The Hispanic-American Identity Crisis
- unboundascent
- Jul 6
- 4 min read
When I moved to Houston TX from Miami FL, everyone thought I was Mexican. That really bothered me, but it wasn’t peoples ignorance or subtle comments that upset me, it was this:
My whole life I thought of myself as an American. After all, I was born in Miami Florida, spoke English, and had a US passport.
Now, I know what you’re thinking, and yes I know, Miami is… different from the rest of America, lol. After all, you can live your whole life, comfortably, in Miami without knowing English and you would be fine. Most of us spoke Span-glish anyway — which I used to just consider a Miami ‘sabor’.
But once I stepped foot in Texas, my perspective on America changed quite dramatically.
All of a sudden, I felt like an outsider.
People were very welcoming, that southern hospitality is definitely REAL. But something just made me feel off. I couldn’t understand what it was.
Until one day, I got pulled over for going about 4mph over the speed limit and was asked a question I never imagined I would get in a traffic stop (Lets just say I had a few speeding tickets back in Miami lol).
The officer pulled me over and said:
“Listen I pulled you over because you were going over the speed limit. Now, I am going to let go with a warning but before that, I need to ask you one question: ‘What is your ethnicity?’
WTF. I was shocked.
When we questioned the officer and why he asked that, he quickly stated “We are doing demographics research for our county and need to know”.
My wife, an attorney, was about to lose her cool as she sat in the passenger seat hearing this officer ask me that question.
I quickly grabbed her hand and whispered, “it’s ok, he said it’s only going to be a warning, let’s just act cool”, with a slight smile on my face.
It wasn’t a big deal to me in the moment. But to my wife (A white American woman and attorney), this was all kinds of f***** up.
I told the officer I was Hispanic and he let me go on my way.
Realizing I Am Not “American” Enough
As I drove off, that question kept replaying in my head. ‘What is your ethnicity?’ It wasn’t asked with malice, I truly believe it was for their research.
But it hit me hard. In that moment, despite my American birth certificate, my English fluency, my dad being born here (long story for later), I was ‘other’. I wasn’t just another driver who sped a little. I was someone who needed to be categorized, whose ethnicity was relevant in a routine traffic stop.
That’s when it clicked. No matter how ‘American’ I felt, how much I identified with the culture, there would always be a part of me seen as different. And honestly, that realization stung.
It made me think about all the other subtle ways this happens, the assumptions people make, the boxes they try to put us in.
And this, I think, is where the struggle with identity comes in for so many of us. We navigate a world where we feel American, we are American, but we’re constantly reminded of our ‘otherness’.
This can lead to us creating personas, trying to fit in, code-switching, and ultimately, living inauthentically out of a fear of not being fully accepted. We try to downplay certain parts of ourselves, amplify others, all in an effort to navigate this complex identity.
Redefining Belonging: A Two-Way Street
So, what does it truly mean to belong? Perhaps it’s not about being perfectly assimilated or fitting into someone else’s narrow definition of “American.”
True belonging isn’t found in external validation or the absence of questions about your origin. It’s an inside job.
It’s about recognizing your multifaceted identity, embracing all parts of who you are, your heritage, your experiences, your unique journey, and finding peace and strength in that authenticity.
When you are truly rooted in yourself, that’s when you can build genuine connections and create a sense of belonging wherever you are.
But genuine belonging is also a collective effort.
It requires the active participation of the dominant culture, particularly from non-Hispanic, White Americans, to create truly welcoming environments. It means moving beyond subtle assumptions, acknowledging diverse experiences, and actively dismantling the “othering” narratives.
It means creating spaces where people aren’t just tolerated, but celebrated for their full identities.
When those who hold societal power consciously open the doors of understanding and acceptance, it lightens the burden on those who have historically felt the need to “code-switch” or hide parts of themselves.
True belonging flourishes when both the individual embraces their authentic self, and the community genuinely welcomes that authenticity without reservation.
Have you ever had an experience that made you realize you were perceived differently than how you saw yourself? How do you navigate this feeling of being both American and something ‘else’?
Share your experiences below. Let’s talk about this. 👇
#HispanicIdentity #AmericanIdentity #CulturalExperiences #Authenticity #Belonging #USBornHispanic #RealTalk #IdentityStruggle
Struggling with your Hispanic Identity? Lets connect!
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