"I am birth from opressed and opressor. I am Aztec indigenous woman and Spanish conquistador. My ancestors were the ones misatken for white gods and also the ones enslaved into patriarchy." Damn, that hit me hard.
That part resonated with me as well, but she left out our third parent: the enslaved African. We don’t carry as much African ancestry as other Latinx groups, but it is there, and it needs to be acknowledged and embraced because without it, we are incomplete. Btw I recommend every Mexican take a DNA test and check it out for yourself. In my case, the majority of my African ancestry comes from Nigeria 😊
This is a message for people who are mixed with everything and people look at you a certain way for your last name. She’s saying that people have always judged her for being anything.
This was shown in my year 11 english class, I can't get enough of it, I love it! I can't relate to it but I love it and I don't know why. Maybe because she's standing up for herself. I have this but with sexuality and identity instead
As a half-Mexican and half-white girl, I relate. I am white-passing so I've been told many times that I am not Mexican, even though there is indegenous Otomi blood running through my veins. Since my mom is part of the 3rd generation in America, her Spanish consists mostly of slang and traditions have blended with America influence. I find myself trying to learn more about Mexico and it's culture. I speak conversational Spanish and am continually learning to speak fluently. And that was not through my family, but through school and my effort to get closer to my heritage.
"My character belongs to me. My identity belongs to me. My blood belongs to me." This is great. I've been here sometimes, having an arabic last name as a hispanic female. [Also- saludos from Chihuahua].
That was amazing... I am half Mexican and half Jewish and it's crazy hearing something like that because I have never met anyone who has had that same experience.
I have watched this like 20x in the past 2 or 3 days that I discovered it. It is hard when one is half one thing and half another. The people feel free to insult others around you, not realizing (or not caring) their words cut you to the core. All the while those insults could just as easily be directed to you and your's. Their words and brashness challenge us to speak up, yet are insulted when we do. Our white heritage is denied. Our Hispanic background is cast away. They want me to be them or deny what I feel. I love it when she says, "...but what I am Not, is a fucking Identity Crisis!" Even tho' I am starting to wonder if I should verify if that is an issue for me . . . I think not because when Miss Mercedez said that, I received her statement for myself and joined this young talent! For those who wonder, my mix is 1/2 Puerto Rican (w/Caribean Indian-Spainard) & 1/2 Gringa, Oregonian-w/Russian-Scottish bloodline. I loved it when my diversity professor told me that I could have my own culture. I guess I always did! I just never knew it was okay to be my own special mix! Thank you #DrShundaBrown of #APSU! #MTIrizarry when #AChildsWorth . . .her own unique #culture.
I am a mixed race latin@ and this hit me so hard I started to cry because this is my story. This is our story. So many of us share this story and its painful but its also beautiful WE are beautiful. Wow. I've seen many slam poems but none have hit me like this one has.
Being from Arizona, and Latina you get these sort of questions all the time. Especially "What part of Mexico is your family from?". Its easy to assume that there is hate in these questions because AZ just so happens to be a very racist state if you're Latino. Some people are just ignorant , and I've learned to not fly off the handle as quickly as I used to. But in cases like hers, when someone makes you feel like you're a mistake, or something to be ashamed of, it's hard not to unleash every ounce of pain and oppression you've ever felt on them. I love seeing young, educated, articulate, people speak up for themselves and remind the world that whether you like it or not, we exist, and we're thriving. Much love & respect.
We really need transcriptions!! These poems are teaching tools, and I have students who don't speak much English, but these poems are very important. !!
We really want to be able to add accurate, verified transcriptions (and multilingual subtitles) on all poems. If you're able, please help support (or let other folks know) so we can make that possible: bit.ly/buttonpatreon
as a mixed person i deeply relate to this. all the racism ive experienced came from being mixed. not white enough not brown enough not black enough, but ppl see me as white. "oh your white to me" they say it like its a compliment. ive been called a mutt, which is beyond rude! and stupid ass ppl thought my blood was too mixed too dirty to be accepted when i went to donate it!... i could go on but im getting angry.
