Personal Narrative: Who Am I?

Who am I? For some people the answer to this question is simple. They are able to answer this question without much thought. However, while some find solace and pride in answering this thought provoking question, it has always stirred in me a feeling of angst and confusion. These uncomfortable feelings emerged because of my interracial background and upbringing. My father is African-American and my Mother is Mexican, Spanish, and Irish. As a child I frequently asked my mom the same question that filled my thoughts, “Mom, Who am I?” Without hesitation, her answer was always the same, “You’re a lot of things.” To my mother this was a simple answer to a simple question. However, her reply never completely satisfied my need to understand my place in the world. My insatiable cultural curiosity left me confused as to how I fit into a world that relishes cultural labels. I longed for the day when the realization of my mother’s phrase “lots of things” would finally make sense to me.
My grandma’s house was one of the places throughout my life that always provided me with a constant sense of comfort. It was …show more content…
In my grandma’s living room, I learned that society will never be able to neatly label me. I’m the only one that can choose the labels that ultimately define me.
Who am I? I’m a reflection of my parents, grandparents and all of their struggles and accomplishments. I’m the product of my beautiful and rich heritage. And just like my grandma, I’m a confident, strong-willed, and college bound young lady ready to define my place in this world. I will be the bright light traversing the halls of academia in pursuit of knowledge to compliment who I am and more importantly, redefine societal labels including my