That Noble Daughter: Mexican American Woman to Chicana (The Good Mexican American Daughter)($10.00Value)

Description

I am that good daughter, or as my mother describes me, the noble one. I am the noble one. With my dependable method of operation, years, therapy, and soul searching I made myself believe that maybe my parents knew I would survive and make it without much help, any help, or their help. That is what I wanted to believe. My survival instincts were on high alert. I will never know because I will not ask. They describe me as noble. They see me as their good daughter. I am not. I don’t want to be, I never did. So, I reaffirm this to myself: I survived my Mexican American parents, familial machismo, American patriarchy, a PWI university (predominantly white institution), and many racist patriarchal educational systems. I did not continue because I was a good daughter who wanted to make her parents proud. I continued because it was survival for me. I just wanted to be their daughter. The noble daughter showed up as the family translator, the interpreter, the babysitter, the other mother figure, the extra money provider, the good student, always making herself last and invisible. It was noble putting your aspirations second to their needs. It was noble not to argue with them. It was noble not spending so much money on school and books. My mother always said I was mature and noble for my age. I had to be. My mother says that from her three children, I was the most noble. Today I still do not know if that is a compliment or an insult. I do not need to know. It doesn't matter. It is too late to ask. I was noble. I still am. I am glad I did not lash out. There was no need. I am here today despite it all. Sometimes, there are words.