I have never denied my background or my culture. I have taught my child to embrace her Mexican heritage to love my first language Spanish to learn about Mexican history music folk art food and even the Mexican candy I grew up with.

For a long time I thought I could deal with my anger and hostility on my own. But I couldn't. I denied that it had affected me and yet I was so frantic on the inside with other people: I needed to be constantly reassured.