Today more than ever we see the constant collision of state and identity, whether it’s women’s rights, gay rights, or even civil rights. The concept of identity has slowly but surely become a topic of legislation and policy. This merger between politics and identity is known as identity politics. One can learn all about identity politics and the power it entails in the publication “The Power Of Identity Politics.” by Garza, which discusses how concepts that shape one’s identity such as religion, race, social background, are being constantly influenced by or in some cases even finding footing in political agendas.

 As stated by Garza, identity politics is both simple and hard to define. This is because while conservatives demonize it,  it is still an active political concept. One critical point made by Garza is that Identity Politics ultimately finds its footing in power, thus why there are so many different arguments concerning whether or not it is inherently flawed. Despite the varying views and definitions of power, there is one thing about the power that seems to be consistent across the board, which Garza also discusses is that “Power is about who makes the rules and the reality is that most of us like real power even over the decisions that are closest to us. A lack of understanding of power is Central to having power operates. Power prefers to operate in obscurity; if help out operates was fully transparent a success many of us will prevail against it” ( The Power Of Identity Politics | Garza, Nd). When considering concepts such as identity politics, power is at the root of all politics. Politics focus on rulemaking and those who can make those rules. As a society, we are beginning to lose sight of the fact that our identity is all we have. Our identities create us as individuals, and the lack of separation between politics and concepts such as religion and other cultural aspects will eventually rob everyone of their sense of self and who they indeed are at the core ultimately what is the person becomes political and who we are as people become controlled more and more by policy and societal rules and expectations.

Minorities in America feel these implications the worse and always receive conversations concerning identity. For a long time, identity politics have plagued the African American community, the Muslim community, the Christian community, the gay community, and even the Hispanic and Latino community. The harmful impacts of identity politics on the Hispanic and casino community are touched on briefly in the article “ Too Latina To Be Black, Too Black To Be Latina.” Alechia Williams discusses her struggle finder her place in society as a Black Latina, two of the most targeted minority groups both politically and socially. She discusses the struggles of not fitting in one category set in place by the black, white, or Mexican system. As well as facing challenges socially amongst the people in her community because she did not fit into one specific demographic ultimately leading her to have split lives and different personalities when interacting with particular groups. For most, this reality is exhausting -thankfully enough, she has learned to embrace who she is. Her socially and politically identity, she understands now she is more than the box she is put into. As she states within the article, “I am black. I am Latina. I am human, and no one can take that away from me (Williams 2017)

In conclusion, We must pass down the same attitude to children everywhere. It is okay to be of more than one culture, and it is still possible to find a place in society and advocate for change. I think the importance of identity needs to be pushed now more than ever as the politics surrounding identity are consistently contributing to the erasure of most.

Identity has always been a crisis for many , whether it’s a racial crisis , gender crisis or even individuality.  People tend to struggle as a hold in this world but to struggle or buy in a box because you belong to Romeo different races I can see how that would affect a person. A lot of times people who struggle with racial identity tends to be an easy target for crowds that likes to stir politics. The article “ too Latina to be black” the author poured out her problems she facing as a mixed with Hispanic an Black, in her story she states that’s she from NEW YORK CITY which is a big melting pot full of different cultures when she live here in New York it was easy for her to be herself without wondering if anyone else finds it a problem because there’s so much culture here nobody has the time to judge if your both for us that’s a big blessing to be able to portray both cultures but upon loving she realizes that the acceptance of New York isn’t spread to certain states, they aren’t aware of mixed cultures/ people so they aren’t accepting as they should be. Instead of being polite an gaming knowledge the kids of her schools weren’t polite to her. A group of Hispanic girls because just maybe her putter appearance wasn’t up to their standards maybe it’s the kink in her hair or maybe it the color of her skin but without a doubt they misjudged her before she even gotten a chance to speak a word to either of them. Another reason why you should never judge a book by its cover because u never know what’s in side until you open it. In the power of identity it. An classmates snapshot or response that I relate to was Allison Williams she discussed and showed awareness to racism identity and the the discrimination that you might face from your own race if you mixed. I think it’s had enough to feel the pressure from the outside race but to to feel like you have to choose to fit in with your own is definitely overwhelming. 