I get the same thing Im half Puerto Rican, half Mexican & Greek. Black people think Im White, White people think Im Arabic, and Hispanics know what I am but cant accept the mixture. It's hard to find your place.
I feel you, although I appear more white and it is always a surprise to people that I can understand them when they are speaking Spanish and that I can pronounce things correctly, and it is a disgrace that people walking through the street have to take a second look because something seems off to them when a white girl is walking with her brown father.
I am sorry too that some have said or say, "'your white to me' ... like it's a compliment." That's hurtful to the core and to your heart. I have felt pain too.
This was so beautiful. I'm at work so I'm trying not to cry, but god that was amazing. To hear our struggle put into such an eloquent string of words, it makes my heart ache. Thank you so much for this.
my friend showed me this about a year ago. at the time, I never listened to poetry, let alone write it. I immediately fell in love with it l. and now whenever I'm having writers block, I watch this. not only does it tear down my writers block but raises my inspiration
I love this because I can relate to it so much. I've been told so many times that if I'm Hispanic, why am I so white? I come from native Guarani people in Argentina with beautiful brown skin but was washed out by further generations of Germans and Italians. Ive been told I could pass as white, but why would I want to? I love being who I am, I love my culture, I love my native tongue. This really made me realize I'm not alone❤
I think i take it for granted that i was NEVER looked down upon or made felt uncomfortable or impure for being of mixed race. My mom was born and raised in mexico, my dad was born and raised in canada. I lived in canada for the first 14 years of my life and now live in mexico.
So much passion and fire, this is amazing. I, also being mixed, can relate in many ways and I have to say she got every point across almost as beautifully as her blood.
*Bill of Rights for People of Mixed Heritage*, by Dr. Maria Root: *I have the right*: Not to justify my existence in the world. Not to keep the races separate within me. Not to justify my ethnic legitimacy. *I have the right*: To identify myself differently than strangers expect me to identify. To identify myself differently than how my parents identify me. To identify myself differently than my brothers and sisters. To identify myself differently in different situations. *I have the right*: To create a vocabulary to communicate about being multiracial or multiethnic. To change my identity over my lifetime--and more than once. To have loyalties and identification with more than one group of people. To freely choose whom I befriend and love.
Damn, if that wasn't stirring and amazing as hell. This is so different from my experience being a mix of various types of euro-descended white, so I really value the privilege of getting to hear your story and your feelings so passionately and eloquently told. Thank you. This is gorgeous.
This hit me hard... making want to scream. I've always been told a liar when I tell them my race... I'm sorry that my skin is light with chocolate hair and eyes... im sorry that my split tongue makes me a try hard on pretending. I'm birthed from the slave and the slave holder...My race... black, Hispanic, native, white (polish, Irish, German)... what box do I check again? Please tell me again that I am lying just because you can only see the white that radiates from my light skin. My grandmother can't even accept me because I'm something more then white... I apologize that my parents found love in one another... and to the bastards that question my grandfather on my mothers side, "Are you sure these are your grandkids?" My brother and sister blonde hair and blue eyes while me and my other brother dark hair and brown eyes... how dare you?
Thanks for that. It came as perfect timing for me as just yesterday I looked at my summary doctors office visit and I am listed Caucasian / White. Ethnicity: Not: Hispanic or Latino. I called leaving a message asking them to correct that to Mexican/White. As I grew up with my mother in a Mexican household. And spent time with my father who is Irish in his home with his wife and my half brother and half 3 sisters. I pass as white, so people assume so. I have heard racist things because people think I'm white and where they get its ok to talk that way to begin with, Surprises the hell out of me.
This poem. All I can say is this is exactly how it is. I am half Mexican and half Caucasian but my skin is white as snow. When I was in school I was ridiculed. I was put to the test when I said I was Mexican and made a fool out of mercilessly because my skin/hair color. They never noticed that I have my mother's eyes. They called me a liar and told me to stop disgracing their culture with my white supremacy bullshit. Saying my family were slave owners and don't know the struggle of being a minority. This young lady is beautiful.
"I'll be damned if people call my blood anything but beautiful."
gorgeous ending.
