Dear Latinx Communidad,
These last four years have been a struggle for all of us, but it feels like the year 2020 has really pained us the most. In fact, it is just now the beginning to change and fight for justice. We may feel unwanted, but we need to remember where we came from. it is the air we breathe in, and the water we swim in. It is the indigenous foods we prepare and consume. It is the traditions we engage in and celebrate. It is the heritage we manifest in ourselves. We should not have to hide behind a white wall and feel inferior. We should not have this fear of subordination. We should not have to be viewed or treated like animals or criminals. It is hard enough already being called an “illegal alien” all your life. We should not have to think that liberty and justice are inevitable. Our indigenous ancestors did not take part in a violent struggle and cry out for opportunity just for us, their children, to have to tolerate discrimination, injustice, or inequality in a world dominated by whiteness and oppression. They may have taken parts of our culture, but not our dignity. We are humans with an indigenous identity, yet my identity tends to not suffice this country’s needs. So, even if we are perceived as different, we have to remember where we came from so we can be strong and take pride in our unwanted culture.
Sincerely,
Dominique Ospina