As much as it has been ridiculed and listed as a tragedy by the right, I believe exploration of identity politics is very important, and it’s very nice to see that it has been explored so much by younger people today through social media, as well as having reached more people that had yet to explore. The more people identify personally with these different aspects of themselves, such as their race, sexuality, or gender or ethnicity the better they can see how different oppressive systems personally affect not only them but the people they know. Something that I have seen for a long time and that I noted in the article by Aleichia Williams was how “latino” culture is essentially raceless, but operates as if it did include race. Not only that, but I feel personally that different races of people that call themselves “latino/latina” see being latino differently. By and large “latino” by statistic and population count, technically refers to what has been called “mestizo” by colonizer/settlers, and which means a person of mixed indigenous and white descent. However, because of systems of oppressors and intended miseducation, latino often refers to anyone from the colonized lands of central and south america. It is these people that were sitting at the table when Aleichia Williams sat down that assume that she is not also latina, or that she spoke the same colonizer language that they do. The warping of the meaning of latino into a racial identity is a very great shame, and I have seen it stand firmly in the way of many a colonized victim from their own liberation. To attempt to follow the logic, an indigenous/mixed person in latin america can refer to themselves not as indigenous, but with a different racial label that also refers to people that arrived to the same land by boat, overtook it through strategic genocide, directly impacting their own indigenous ancestors and placing them low on their new power hierarchy, allow those white descendants to call themselves latino and in fact maybe personally refer to them with it, but at the same time turn around and scoff and attack a black person whose ancestors were also affected by the white person’s ancestors, arrived in the same boats with them against their will, and placed just below them in this new social ladder. The mental gymnastics is learned over the course of centuries, but it is especially ridiculous to believe when it is laid out.

I have great feelings about the article “Too Latin can’t be black, too dark can’t be Latin”. When I first attended class in the United States, I couldn’t tell whether blacks were Latino or African, even Muslims and Indians. Everyone has a turban. The protagonist also said that she was rejected by Hispanics the first time she transferred, but she lacked understanding and even spoke Spanish beyond their imagination.

Aleichia Williams, “Too Latina To Be Black, Too Black To Be Latina”, resonated with me in similar and different ways. Growing up, I was honestly not aware of my own citizenship status, which was that I am not a citizen of the United States and only began to understand this when I became eligible for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals at the age of fifteen. Due to that fact that I had no knowledge of what it meant to be undocumented, I felt devastated in finding out and I noticed that it suddenly became a part of my identity and something that others easily dismissed or highlighted. I remember feeling embarrassed when school counselors would suggest taking different paths when it came to my college process because I am undocumented and therefore do not qualify for federal aid or state aid. I remember feeling embarrassed when others would disclose my status without my consent. It felt wrong and at times scary, especially during Trump’s presidency as he has attempted many time to remove my only protection here as an undocumented woman. It feels like my life is controlled or limited at times because I know that due to my status, I legally cannot take part in certain activities or opportunities that others can. Sometimes, I think that ignorance can be bliss because I remember dreaming and speaking of traveling before knowing of this label, my label.

In Alicia Garza’s, “The Power of Identity Politics”, Garza states, “Identity is the elephant in America’s room.” (191) and with this Garza expresses that there is quite an obsession with identity in the United States but for all the wrong reasons. I appreciate that Garza included a scenario in which a white woman states, “when are we going to get around to being human!” (185) because this supports the idea that while this may innocently seem as a statement of support instead of division, it only contributes to the harm that is already there. It supports erasure of an individual’s personal identity which may seem to make us more “equal” but it only promotes ignorance and intolerance for the identity of others. I think Keona Malcolm’s snapshot summarizes the basic concept of identity politics in the sense that the ways in which the general public along with institutions categorize and create narratives of what an individual or groups of individuals may be like or may support simply because of how they identify or how others choose to identify them. When Garza mentions Trump’s presidency and his strong and negative narratives on anyone who was not a white American, hurt those who were mentioned. It reminded me of when he mentioned Hispanics and Latin Americans as r*pist and individuals who stole American’s jobs and it reminded me of myself, my family, my friends, my neighborhood, and I did not know anyone in relation to me that fell into those identities. Statements and generalizations like those create division, so does the erasure of identity and so instead individuals must learn of each other and learn how to listen and accept in order to celebrate diversity. 