"I am birth from opressed and opressor. I am Aztec indigenous woman and Spanish conquistador. My ancestors were the ones misatken for white gods and also the ones enslaved into patriarchy."
Damn, that hit me hard.
That's me....the oppressed and the oppressor
Preach
That part resonated with me as well, but she left out our third parent: the enslaved African.
We don’t carry as much African ancestry as other Latinx groups, but it is there, and it needs to be acknowledged and embraced because without it, we are incomplete.
Btw I recommend every Mexican take a DNA test and check it out for yourself. In my case, the majority of my African ancestry comes from Nigeria 😊
i love it when poets mix in other/their native tongues.
I'm sitting here with goosebumps. This is beautiful, your blood is beautiful, YOU are beautiful.
This is a message for people who are mixed with everything and people look at you a certain way for your last name. She’s saying that people have always judged her for being anything.
This was shown in my year 11 english class, I can't get enough of it, I love it! I can't relate to it but I love it and I don't know why. Maybe because she's standing up for herself. I have this but with sexuality and identity instead
I'm half moroccan and half english and I have tears in my eyes. Fuck. I feel this so deep in my heart.
"We all come from the same tree but eventually outgrow our roots."
As a half-Mexican and half-white girl, I relate. I am white-passing so I've been told many times that I am not Mexican, even though there is indegenous Otomi blood running through my veins. Since my mom is part of the 3rd generation in America, her Spanish consists mostly of slang and traditions have blended with America influence. I find myself trying to learn more about Mexico and it's culture. I speak conversational Spanish and am continually learning to speak fluently. And that was not through my family, but through school and my effort to get closer to my heritage.
g daaaaaaaamn girl. your delivery is spot on I could feel the emotions you were depicting.
And your display picture! I too feel the emotions you are depicting.
Lmao...
"My character belongs to me. My identity belongs to me. My blood belongs to me." This is great. I've been here sometimes, having an arabic last name as a hispanic female. [Also- saludos from Chihuahua].
I can't even scratch the surface of how outstanding this was. WOW
I am also Mexican and European. This poem really hit me hard.
Same
me too. its crazy, ive really never heard anybody talk about this struggle, but she does it so poignantly
That was amazing... I am half Mexican and half Jewish and it's crazy hearing something like that because I have never met anyone who has had that same experience.
This doesn’t get enough recognition but it’s something so many people have gone through and go through each day of our lives
"I am a walking history lesson"
I have watched this like 20x in the past 2 or 3 days that I discovered it. It is hard when one is half one thing and half another. The people feel free to insult others around you, not realizing (or not caring) their words cut you to the core. All the while those insults could just as easily be directed to you and your's. Their words and brashness challenge us to speak up, yet are insulted when we do. Our white heritage is denied. Our Hispanic background is cast away. They want me to be them or deny what I feel.
I love it when she says, "...but what I am Not, is a fucking Identity Crisis!"
Even tho' I am starting to wonder if I should verify if that is an issue for me . . . I think not because when Miss Mercedez said that, I received her statement for myself and joined this young talent!
For those who wonder, my mix is 1/2 Puerto Rican (w/Caribean Indian-Spainard) & 1/2 Gringa, Oregonian-w/Russian-Scottish bloodline.
I loved it when my diversity professor told me that I could have my own culture. I guess I always did! I just never knew it was okay to be my own special mix! Thank you #DrShundaBrown of #APSU!
#MTIrizarry when #AChildsWorth . . .her own unique #culture.
Im half Colombian half American, and this literally made me cry. It’s so powerful
This is so passionate and beautiful. "My blood belongs to me."
I am a mixed race latin@ and this hit me so hard I started to cry because this is my story. This is our story. So many of us share this story and its painful but its also beautiful WE are beautiful. Wow. I've seen many slam poems but none have hit me like this one has.
Being from Arizona, and Latina you get these sort of questions all the time.
Especially "What part of Mexico is your family from?".
Its easy to assume that there is hate in these questions because AZ just so happens to be a very racist state if you're Latino.
