"Quien soy yo?" by Angelina Calderón, M.E.Ch.A. de Yale

"Quien soy yo?" by Angelina Calderón, M.E.Ch.A. de Yale

Yo soy Angelina Calderón Pérez

Hija de inmigrantes mexicanos

Chicana en cuerpo y alma

What is a chicana?

(My mind twists and turns to find the right answer)

What is a chicana?

I am Chicana

It’s something I feel in me

No se si me nació o le herede

No, I don’t think its hereditary

Mi ma y mi pa don’t even know what I’m talking about when I say Chicana

And yet yo soy chicana por ellos

It is because of them, their struggle that

I can find the strength to call myself a Chicana

Yo soy Chicana

I am Chicana because I know that people have fought long and hard

so that I could be here today

Yo Soy Chicana

I am Chicana because I know I have to fight so others can have what I have

Yo soy Chicana

I am Chicana porque el ritmo de la cumbia y las norteñas flows through my veins

Yo Soy Chicana

I am Chicana because my taste buds melt at the sight of enchiladas and frijoles con queso

Yo Soy Chicana

I am Chicana because I know this world ain’t perfect

But I know que si nos unimos a la lucha,

We can make a difference

Por eso yo soy chicana!