Hi everyone,
I hope this Monday finds you well. I know it's a rough time in the quarter but I hope you're using that facultad and survivin'! I wanted to post about how much Terri de la Peña's visit affected me. I enjoyed her "Actor's Studio" interview very much and as an avid fan of Margins and her other novels, I appreciated her candor on why she writes and her more current life project of looking for her family ancestry. This last part was something I was not prepared for. I myself have been putting off researching my ancestry for lack of time, and honestly making excuses that there just wasn't enough information for me to go on. To begin my oversharing session I'll let you know that I practically grew up fatherless. My father struggled with drug addiction and alcoholism from his teens, and left my older sister, my mother and I before my 6th birthday. So, as far as looking for my paternal ancestry, the trail is pretty cold there. My mother's family on the other hand is warm, open to questions and loves to brag about ancestors. My grandfather is notorious for boasting that he hid Catholic priests in his family barn during the Cristero Wars of Mexico (1926-1929). although these stories of bravery and family histories remain, my mother's side and its trail goes cold after my grandfather shared that his mother left him also before his 6th birthday, and I'm left wondering what I can do to trace my roots beyond the 1920s. See what I mean about excuses? It wasn't until Terri's admittal to having had a DNA test done with her cousins that I realized I didn't have to lament my family's lack of info and I could have a DNA test done to sort out at least some questions about my heritage.
Although it's been a few weeks, my decision to partake in a test of my DNA reminds me of Cherrie Moraga's essay "La Guera" and of our discussions on her writing. You could say that I too yearn for family, for "tribe". Except in my case, I'm happy to explore my identity beyond my pale skin. My "Guera-ness" only says so much. It tells strangers that I can enjoy some amount of white privilege (although I can problematize that in a minute), but what my pale skin tells me is that I can't live with just the assumption that somewhere down the line European blood mixed with Indigenous/Black blood. I'd like to use science to tell me a bit of what I can't assume. Finally, I write to you because I feel that this speaks to what Chicana lesbians have theorized in their own writings, a need to look deeper into their own selves, and ask for what they need and want despite their culture telling them the opposite.
I posted a link of the test that I got in case anyone is interested, see you tomorrow!
Sincerely,
Angelica
Wow! I love it! I, too, was inspired to do that DNA test. I'll be sure to let Terri know she's got a few converts to her genealogy mission. But you're right, as well, that mujeres like Anzaldúa and Moraga have been theorizing our ancestry for three decades. Great observation!
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