Some people are just ignorant , and I've learned to not fly off the handle as quickly as I used to. But in cases like hers, when someone makes you feel like you're a mistake, or something to be ashamed of, it's hard not to unleash every ounce of pain and oppression you've ever felt on them.
I love seeing young, educated, articulate, people speak up for themselves and remind the world that whether you like it or not, we exist, and we're thriving.
Much love & respect.
We really need transcriptions!! These poems are teaching tools, and I have students who don't speak much English, but these poems are very important. !!
We really want to be able to add accurate, verified transcriptions (and multilingual subtitles) on all poems. If you're able, please help support (or let other folks know) so we can make that possible: bit.ly/buttonpatreon
as a mixed person i deeply relate to this. all the racism ive experienced came from being mixed. not white enough not brown enough not black enough, but ppl see me as white. "oh your white to me" they say it like its a compliment.
ive been called a mutt, which is beyond rude! and stupid ass ppl thought my blood was too mixed too dirty to be accepted when i went to donate it!... i could go on but im getting angry.
I'm sorry people treat you that way. It's not ok and as a human being you deserve better.
I get the same thing Im half Puerto Rican, half Mexican & Greek. Black people think Im White, White people think Im Arabic, and Hispanics know what I am but cant accept the mixture. It's hard to find your place.
I feel you, although I appear more white and it is always a surprise to people that I can understand them when they are speaking Spanish and that I can pronounce things correctly, and it is a disgrace that people walking through the street have to take a second look because something seems off to them when a white girl is walking with her brown father.
I am sorry too that some have said or say, "'your white to me' ... like it's a compliment." That's hurtful to the core and to your heart. I have felt pain too.
This is fucking amazing,I'm completely blown away by her skilful use of language to capture her very important point.
This was so beautiful. I'm at work so I'm trying not to cry, but god that was amazing. To hear our struggle put into such an eloquent string of words, it makes my heart ache. Thank you so much for this.
my friend showed me this about a year ago. at the time, I never listened to poetry, let alone write it. I immediately fell in love with it l. and now whenever I'm having writers block, I watch this. not only does it tear down my writers block but raises my inspiration
I can't believe how much angst is sprung forth from an aspect of life which is common to us all.
Powerful and eye opening. It was also well written and well presented. Loved it!
chills. this is beautiful. I am mixed, I am a walking history lesson.
holy shit, in three minutes I'm crying on the floor after listening to this. Its just so powerful
I'm just sitting here touched by this performance because I relate. Relate relate relate. This put everything into words.
This is my life right here.
ouch, this hits home. what a beautiful poem.
Amo esto con mi vida entera, hermoso.
So powerful. Such a strong message, with so much meaning in each carefully chosen word. The delivery was just as strong. Great job!
I can't even comment how absolutely incredible that was
SHE'S SUCH A BADASS!
I got chills watching this
I love this because I can relate to it so much. I've been told so many times that if I'm Hispanic, why am I so white? I come from native Guarani people in Argentina with beautiful brown skin but was washed out by further generations of Germans and Italians. Ive been told I could pass as white, but why would I want to? I love being who I am, I love my culture, I love my native tongue. This really made me realize I'm not alone❤
Aplauuuuuusossss eres lo mas de lo mas!!!!!! Bravo!
I think i take it for granted that i was NEVER looked down upon or made felt uncomfortable or impure for being of mixed race.
My mom was born and raised in mexico, my dad was born and raised in canada. I lived in canada for the first 14 years of my life and now live in mexico.
I love this so much. ❤️❤️❤️ I forget there are people who actually understand
Amen to this
This is too true. So true. I go through this so much, my god.
DAMN! that was powerful, beautiful and inspiring!
Incredible.
This beautiful piece gave me chills
Wow, chills up my shoulder the whole time!!! Thank you!
that gave me chills
I saw her perform this, it was great!
Wow👍😍 I'm a walking history lesson, my blood is beautiful 💚
That was absolutely perfection. thank you.
Spitting fire girl, damn.