As I was reading the blog “Too Latina to be black, too black to be Latina” I relate to many of the things she said such as “Even now as an adult I find people are constantly trying to restrict me into a specific mold and identity”. I’m Mexica, I was born in New York City and was raised eight years of my life in NY,  we moved to Mexico for ten years in that frame of time I was constantly living between the US and Mexico it was finally till I was 19 years I moved back permanently to NYC.

People assume because I’m Mexican and lived there I like eating spicy and the truth is I don’t my level of tolerance for spicy is very low “for someone who’s Mexican” as certain people have said to me. I still like celebrating “Día de los Muertos” even though I no longer live in Mexico, I have had people questioning why do is till celebrate that day if at this point I have lived more time in the US. I still go to Mexico for visit and some friends tend to make comments like I’ve changes or been “whitewashed ”.Over time I learn not matter what you do people will always say or have an idea of who they think I am, but as long as I keep truth to myself and embracing who I am is all it matters. 

The snapshot that Jaisely Dominguez posted was a great image representing identity’. In “The power of identity” the author mentions how “ A lack of understanding of power is central to how power operates” people with the power or privileged tend to ignore how is it that power works or even acknowledge that they have a power.  The quote that stand out to me was “the only lasting truth is change” I agree with the author for a country who values innovation and yet the majority resist to change. 

Racial identity refers to how a person defines themselves with race or ethnicity. According to WordPress “Racial identity is a dynamic sociopolitical construction and assists in the understanding of within-group differences of people of different races. Racial identity development is relevant to all racial groups and incorporates perspectives of a person’s view of self with regard to his or her own racial group and other racial groups. Racial identity is an important construct because it is a more meaningful concept, and likely a better predictor of behavior, than racial group membership alone. In addition, the experiences of people of color are not homogeneous and have resulted in different meanings and attributions about being a part of a specific racial group.” This quote explains that racial identity is people with different races. It is mostly how an individual views themselves in  regards to race. Many times not only do the individual themselves struggle with their own identity but other people struggle to know who they are. 

I agree with Allison’s post because Amara la negra is a reality tv star who has been degraded because she looks different. As an afro latina many people label her being too black to be considered a latina. As an artist many people rejected her because she was too dark, her hair was too kinky. A man in particular commented on her looks on the reality show entitled “Love and Hip Hop Miami”. The men made some comments stating that she should try different looks and get rid of the afro. He was saying that he wants him to have her hair straight, doing box braids, or cornrows. He was basically telling her that she does not look good with an afro. He continued to say that in the music industry they only accept a certain woman with a certain look. According to Allure Amara stated “ I started to notice that I was the only black girl in the group and I was put right in the middle or all the way in the back. I always recall this one specific moment when I was getting my hair done at the TV station and the hairstylist told my mom I needed to get my hair permed because it wasn’t manageable and they didn’t have time for that. I was thinking, “What’s wrong with my hair?” because I couldn’t process all the information. Later on, my mom had to perm my hair and then I became like one of the rest of the girls. That was my way of fitting in. But I always knew from a very early age that my skin color was different from the rest of the people I worked with and that it came with a responsibility, racism, being looked down upon. You know when you’re walking down the sidewalk and people who don’t look like us are holding tight to their purses. And anytime there are cops, I go into a total panic because even though I’m Afro-Latina, we feel the same fears as the African-American community. Until you talk to us, you don’t know that we’re Latino. We’re seen as black and we have the same fears. I’ve felt the pressure all my life.” This quote shows how Amara was struggling with her racial identity. She was being treated differently because she was “too dark” to be considered a latina. She was judged by her skin color, and her hair texture. She has been going through this for a long time. She was told to change the texture of her hair so that it could be “manageable.”

