5 Latinx students share what it’s like coming from a big city to Madison.
By: Tori Lopez
When I came to Madison, I noticed an immediate difference between here and my hometown of Chicago. Chicago had no shortage of Latinx students like me. It was so easy to find other people to talk to in Spanish, to meet up to try that new Mexican restaurant down the block. Here, authentic Mexican food is hard to come by. I’ve found very few people who I can speak Spanish with. It was so jarring to go from being surrounded by people like me to having almost nothing.
“I can’t be the only one,” I mused to myself. There are about 40,000 undergraduate and graduate students that attend UW-Madison. There had to be other Latinx students, and especially other big city Latinx students who experienced as big of a culture shock as me.
And so, while Latinx Heritage Month may be over, I wanted to bring attention to Latinx students who came from other cities. Latinx students encapsulate about four percent of UW-Madison’s undergraduate population; we’re a small group, but we still matter. And we have a few words to say about how we’re represented and treated on campus.
Without further ado, let me introduce you to the five students that I interviewed:
EDDIE
City: Milwaukee
Nationality: Mexican-American
Eddie is a first-generation Computer Science student at UW-Madison. After watching his parents work tirelessly to provide a better life for himself and his brothers, Eddie sought a degree that would both make him happy and help support his parents. Outside of school, Eddie can be found modding the UW-Memes for Milk Chugging Teens Facebook page. He’s also a part of Leaders in Engineering Excellence and Diversity (LEED), a scholarship program that aims to promote academically talented students from underrepresented groups.
JAIME
City: Los Angeles
Nationality: Mexican-American
Jaime is a first-generation student at UW-Madison studying Genetics. Although he sometimes feels uncomfortable at UW-Madison, Jaime takes his fear in stride to carve a path for other Latinx students. Jaime is also the president of the Society of Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science, Inc. (SACNAS). There, he works to provide career and leadership positions for his members.
NANCY
City: San Francisco
Nationality: Mexican-American
Nancy is a first-generation student at UW-Madison. Latinx citizens are taken advantage of daily, a fact that Nancy is no stranger to. After witnessing this, she was motivated to pursue a degree in Law. Nancy is a part of the Latinx Law Students Association (LLSA) outside of school, where she strives to increase diversity in UW-Madison and make students feel comfortable on campus.
SOPH
City: Houston
Nationality: Venezuelan-American
Soph is a second-year student at UW-Madison studying Pre-Med. Being surrounded by her family’s lively traditions and delicious food has made Soph proud of her heritage. While she misses her family dearly, Soph enjoys trying new restaurants in Madison to get a taste of home. Additionally, as a peer mentor for ILS 138 and Learning Community Programming Assistant (LCPA) at Chadbourne residence hall, Soph dedicates herself to providing a memorable experience at UW-Madison for first-year students.
SOPHIA
City: Los Angeles
Nationality: Bengali, Guatemalan-American
Sophia is a half Bengali, half Guatemalan-American student pursuing Journalism at UW-Madison. Sophia acknowledges that it’s hard for cities like Madison to encapsulate her ethnicities. Nonetheless, she misses parts of her culture, such as bachata music, Guatemalan food, and speaking Spanish in general. Outside of school, Sophia is a part of the Latin Student Union (LSU), ALT Magazine, and has participated in the Latin History Month Committee.
QUESTIONS
Do you speak Spanish? Would you describe knowing the language as being an important factor in being culturally attuned?
Eddie: Yes, and I would say so. Mostly because then you can speak to your family in your native tongue. It also helps you become closer to traditions.
Jaime: Yes, but — it’s funny. I don’t know if Spanish is either my first language or my second language. I always forget! I always had to speak it because my mom only speaks Spanish. I had to learn it to be able to communicate with her.
But anyway, yeah, I think so. There have been times where, at least here in Madison, I’ll go to one of the Mexican markets. That’s probably one of the only places where I get to speak Spanish. And it’s like, “Okay, cool. I can actually have a conversation in my language.” So yeah, I think it’s important anywhere.
