Daniela Salgado
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As a Latina student living in the US-México border, several aspects of my identity profoundly influence my writing. Firstly, the ideals that I have been exposed to since birth as well as my cultural background greatly impacted the way I viewed writing growing up. Trying to erase any trace of my Mexican heritage in my English texts was something I aimed for as that meant I was closer to sounding like an English native speaker. As I entered college and enrolled in classes like Chicano Studies, I learned to embrace Mexican culture as a part of me. Identifying as a Latina and feeling empowered to showcase that through my work has greatly impacted my writing style. Furthermore, working at UTEP’s Writing Center has allowed me to interact with many Spanish speakers struggling with the same obstacles I faced when I decided to pursue higher education in United States. Seeing myself reflected in these students affected my identity and, therefore, my writing. Not only was I validating their worries while motivating them to continue to explore their writing abilities without the critical lens that comes with being a Spanish speaker, but I was also doing that for myself. Ultimately, my identity is a source of strength that greatly impacts my writing.