Ricardo Talancon is a 20-year old student living at home with his six siblings and their mother and father. He is the eldest among his siblings and is the first to finish high school. He is also the first in his family to attend college as he is currently enrolled at UCLA, where he is studying hard to obtain a law degree. Born in the year 1996, Ricardo was initially a Mexican citizen living with his mother and father in a town known as Xico, which is fairly large and prosperous enough. His father supported the family by catering to tourists as a guide before Ricardo was born, and would sometimes take Ricardo on his tours when his mother returned to work.
His parents have worked all their lives, through seven children and a serious recession that occurred not long after the family moved to America. When the recession hit in 2008 (Rich, 2013) Ricardo’s family was already established and had managed to save enough to weather the worst days without much issue. When the unemployment rate began to raise Ricardo’s father was quick to find a second job to make ends meet. His mother, needing remain at home with the younger children, attempted to start her own daycare business and became quite well known in their neighborhood.
Ricardo is very protective of his family and their social standing within the neighborhood, and has helped out as much as he could since obtaining his first job as a busboy in a local restaurant. Having been made citizens before the last of their children had been born, Ricardo’s parents have labored to provide their children with a future. Of the seven Ricardo is at this time the least pampered, as when he turned fifteen years of age he was expected to go out and find employment. Believing in education however his parents did not allow him to quit school to find full-time employment.
Because of this Ricardo’s upbringing was strict but not overbearing. Much emphasis was placed upon his studies and just as much has been placed on that of his siblings as well. Their parents are unwavering in their support of their children’s education, and even push their kids at times to do as best they can. Ricardo has felt this type of support and drive all of his life and has taken it in stride, using the lessons of his parents to great extent.
He believes it is because of their example that he is constantly putting his own needs aside for others. Throughout school he has been a kind, giving individual who harbors no ill will towards anyone and seeks to help anyone who is in need. While he has attended school both in Mexico and in the USA, he has no preference as his own personal sense of worth has always been enough to see him through. In America however he has taken note of the differences between people caused by racial tensions and resentment over his immigration status.
While he has many Caucasian friends as well as Latino and other races, Ricardo identifies most with those individuals who are more forward thinking and do not judge anyone based on the color of their skin. Despite their inherent mistrust of Americans his parents have always stressed that Ricardo must look at a person for who they are, not what they look like. In selecting his friends he has taken their lessons to heart and has formed lasting social bonds with those who are more capable of accepting him for who he is and what he can do.
In terms of his American roots Ricardo still recalls life in Mexico, and of how much simpler it seemed at times. He knows very well that his home country is over-generalized as a drug country and is mistrusted by many, but believes that if more people knew the truth that they would stereotype his race less. Plus, he has never seen a Mexican bomb an American or vice versa, which to him means that for all their problems with one another, Americans and Mexicans can at least tolerate one another.
His parent’s were enamored of a life in America for years before he came along, and had only paid lip service to their ethnic background since their younger years. Ricardo is well aware of his culture, but does not flaunt it or adhere to the more pertinent details. Instead he defines himself as an American and embraces his country. While this has not always been enough for those around him, Ricardo has not wavered from the culture that he and his family have embraced. They are well aware of and proud of their Mexican heritage (Carter, 2016), but do not generally participate in the festivals and other such niceties of their native culture.
One aspect that Ricardo, and only Ricardo, has taken an interest in is the vaunted Day of the Dead festival, which can be observed in many different areas near their home. He enjoys the festival and all it means, such as the belief of honoring one’s ancestors (The Republic, 2015). Each festival he’s attended, Ricardo has convinced his parents to take him, though they have always seemed less than interested. While he is proud to be an American Ricardo is also quite interested in his heritage (Saenz, 2016).
He also identifies as a member of the Catholic church, and has been a parishioner and altar boy at St. Mary’s near his home for several years. Religion is a matter of pride with Ricardo though he does not attend every Mass. He is always present for the most important dates as his parents insist, and until he grew too old was always dutiful in his responsibilities as an altar boy. While he is devout he never entertained any thought of joining the clergy, as his aspirations have always taken him in another path.
As an American Ricardo takes great pride in his country and even enlisted in the Army
Reserve when he turned 18, desiring to serve his country in at least some capacity. When he was
made aware that he could also gain educational benefits he knew that he had found his calling,
and enlisted immediately to train as a medic (Clarksville Crusaders, 2014). He passed basic
training with flying colors and was at the top of his class, and has gladly spent the required time in training per year since. Still in the Reserves, Ricardo currently enjoys the education benefits afforded to him by the GI Bill and is attempting to achieve his full potential by graduating from UCLA with a law degree before moving on towards a prominent Master’s program.
A large part of Ricardo’s motivation to join the US Army came from the tragedy of September 11th, 2001. Though still only five years old when the Twin Towers were hit in New York, he remembers the image quite well (Taylor, 2011). He was watching morning television with his parents when the newscast interrupted their show, depicting the scene of the towers fully ablaze. His mother had made the sign of the cross immediately while his father had watched in stunned silence. He merely watched the screen, unable to fully understand what had happened and why the towers were falling (Pillar, 2016).