Nancy: I do, and — yes and no. I have a sense of pride in speaking Spanish. For me personally, I feel more attuned with my culture. I can have certain conversations with people and in some settings, I even feel more comfortable around certain people speaking the language. I do think it’s super important to know the language and the benefits that come along with it. However, I don’t feel like speaking Spanish is a requirement for being attuned with your culture.
Soph: I’m working on it! I understand a lot of it really well. I just get nervous when I speak it because I sound white. But in terms of being an important factor, I kind of feel like it is. I want to join the Venezuelan club on campus, but I feel like I’m not “Venezuelan enough” because I don’t speak Spanish. At home, though, I don’t feel any less for not being able to speak Spanish. Or when I go to a restaurant, I feel just as home whether I speak Spanish or not. In a way, I feel like speaking Spanish is important, but it’s not a necessity to have. I can still belong to the culture without speaking it.
Sophia: Yes. I think that being able to speak and understand Spanish opens up doors to aspects of the culture, such as being able to watch novellas or listen to Spanish music, but I think you can connect to the culture even if you don't speak Spanish.
Would you describe your hometown/city diverse? If so, in what ways? (e.g. ethnically, socially, culturally) If not, what makes you think so?
Eddie: I grew up in the southside of Milwaukee, which is notorious for being very segregated. The southside is primarily Hispanic. So in regards to “diverse,” it depends on what you consider diverse. If you consider diversity as actual different groups — then no. I had maybe one or two white neighbors around the block. Maybe one or two African-American neighbors. Even businesses were Hispanic.
To be more specific, I would say it was mostly Mexican. I’m only saying that not because I spoke with too many of my neighbors, but because the businesses around us were mainly owned by other Mexicans.
Jaime: Here, it’s almost a rarity seeing another Latinx person. Over in LA, regardless of where you are, it’s rare to not find someone speaking Spanish. You’ll also find all types of food. Where I live, there are Mexican restaurants, and like, two or three Cuban restaurants. You’ve also got Chinatown and Korea Town. So, you not only have Latinx people, but people coming from a variety of cultures.
Nancy: San Francisco is diverse in many ways. Although it caters to more wealthy individuals, there are still a lot of people of a variety of income levels. Along with that, every ethnicity, food, type of activity you can think of is available in San Francisco. That’s what made it what it was.
Because it’s such an expensive city to live in, though, diversity in San Francisco is changing. It’s pushing a lot of people out, a lot of which are artists and service workers — people who can’t afford to keep living there. I lived in the Mission neighborhood, and you can definitely see the contrast between the small mom and pop shops to the fancy restaurants next door.
Soph: Houston is so culturally diverse and there are so many types of people there. Liza Koshy, who’s a Houston native, described it as a salad bowl. Not a melting pot, because it’s not like we’re all enveloped together. You need different parts of everything to make it a wonderful salad. And I think that’s a great way to describe Houston. It’s very diverse but we’re not melting together. We appreciate every aspect of each group of people that are there.
Sophia: I’m from Bellflower, California, which is in LA. California is very well known for its diversity, and Bellflower reflected this. Especially at school; it was very easy to recognize the various cultures and ethnicities present.
How would you describe the role that being Latinx had on your personal identity?
Eddie: I mean, it’s not like every day I wake up and think to myself, “I’m Mexican.” But I do think it made me more appreciative of family. That’s very much one of the tenants in Hispanic culture. Family is important, especially in terms of respect. You should also keep in contact with them. I call or text my mom every day. And those are skills I apply to my friends too. In that way, that’s affected what I do and who I am.
Jaime: Being Latinx is really stressful! I say that being here in Madison specifically. It’s no surprise that there aren’t many Latinx people here, and even less in the university. In my department, there are very few people of color. The Genetics department is working toward increasing diversity, but being Latinx and being in this environment almost seems like I’m representing my whole culture. I mean, realistically I know I’m not, but I’m one of the few Mexicans. The impression that I leave on my colleagues could make it or break it for someone else down the line.
Nancy: It played a big role on the path I had to take to get here. I’m very proud of my heritage, my family, and the fact that I’m a first-generation American. To me, that’s a part of the overarching background of my life.
