4w ago

As a 2nd-generation insert minority race how do you find ways to connect more strongly to your culture? I was born to immigrants and they didn't teach me all there is to know about my culture.

I think this tends to happen when people move away from their homeland and raise their kids elsewhere. Especially if your parents are committed to Americanizing. I'm not sure how else to understand them not teaching me so much basic stuff about the biggest holidays of my culture. Like New Years related things, for example. It makes me sad that I celebrated half of only some holidays.

Honestly maybe it's because they were poor. I will ask them about this. Poverty probably changed what traditions they practiced.

5 comments

If you don't know the language (assuming it isn't English), then you'll never truly reconnect with your roots. At best, you'll have an orientalist (or orientalist equivalent if you aren't Asian) understanding of your heritage as seen through the eyes of Anglophones.
The only real path towards reconnecting with your roots is:
(Re)learn the language.
Talk to people in that language.
Consume social media in that language.
Read blogs and articles is that language.
Read books in that language.
Them's the breaks.
- I think I have to save this comment because you've given me a lot to think about as someone in this situation. I really need to learn to commit to the process, though.
- I know a little of the language. I would feel so nice and warm and comfortable in my own skin if I knew it fluently.
Idk about this tbh, my parents are immigrants too but we celebrate say mother's day and father's day different than the days here. I will say I do have some friends prob in your position where their parents were against teaching them spanish but like my parents only spoke that so I learned I guess english as my second language and I'm fine. It's always been in their face that they didn't belong in america and I feel the same
but like we here so we'll make do. My parents poor too so don't think that's the issue tbh more has to do with trying to assimilate I bet (with the caveat that america will never really accept us anyway but that's besides the point)
Traditions and cultures are only important if you make them important to you. If you want to learn how to cook certain dishes or how to celebrate, there’s tons of content on video platforms. Maybe try making some friends from your culture, online if there aren’t many in your area and celebrating together. As for your parents, people have all sorts of reasons for abandoning cultural practices, maybe it’s poverty, maybe they have trauma attached to them, maybe they wanted to protect you from the social consequences of being different - you never really know unless you talk to them. Sometimes people move to get away from cultures, you know? Not saying that’s necessarily applicable for your family but don’t blame them too much 💜