VivirLatino

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how Latin@s are so often stereotyped as existing within specific geographical areas. For example, Mexicans are in Texas and California, Puerto Ricans are in New York, Cubans are in Florida, etc. And while, on the whole, it’s largely true that there are huge populations of each of these groups in those areas, it’s also true that Latin@s exist outside of those geographical areas as well. I think the emphasis placed on where each population exists has the effect of shutting off, silencing, and/or marginalizing Latin@s that exist in geographical areas where they don’t “belong.”

I grew up in Michigan, and while there was/is a fairly large Mexican population here, there’s also a LOT of isolation as well. Growing up in small towns (that there are a lot of) rather than bigger cities like Detroit, leads to a lot of pressure to act as the ‘token’ Mexican (she’s a *good* one! Compared to all those evil *bad* ones!) or to completely assimilate by pretending your not Mexican at all (When every Jose suddenly prefers to be called Joe!).

All this reflecting made me wonder about VLatin@s. What geographical area are located in? I know that Mamita has a lot of followers in the New York area, but I wonder if there are any VLatin@s that are like me, sitting your lonely butt out in the middle of Hickville U.S.A. (or Canada)?

Tell us where you’re at! Are there other Latin@s there? Other Latin@s of your “type” (for example, if you’re Cuban, there are other Cubans)? If not, how do you negotiate being so isolated?