For example, I got to see how people who couldn’t speak English got taken advantage of. People who live in rural communities, who don’t have a lot of money, get taken advantage of by “lawyers” who are abusing the system. Being Latinx allowed me to see that firsthand. This, along with issues surrounding DACA, are things that are specific to our community. That inspired my decision in pursuing a degree in law.
Soph: I think it had a big role in my identity. I love my culture, I love the food, I miss the language while I’m here. I get upset because I look white when I’m not. I’m so much more than that. A big part of me is Venezuelan and I don’t think that gets highlighted enough.
Sophia: Growing up half Latinx was great! I was exposed to a really amazing culture, and I enjoyed Guatemalan dishes like Guatemalan tamales. I also listened to Bachata with my mom and sister. Being able to have the Latinx culture in my life really shaped me as a person. From having a strong work ethic to appreciating family, Latin culture will forever have an influence in my life. However, it was also confusing since I’m half Bengali. There was definitely a culture clash at times. Overall, I was able to — and am able to — experience both cultures and really appreciate them for what they are.
Did you grow up in a community with people of similar ethnic backgrounds as you? If so, what was the dynamic of the community (e.g. being social, lively, interactive, etc.)? If not, did that impact your cultural identity at all?
Eddie: Well, the friends I made were pretty mixed. It was about 50/50, and in high school, I actually had more white friends. But on the Hispanic side, it led to a larger prevalence of Mexican holidays. Mexican radio stations were also a lot more prevalent, such as La Grande. There were also organizations focused on getting documentation for those who were undocumented.
That community helped me realize who I am. “Who am I?” is a question that only we can dictate for ourselves, but I would say that has helped me affiliate with those who are hardworking, those who will sacrifice anything for another person.
I see that a lot in my own family. Especially my dad, who works 70 hours work weeks. Some days he leaves for work at 10:30 and comes back at 11. That kind of sacrifice is what I admire. When I asked him about it, he said that it was worthwhile to see me and my two brothers grow up.
That’s a big influencer as to why I’m here. Why I’m going for Computer Science. It’s not only a field that I’m interested in, but it’s also a field in which I can earn more money than what my dad does. I hope I can help him out, which I guess dictated the direction I’m going in life.
Jaime: So, I grew up in a city called Bell Gardens, a suburb east of LA. It was about 85 percent Latino and very few non-people of color. When I was 13, my family and I moved to a city right next door called Downey. It was the same thing: a lot of Latinos — Mexicans, Salvadorans, Cubans. Those were the three biggest groups if I remember correctly. Both cities provided a lively community but in different ways.
Bell Gardens didn’t provide the best community. I guess because it wasn’t the safest. Downey had its own things too. But Bell Gardens had more of a family feel to it, and I think it was because I lived across a park. Downey was more modern and had more of a bigger city vibe to it, even though it was the same size as Bell Gardens.
Nancy: The town I grew up in, which was also in California, had a large Latinx community. As an agricultural town, there were a lot of rich, white people who owned dairy farms. Those who usually worked on those farms were Latinx or brown in general.
The community was, at least in the Spanish-speaking community, very intertwined. We all knew each other to some extent. It was a small enough town where I went to elementary, middle, and high school with the same people. You’re familiar enough with each other, but the Latinx culture you were a part of expressed itself in different ways. It created a bit of a divide, in terms of who you hung out with or the interests you had. We still understood each other though, just on a different level.
Soph: I grew up in a more suburban part of Houston. And yeah, a lot of it was Hispanic. In fact, my best friend growing up was Colombian. It was something that we both had in our back pocket because, like me, she also looked very white. So I grew up around it, but it wasn’t a major part of the community.
When I’m around family, it gets so lively. We talk so loud and so fast and there’s just so much food! And it makes me so happy. Spanish sounds the same to a lot of people, but it really doesn’t. I love Venezuelan Spanish more than anything in the world.
Come to think of it, I hid that I was Hispanic for a long time. I vaguely remember hearing in elementary school that Latinx people were not as smart as white people. So when I’d fill out standardized tests, I would say that I was white because I didn’t want people to think that I was stupid.