WHY CAN'T I GIVE MORE THUMBS UP BECAUSE THIS DESERVES A THOUSAND.
beautiful😢😢❤
oh, that was stunning! I love it :)
So much passion and fire, this is amazing. I, also being mixed, can relate in many ways and I have to say she got every point across almost as beautifully as her blood.
She's perfect
Beautiful !
I feel everything that she said she had felt, and I'm 12.
I absolutely love this poem!! :D
I am so proud of her
Tell em!!!
This is so beautiful
Powerful!
All I can say is daaaayuuuuuuum! You better speak, girl!
Powerful! I love it!
Wow amazing!!
YES
I got chills from this I love this so much
this is amazing it hit me hard, like yeah i tatally agree
I understand that feeling.
So powerful I got chills! Loved it!
powerful.
amazing!
i saw this live i feel so special
*Bill of Rights for People of Mixed Heritage*, by Dr. Maria Root:
*I have the right*: Not to justify my existence in the world. Not to keep the races separate within me. Not to justify my ethnic legitimacy.
*I have the right*: To identify myself differently than strangers expect me to identify. To identify myself differently than how my parents identify me. To identify myself differently than my brothers and sisters. To identify myself differently in different situations.
*I have the right*: To create a vocabulary to communicate about being multiracial or multiethnic. To change my identity over my lifetime--and more than once. To have loyalties and identification with more than one group of people. To freely choose whom I befriend and love.
Thank you for making me feel so damn proud of being Hispanic! This is amazing 👏👏
Una palabra: Impresionante.
On Point!
straight fire
Damn, if that wasn't stirring and amazing as hell. This is so different from my experience being a mix of various types of euro-descended white, so I really value the privilege of getting to hear your story and your feelings so passionately and eloquently told. Thank you. This is gorgeous.
looks at "race" box on ACT
"white or hispanic?"
*sweats nervously*
exactly
Same
*marks the one on birth certificate while feeling like a liar*
wow...such a great piece there. the poem speaks in volume, it literally left me speechless after watching. this girl is just amazing...
Thank you! Your amazing! 🙌🏼
Damn. This is beautiful.
I love this.
Beautiful poem based on heritage and ethnicity pure🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥😘❤️
damn girl. i was over here snapping my fingers after every line. absolutely amazing poem & performace of poem. fantastic.
"Mi sangre es hermosa"
proof that we all come from the same tree but eventually outgrow our roots
“too ghetto for AP placement, not brown enough to be called Mexican” I FELT THAT
This hit me hard... making want to scream. I've always been told a liar when I tell them my race... I'm sorry that my skin is light with chocolate hair and eyes... im sorry that my split tongue makes me a try hard on pretending. I'm birthed from the slave and the slave holder...My race... black, Hispanic, native, white (polish, Irish, German)... what box do I check again? Please tell me again that I am lying just because you can only see the white that radiates from my light skin. My grandmother can't even accept me because I'm something more then white... I apologize that my parents found love in one another... and to the bastards that question my grandfather on my mothers side, "Are you sure these are your grandkids?" My brother and sister blonde hair and blue eyes while me and my other brother dark hair and brown eyes... how dare you?
YES 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
WOW!
Damnnn!!!
THIS IS SO UNDERRATED UGH
Thanks for that. It came as perfect timing for me as just yesterday I looked at my summary doctors office visit and I am listed Caucasian / White.
Ethnicity: Not: Hispanic or Latino.
I called leaving a message asking them to correct that to Mexican/White. As I grew up with my mother in a Mexican household. And spent time with my father who is Irish in his home with his wife and my half brother and half 3 sisters. I pass as white, so people assume so. I have heard racist things because people think I'm white and where they get its ok to talk that way to begin with, Surprises the hell out of me.
This poem. All I can say is this is exactly how it is. I am half Mexican and half Caucasian but my skin is white as snow. When I was in school I was ridiculed. I was put to the test when I said I was Mexican and made a fool out of mercilessly because my skin/hair color. They never noticed that I have my mother's eyes. They called me a liar and told me to stop disgracing their culture with my white supremacy bullshit. Saying my family were slave owners and don't know the struggle of being a minority. This young lady is beautiful.
sameeee