to see a country so rich in resources, be torn apart by internal fighting and massive corruption deals where the rich grow increasingly rich and the poor remain poor or poorer. 

I recommend everyone to read this book, people from all walks of life. But more importantly, I urge all POC to read this book. I think you’ll find that our experiences aren't that different from each other. Sure, my food was tamales and tacos and theirs was curry, but they got it. At times I feel like the political and social climate of this world and society is set up to divide us into fractions, into seeing each other as an other, but I think this book clearly fights against that and shows that not only are we all interconnected, but that we are all truly one people.

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