When his father explained to him what had happened he became quite angry at the bombers and wanted to know why anyone would do this to another person. Having come from a very caring and family-oriented background Ricardo did not learn about deceit and hatred until he was nearly in the sixth grade, when he saw his first shootout during the family’s move to America. A drug mule had attempted to sneak a shipment of cocaine past the border and been caught (Associated Press, 2016). Rather than allow himself to be taken in however the man had pulled a hidden pistol and started shooting.
Ricardo’s father had told them all to get down, but Ricardo had snuck a peek at the scene, and had thereby witnessed the police gunning down the man in the street as the mule had tried to flee. He’d seen the man drop to the pavement, bloody and still breathing somehow, and has never forgotten that image. It is one of the reason why he loves living in America, where things such as this don’t seem to happen so often.
Back in Xico, Ricardo’s family was well off enough that they had lived comfortably, and in America it was no different. They had scrimped and saved enough for the move and to find a new home in southern California, where they had selected a moderately upscale neighborhood and a home with no less than five rooms. While his parents set immediately to finding work, Ricardo and his siblings’ responsibilities were to unpack their bags, settle into the house, and begin their new lives.
Life is good for the family as they have plenty of money to support themselves, hold a prominent presence within the community, and are in general respected by their neighbors. The only doubt that Ricardo still harbors is that his siblings have never associated with their native culture as he has (Sesin, 2014). His mother and father remain adamant that they are Americans and will remain so, but Ricardo wants his brothers and sisters to at least understand their heritage and where their people come from. Lately he has taken to volunteering with the local chapter of the Latino Community Association, an organization that is dedicated to integrating Latinos and their culture into society (Liveunitedco, 2014).
His parents do not approve, but do not stop Ricardo from volunteering. They do not wish for him to take his siblings however, and all but forbid him to teach them the culture from which they came. Ricardo has never fully understood why his parents do not enjoy their cultural heritage, but often figures that it is best not to press the issue. They allow him to continue the study and practice of his heritage and he has come to accept this.
Everything that Ricardo is comes from his deep love of his heritage. He has studied and
experienced a great deal in his life that has helped to define him as a Mexican, but still takes
great pride in being an American. At heart he believes that he belongs to two countries, and
cannot and will not choose between the two. He is a patriot to the USA but still keeps part of his
heart in Mexico.
Everything Ricardo has done since he was young until this point has had the tragic case of 9/11 at its center. From the most vague notion of the event to the infamous date itself, Ricardo has molded himself to become an individual that can and will make a difference with the story of his life. He still remembers the fall of the Twin Towers and the news of how many people of all races died on that day. On that day he realizes that race did not matter so much as how people reacted.
How people reacted to the tragedy spurred him on from the first time he saw the images, and has not stopped since. Ricardo has grown into the type of man that sees trouble and wishes to stop it before it grows larger, to resolve the problem before it gets worse. As an Army medic he has gained the necessary expertise to help others in need, and as a law student he has begun to realize what is required to take legal action against others when required. These two skills were carefully selected when he enlisted in the Army and then enrolled in UCLA. Ricardo has left only the necessities to chance, and has done what he can to become the man he wants to be.
Throughout it all he has been sustained by his heritage and his family, important facets of his life that have always been there and for the most part have been supportive. While his parent’s don’t fully agree with his every decision Ricardo knows that they will back him when needed. His siblings look up to him and study hard to be like their big brother, and those he volunteers with see him as a community leader in many ways. Ricardo has become a much-loved fixture in his neighborhood.
As a strong-willed Latino American, Ricardo is an example to his peers and neighbors. He is what can become of a person who embraces the world they came from and the one they give their allegiance to. Unfortunately he is the exception, not the rule.
References
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Carter, J. (2016). 5 facts about National Hispanic Heritage Month. The Ethics & Religious
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http://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/5-facts-for-national-hispanic-heritage-month
Clarksville Crusaders. (2014, April 20). Army Reserve GI Bill [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l8I_Uh_siQ
Liveunitedco. (2014 Dec. 1). Latin Community Association [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZQ5za7Cg9A
Pillar, P. (2016). What impact did 9/11 have on America? The Guardian. Retrieved from
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/sep/06/impact-9-11-america
Rich, R. (2013). The Great Recession of 2007-09. Federal Reserve History. Retrieved from
http://www.federalreservehistory.org/Events/DetailView/58
Saenz, R. (2016). Mexican-Americans, according to ‘Mexican American Heritage’. mySA.
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http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/commentary/article/Mexican-Americans-according-to-Mexican-7986364.php
Sesin, C. (2014). Meet The Latinos Who Are Preserving Our Heritage. NBC News.
Retrieved from
http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hispanic-heritage-month/meet-latinos-who-are-preserving-our-heritage-n202671
Taylor, A. (2011). 9/11: The Day of the Attacks. The Atlantic. Retrieved from
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The Republic. (2015). Day of the Dead history: Ritual dating back 3000 years. The Arizona
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http://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/holidays/day-of-the-dead/2014/09/24/day-of-the-dead-history/16174911/