Sophia: Growing up, my relatives were around a lot, which helped expose me to my Guatemalan culture. My aunts and uncles would visit often and I would spend a lot of time with my cousin. Growing up, we were like sisters. In addition, my parents were friends with our neighbors, who were Mexican. They had kids around the same age as my siblings. We would hang out a lot!
Have you ever experienced a situation where you personally felt that a UW Madison was tone-deaf on a subject regarding your heritage?
Eddie: It wasn’t institutional, but I sometimes feel that can’t really relate to other people here. I hear people in my classes ask questions like “Have your parents gone to this university?” or “What’s your lineage?” My parents could barely get a high school education back in Mexico. So, not the university itself, but people have reminded me that I’m different.
Jaime: Not personally, and it’s probably because of my own ignorance. There are certain things that I try to not concern myself with. But I know, for example, there are things like the Homecoming video.
Thankfully, I’ve had good experiences. About a month after I got to Madison, my student coordinator asked if I could meet her in her office. First question that she asked: “How are you doing?”
And I said, “I’m doing good.”
“No,” she responded. “I’m asking because Madison is very white.”
That was something that I really appreciated. So, although I’ve had positive experiences, I know that not everything is peachy.
Nancy: I don’t know that I can speak to that for the larger campus because I’ve only been in Madison for a couple of years. I spend a lot of my time in the Law building. We don’t have a lot of time to explore the rest of campus.
However, I think that it’s difficult to help students of color feel comfortable in a place that doesn’t have much experience in catering to students of color. The university is aware and trying, but it’s difficult to help students of color when they don’t know how to. It’s also hard to increase diversity, at least within the Law School, when people know it’s not diverse. It’s like a cycle. I’ve been lucky to have made friends that are culturally-aware, and thankfully I’m comfortable here, but I’m not blind to the fact there’s a lot of work that needs to be done. I’ve had conversations with the Law School’s administration and we’re definitely making efforts to increase the diversity.
I also know that there’s the Homecoming video. A few friends and I were talking about how it’s important to depict UW-Madison in a very realistic way. It is predominantly white. There are communities of color in Madison, there are ethnic clubs that cater to students of color, and there are various religious groups. There’s a presence in Madison that is diverse. And I’m not saying that you should put every token student of color in the video to make Madison look more diverse, but the video could and should have been done differently.
Soph: Well, there’s obviously the Homecoming video. But I do see posters for events talking about issues regarding Venezuela. I’m glad that they’re bringing attention to these issues because Venezuela is not in a good place right now.
Sophia: Definitely. There are certain things on campus that the UW Madison administration prioritizes, and supporting the Lantinx and APIDA communities isn’t one of them. The Latinx and APIDA centers were only added into Multicultural Center within the last semester or so. The renovations for them have been repeatedly pushed back, as well. In addition, there is an overall lack of awareness of all multicultural communities on campus. It is blatantly obvious that UW-Madison doesn’t pay attention to concerns and needs of students of color.
How would you compare and contrast where you’re from to Madison?
Eddie: Madison’s definitely a smaller city compared to Milwaukee. Madison’s demographics don’t match at all to Milwaukee’s, but I have seen more people from Asia here. Percentage-wise, though, UW-Madison is primarily white. So in that regard, Madison is a lot more white than Milwaukee.
Jaime: Madison is way smaller than LA. Don’t get me wrong, I like Madison, but LA has diversity in literally everything. Probably anything you can think of you can be found in LA. I can go a couple of miles from where I live, and there’s a pho restaurant on every corner, there’s a Korean barbecue place on every block. In Madison, there are very few pho restaurants, very few Korean barbecue places. In terms of food, people around me, and convenience, LA has Madison beat.
The biggest thing, though, is that I almost feel trapped in Madison. Here, there’s Madison, the villages surrounding it, and then cornfields. It’ll take hours before you reach places like Milwaukee, Chicago, or even the Dells. Back home, you’ll have to drive for a while before you reach a non-city area.
Nancy: Madison is a lot smaller. It feels more like a big town. San Francisco is obviously very big and very loud. Madison is quieter but it moves at a pace that’s healthier for life. Everyone is hard-working, but everyone understands that there’s more to life than just that.
