“Be careful, there’s a cop parked over there,” I said to my husband. “Yeah… I see him.” We weren’t doing anything wrong. We were simply driving home – driving along a back road, at nighttime. As my husband cautiously ensured he drove not even one mile over the speed limit, I kept my eye on […]
raising multicultural children
Let’s Talk Columbus Day with Our Children
Columbus Day is a federal holiday in the United States and for most states across the nation, Columbus Day is an official holiday, often accompanied with a day off from school and (perhaps) work, depending on your employer. Some states and cities have opted to abolish Columbus Day and instead celebrate Indigenous People’s Day, which […]
The Time My Daughter’s Multicultural Voice was Called Un-American
“Mommy, when Mrs. [Teacher] was talking to us about the Southwest region, she called the Rio Grande, Rio Grand. I told her it’s pronounced Rio Gran-de, not Grand, and she said, ‘Well, yes, if you were Mexican or Spanish, you’d say it like that, but if you’re American, we say Grand.’ I didn’t say anything […]
Is The World Ready for My Baby Girl to Be President?
“I’m still not sure if I want to be a detective when I grow up or if I want to be President,” you proclaimed. In typical parent form I responded that you have plenty of time to decide since after all, you are only 8 years old and in 3rd grade. “You’ll figure it out, […]
On Being Told to Go Back
When we moved to Florida from Puerto Rico, I was eight years old and already one month into third grade. I left behind the private Catholic school that had just begun to accept girls as students that year and came to a standard public school in the city of Orlando. My first day at this […]
