My Special Heritage

Hola! It's Isabel. Everyone's family has a story rich with culture and history. My family's story begins in Mexico -- in fact, my grandparents still live there. Because we are still so connected to our Mexican heritage, my family blends many different customs into a funky culture of our own.

For example, my sister (Elena Maria) celebrated her quinceanera at my aunt and uncle's house in San Antonio. A quinceanera is a ceremony to honor a girl when she turns 15 followed by a huge rockin' party! In San Antonio, I got to see my grandparents for the first time in a while and got some perspective on what it means to be a Mexican American. Read the excerpt below from Isabel's Texas Two-Step that takes place when we were having a small family get-together at my aunt and uncle's house before the big day.

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The night was perfect for outdoor dining. Half of my many relatives were there already. My grandparents on my Mom's side, Abuelito José and Abuelita Juanita, weren't getting to the ranch for a couple of days, but my father's parents, Papa Margarito and Mama Maria, and his brother's family arrived late afternoon. They had come all the way from Mexico! Mama Maria frightened me a little when she grabbed me by the shoulders, practically pinching me, and said: "Cuida a tu mamá," take care of your mother. Her words didn't register right away, because I realized I was now taller than her. Being taller than my grandmother must mean I was "maturing." I held my head high and smiled at my other relatives.

Maria could be sort of cranky, but I loved that she had so much spirit and always said whatever she thought. She began to complain to my mom that her granddaughters were becoming "Americanas," unable to hold a decent conversation in Spanish, too modern for our own good.

Papa Margarito just laughed his great, jolly laugh and said to me, "Don’t worry, ba-bee. It'll be all right!" Papa was a big joker.

"Claro que sí, Abuelo," certainly, I replied as I hugged them both, to prove to Mama Margarita that my Spanish was just fine, thank you. She smiled and winked at me. She always said she loved my spirit, too.

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Our new friend, author Viola Canales, can relate. She is also Mexican American and grew up in a house that spoke Spanish and observed Mexican traditions and holidays. Here, she talks to Club BSGers about what it means to hold on to your special heritage.