Are you Puerto Rican or American? Hesitantly, I don't know what to say when people ask me this question because I feel like I have to choose between the two ethnicities. Since I was born in the United States, I am considered American. But if I say I'm American I get asked about my origins. Therefore, controversy develops around the inhabitants of Puerto Rico because they are considered Americans since Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States. My skin is white, my eyes are brown and my hair is dark brown. I get confused with Europeans, like Italians, Portuguese or Spanish. Already in sixth grade I indirectly experienced prejudice. I grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood where I constantly heard racist thoughts about Latinos. In the hallways of my school or out on the playground, I heard that Latinos are drug addicts; they don't work; depend on well-being. I've also heard comments, like: Latinos are gang members, Latina mothers are slaves to their husbands, and the only job Latina women can have is working as a housekeeper. Growing up, there were few Latinos on television and in Hollywood. Even then, Latin characters were portrayed negatively. They were criminals, waitresses, gang members, drug addicts or drug dealers. Currently, a dramatic shift has occurred with more Latinos in the media along with diverse characters. Since Latinos were portrayed negatively in the media, many people internalize this belief by bringing racism to light. During sixth grade, I encountered a critical phase in my life where I denied my heritage by saying I was American. However, I never told my classmates that I was Latino. I didn't lie about my origins or deny my race because everyone assumed I was Spanish or Portuguese... halfway through the paper... Puerto Rican historians or writers. Also I know Spanish but I prefer to speak English. Therefore, I became Americanized. Through the experiences I have had, such as meeting proud Latino kids at school and reading about the experiences of other Latinos, I am proud to say that I am Puerto Rican. I will teach the future generation about our culture, including traditions and customs. My children may not have the opportunity to read about famous Latinos in school, but I will make sure they learn about prominent scholars, like Jose Marti and Rigoberta Menchu. Also, speaking Spanish is very important because our culture is based on the language. After all, Puerto Rico's official language may one day become English. However, we cannot forget our roots, nor our origins. Even though I was born in America, I am Puerto Rican.