Hispanic+Heritage+EssayJP

Hispanic heritage why do we keep it alive? We keep our heritage alive because in many ways it is a part of our life, where we came from and where we are going. Our family traditions, the way we communicate, our beliefs, customary foods and the holidays we celebrate impact who we are. All those things give us a sense of who we are, they make us the unique people that continue those traditions from generation to generation.
 * Hispanic Essay **

In America there are five main races African American, White, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native, and other. Even though the Hispanic percentage might not seem big, it is actually very big. Many people were looked down upon or judged because when they came to this country their way of life was different. They may have dressed differently or sounded differently. Their Hispanic background and culture made them stand out. These same people have changed our way of life and have added diversity to our country by sharing their customs and traditions with us. Those are the kind of people we often look up to and strive to be like. They did not give up and worked hard for a better life. Sometimes I find myself asking myself how can I change the world? Often I have no answer but when I hear about people that have been treated poorly because of their race and can still have the will to forgive. Those people are making a change and inspire others to be like them. This is why I am proud to be a twelve-year-old Cuban boy.

Although I may not look like a traditional Cuban boy my whole family is Cuban. All of my grandparents were born in Cuba and came to this country very young. I have heard stories about how my grandparents risked their lives to start a new life in America. They lived very comfortable lives in Cuba and would risk it all to get back the freedom that they knew they were about to lose. My dad’s mom vividly remembers walking out of her furnished home with only the clothes she was wearing and pregnant. When they got to the airport my grandfather was not allowed on the plane. My grandmother had to leave Cuba by herself. The next time she saw my grandfather their baby was six months old. My grandmother says that although that was a very difficult time, she was lucky because some families never saw each other again. (Grace Padron) My mom’s mother also had a long and scary journey from Cuba to the U.S. with a lot of people on board on a tiny homemade boat. The boat was secretly built in someone’s living room. My grandmother was only a little girl, they left in the middle of the night. They were in small boat with no navigation, food or life jackets. They did not think they would last another day at sea. They were all sea sick, hungry, sunburn and barely making it when a cargo ship picked them up and took them to safety. My grandmother told me that for weeks after they were living in Miami she still felt the motion of the ocean, a queasy feeling. Just to think that if anything would have gone wrong my life would have been very different and maybe I wouldn’t be here and I wouldn’t know the //familia// I know and love. (Julie Gonzalez)

Cuba was known for its beautiful beaches and tropical scenery. The Cuba of today is very different than the Cuba that my grandparents remember. In Cuba there is a lot of poverty because of the present communist environment. Most people feel that Cuba’s poverty hasn’t been tackled effectively because the way the government has dealt with reforming the economy of the country. (Extreme Poverty in Cuba) I think it’s terrible that this problem has had a bad impact on a country that was so beautiful. The economy is so bad that very few homes have been built in Cuba since the early sixties. Because of the lack of construction it is not unusual for three generations to live in one small home. In the countryside of Cuba, some people still live in traditional Cuban “bohíos”. These are palm wood huts with roofs made of palm leaves. (Cuba Families)

My Cuban heritage and background is what makes me the person that I am, a member of a Cuban family. I am proud of my roots, traditions, customs and Hispanic Heritage. As I grow older I will make sure that I share my culture and one day pass it along to my own family. That is how I will keep my heritage alive!

**WORKS CITED** "Cuba Families." //Membership//. Country Reports, n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2015. .
 * This is reliable because it was recommended by my teacher.

"Extreme Poverty in Cuban." //Poverties.org//. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2015. .
 * This a is a valueless source because people wrote it and took notes from stories.

Padron, Grace, Mrs. "Flight to Freedom." Telephone interview. 24 Apr. 2015.
 * This is a valuable source because my grandma lived it.

Gonzalez, Julie, Mrs. "Journey to the U.S." Telephone interview. 25 Apr. 2015.
 * This is a valuable source because my grandma experienced this.