In Highschool I was constantly bullied

Bullied for being a white Hispanic

Bullied for not speaking Spanish fluently

Bullied for standing up with my ancestors

So this poem is for those tirones feos

 

 

I come from the place where the house I live in is bright yellow 

Where the hood hangs out 

Where our roads are paved with the blood of the west siders 

 

 

I come from the place where mi papá trabaja mucho porque quiere que yo viva una buena vida

 

 

 

I come from the place where 

Only abuelitas rule and absolutely no one can say no to “mijo” 

Where waking up to tortillas each morning for breakfast was a norm

And leaving the house with a “Dios te bendiga” 

Because only grandma knows that there are people out there who want to hurt me

 

 

I come from the place where just because my parents divorced it doesn’t mean God doesn’t love me

Where running to God is a strength and not a weakness

 

 

So don’t you dare look at my skin and tell me I am not a true Latino

My blood speaks of countless stories my family endured as braceros 

My tongue will always hold its ground like the Aztec warriors 

 

 

I will not let you bring down the anguish my abuelos, abuelas, tíos, tías, mi mamá, mi papá y todo lo que mi familia pasó

 

Because I am a Latino