When reading the blog Too Latina To Be Black, Too Black To Be Latina a quote that stood out to me was “I’m learning to embrace every aspect of my identity and not let small minds put me in a box that just doesn’t fit. I’m Latina. I’m black. Also, I’m human. No one can take that from me.” This is significant because some individuals feel obligated to classify people who identify as many races or ethnicities; Instead of viewing particular identities as unique. 

As a result, many Latino and Black individuals struggle to fit in on either side because they are expected to decide what they identify as. For example, when I was in high school, I had a friend who was both black and Latina, and she struggled to connect with either identity, let alone learn to accept both. For her, becoming natural was one of the many factors that allowed her to realize who she was, black and Latina. Before deciding to go natural, her hair was relaxed since she was a little girl, and since the relaxer started to break and damage her, she wanted to go natural; but at the time, her mother wouldn’t let her. Her mother must have thought it would make her more Latina rather than black. 

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Referring back to my snapshot, there was a nine-year-old boy who was obsessed with straightening his hair. As he looks in the mirror, he prefers having straight hair to feel more “attractive.” When it comes to racial identification, this sort of poor self-esteem has caused darker-toned individuals to feel humiliated not only about their color but also about their looks. 

His low self-esteem could also be caused by his upbringing, which taught him not to connect with who he is. I have never really struggled with my identity but I know a few people that have, my close friend, being one of them. I believe that as a society, we must understand that having multiple identities is something that should not be frowned upon but should be celebrated.

In this snapshot uploaded by Safiya Saidah Charles, from the film called ‘Mejorar la Raza’, we see a Hispanic boy looking at his own reflection after not having confidence in himself and wishes to have straight hair so he could feel more “attractive” in his image. He also feels that he is Black due to his curly hair and it appears that he straightened half of his hair just to make himself look better and when it comes to racial identity, this type of low self esteem has not only made dark skinned people feel embarrassed but also their appearance as well. I feel sorry for the people who struggle with their racial identities because it is hard for them to decide which proper race they were born in and accept who they are. They become easy targets for strangers to harass. For example, a man can tell a person that they are “ too white to be Latina” due to their appearance and that embarrasses the victim from the inside. This can cause the victim to feel less attractive. According to the article “Too Latina to be Black, Too Black To Be Latina”, the author Aleichia Williams discusses her issues of being a subject to racial identity due people looking down and not believing she was born Latina due to her appearance of that of an African American. She even mentioned her past after moving from New York City, a place where all cultures blend, to North Carolina where not many cultures are there. She once attended high school and during that time, the author was in class. Then she came across a group of Latina girls who appeared friendly at first. However, once she sat next to them, the kids went quiet. One of the Latina girls made snarky comments to one another about why the dark skinned Latina sat next to them. Another who attended the same class as the author claimed to her friend that she spoke Spanish as she blushed in embarrassment. It also caused the author to realize that she fell into what she called a “race crisis”. In the end, the author is still learning how to embrace who she is and she wants to be treated like a human being just like all the others. What I learned from the article is never let anyone put you down from your racial identity just because of your appearance. And don’t let low self esteem get to you because it causes not only for you to be shutting out from the world, but also yourself as well. In the article “The Power of Identity Politics” written by Alicia Garza, discusses about racial identity politics that many people struggle everyday from being judged by other people. White people in general, have the power to make decisions on what they do in life. White people wish to ignore the power of white people because some of them don’t view this kind of control the same way as before. Not everyone is created equal because each of the races are unique. As far as racial politics is concerned, every race in America is fighting for their freedom and to be treated as a whole person in society.