Soph: I’m actually pleasantly surprised by the amount of Venezuelan food in Madison. I did not think there was going to be any. And I was so excited to find a Venezuelan restaurant that tastes just like home. Madison also has Peruvian food — and really good Peruvian food, which is something I didn’t really have in Houston. So I was really surprised by the diversity of food here.
Sophia: Between LA and Madison, the distinction of diversity is very obvious. Between Madison and Pewaukee, I would say Madison is far more diverse. I do appreciate the local Indian and Latin restaurants and stores in Madison because it makes it feel a little more like home. In Pewaukee, there are barely any Latin restaurants, which was a difficult adjustment since LA has a variety of stores and restaurants to choose from.
Do you feel that your specific ethnicity/nationality is equally represented in both where you’re from and Madison?
Eddie: No. God, no. Milwaukee, in general, had a good Hispanic community. I don’t really see that here in Madison, other than outreach events hosted by the university.
Jaime: No, not at all. Like I said, in LA, it’s hard to run into someone who’s not Mexican or Latino or even brown. Here, I’ll sometimes look around and think to myself, “Hmm. There’s not a single other Hispanic person in this room.” Sometimes that makes me uncomfortable, but it depends on the situation. It just makes me feel like all eyes are on me. The imposter syndrome will sometimes kick in, where it feels like I don’t belong here. But then I remember that my being the only person color in the room doesn’t mean anything as to how I got here. If anything, it means that I’m trying to put my foot in and make it easier for other people of color down the line.
Nancy: No, absolutely not. It comes back to that cycle I mentioned. My undergrad alone had more Latinx students than I’ve seen here in Madison. But it was also a coast school, so demographics were different. There’s a strong community here, though, and I’ve started to get acquainted with them all. It’s wonderful. There’s some representation, it’s just more low-key and smaller than what I’m used to.
Soph: I’ve only met one other Venezuelan on campus. He and I talked on the “UW-Madison class of 2022” page on Facebook, but I haven’t talked to him in a while. In general, I haven’t met many South American people here. In Houston, you can find them everywhere.
I know other Latinx people here, though. I see them, I talk to them, I teach them. But I feel like we don’t really talk about our cultures. We’re friends for the sake of being friends, not for our heritages.
Sophia: I think my ethnicity is hard to be represented in any city, whether it be LA or Madison. However, it was a lot more accessible for me to interact with more diverse people in LA. My middle school was extremely diverse in comparison to UW-Madison. Classes here consist of very few students of color, whereas a class in my middle school was comprised of students of many backgrounds.
Do you feel comfortable openly discussing your heritage in Madison? Why or why not?
Eddie: I haven’t met anyone that’s been openly racist to me. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt that if I were to speak about who I am and my experiences, they won’t jump to conclusions. I mean, I’ve felt microaggressions, but that’s something that comes with being in the minority. So like, when it comes to group projects or discussions, I get a general feeling that other students think I don’t speak English well. They’ll repeat the questions to me or speak to me slowly. Or sometimes people will tell me, “Oh wow, I don’t hear an accent!” when I speak. I know I look different, but speaking differently comes with being a different person.
Jaime: Yes, but not in just my heritage, but about anything. I never realized how important my culture was to me before I moved here. Being able to share it, regardless of who it’s with, is important so that I can keep what lays inside me.
Nancy: I’m not uncomfortable at all. And like I said, maybe it’s because I got lucky and I’ve made wonderful friends that genuinely care and are curious about my heritage. I’ve never felt uncomfortable expressing that I’m Latinx. Madison is very open to that. Maybe I haven’t had that experience yet and maybe I will soon — knock on wood!
Soph: I do but I’m also an open person. I try not to hide anything about myself, I want people to know about me and my culture and what’s going on at home. I feel like it’s important to know, and I want people to know about my family and heritage. I keep coming back to family, but that’s what’s important to me. I really, really just love my heritage and where I come from.
Sophia: I would say that I’m pretty comfortable discussing my heritage in Madison, especially when people seem genuinely interested. It’s important to talk about my heritage and other minority groups on campus to bring awareness. There are many cultures out there and being diverse is an important aspect of society.