Essays on Multicultural Experience

March 19th, 2025 /
Spencer Tuinei /
News, Schools, Secondary Schools, Shoreline Middle

“I Will Always Remember My Roots”: Shoreline’s Latinos in Action Students Offer Essays on Multicultural Experience

Gratitude and self-reflection often take center stage in Latinos in Action (LiA) classes, where students not only grow as leaders, but deepen their understanding of their cultural identities. And at Shoreline Middle School, under the guidance of LiA advisor Lucy Ordaz Sanchez, students took a brief respite from their busy curriculum to contemplate multicultural experiences through essays, exploring their lives as multicultural students.

Although we cannot share student’s names, their words speak volumes. In a world where metacognition and introspection grows increasingly rare, we commend our students for taking the time to examine their lives and share stories from and about their lived experiences.

(Please note that we have translated some passages from Spanish to English for website accessibility purposes. If you would like the translated version of their article, please reach out to spencert@provo.edu.)

Student 1

Life Examples

One story is that I helped translate for other people who don’t know the language, and later on, we became friends with them. In 5th grade, there was a new girl whose name was Ailin. Ailin was a new student in my elementary school, and she barely knew any English; my teacher, Mrs Bailey, assigned me to translate for her, and I had no choice but to say yes. Knowing that this meant that I could barely hang around with my friends, I agreed to translate for her.

Later, I discovered that I and I had so many things in common, and I invited her to hang out with my friends. I’m thankful that my teacher allowed me to be a translator that day because not only did I help when I didn’t want to, but that turned into something fun, and that person, Ailin, became one of my closest friends. I can talk to her about anything. She will understand easily, and we like to make each other laugh with dumb jokes. She attends Freedom but went to Dixon last year, and I’m still in contact with her. I miss her.

My experience as a Multicultural Person

I moved from Honduras, and it was tough, initially. I still remember when I would cry with my parents, begging them to take me back to Honduras and please help me understand why they did what they did. For the first two years, I was always taken to other places outside my classrooms to practice the “Basics” of English; for me, it was a total nightmare. Later, I became good at understanding some of it but not good enough to read, write, or understand the harder words. Years passed, and I became an example to others.

Something that I won’t ever forget was from my 1st-grade teacher, who said that I was “an example of not giving up and focusing on your dreams, even though life might tell you to give up and that it’s impossible. But look at her; she’s made her way through life.”

Getting Noticed

Honestly, I never liked my 1st-grade teacher, at first, because she made me work so hard. I would get extra homework and I didn’t fully understand why I was being treated differently than other kids. Later that year, I learned that she was doing it for me. She knew I wanted to become a famous artist someday and sell my artwork, and other kids knew that. Those kids would make fun of me, saying that I would never be able to because of my broken English. Well, I proved them wrong, thanks to the help I got.

Throughout my Elementary school years, my art got hung in the halls; I was an example to students, a translator to kids who didn’t understand, and a leader in my class and my school, known for speaking two languages and being a hard worker. I’m thankful to this day for being able to speak these languages and having the opportunity to become a leader, and for those hard times, I had when I was a little girl.

Student 2

To me, being multicultural means having different cultures, beliefs, traditions, religions, and more. Being multicultural means having more than one culture, which I have. I have a total of 4 cultures, so I am very diverse.

A lot of experiences have shaped me. Most people think I don’t speak Spanish; when they first see me, they assume that I don’t speak any Spanish, which isn’t true because I do. So when people think things like that, I let them. I ignore them because they don’t affect me, but when they realize I speak Spanish and I’m fluent in it, they apologize, and if they don’t apologize, that’s okay.

Some strengths I have developed by being multicultural are knowing and understanding when someone seems to have a different culture. I know that people have different cultures. I speak many languages; sometimes, I forget I can’t speak that language with everyone. Being multicultural has shown me many things about other cultures; having more than one culture and knowing more than one language is amazing.

Another strength I have developed by being multicultural is that not everyone can speak or understand where I’m coming from when I say something; some of my friends have different beliefs and cultures compared to me, so when we are talking about something, sometimes we don’t always understand where the other person is coming from, but that’s what makes us unique.

I am exceptional for all the different cultures I’m a part of. As a multicultural person, my traditions and celebrations differ from those of American traditions.

Being multicultural has shown me that I can be different, but in a good way. By being different, I can be myself, and I like that. by being different, I get to show others how my culture differs from theirs, as well as my traditions, beliefs, etc.

So, for me, being multicultural means being different but in a good way, being unique, and being myself. If other people don’t like that, then that’s their problem, not mine, because I love it. I love being multicultural, and all the things I experience as a multicultural person are the best in the world.

Student 3

Being multicultural means having two different parents from two distinct cultures, and you have both cultures in you. It means connecting with all parts of your history and your roots. Being able to celebrate where you come from and that background.

It’s important because it can teach you things you never knew and cool facts you can brag about. Some experiences I’ve had have not all been positive; some happy, and others sad.

One thing I have had with being multicultural is helping translate for kids because they couldn’t understand. When I was younger, I had to translate for some of the kids so they could understand what the teacher was saying. Sometimes, my experiences include visiting family and friends’ houses and having parties. Other times, it can be making food with both my grandma on my dad’s side and my grandma on my mom’s side. But sometimes it can be less fun. For example, when I was little, two other girls talked badly about me in Spanish because they thought I couldn’t speak Spanish, probably because my skin was lighter than theirs. That can hurt. But you have to be strong, which leads to some of my strengths.

For example, I’m good at cooking and baking. I’m good at dance and a good friend. I’m supportive, kind, friendly, caring, giving, understanding, smart, funny, brave, and peaceful. I have a lot of good strengths that can help me at any point in life. If you want to become a translator, you must speak another language to help translate. And being able to speak Spanish is a good example of that. I can help people if needed, which makes me happy.

There are maybe a few strengths that I have now that I won’t need in the future, but it can never hurt to have so many good strengths that could help you, like speaking different languages, being able to drive, reading, and practicing your talents.

If you carry your skills with you even when you are older, that can get you a scholarship, and being multicultural gives you another opportunity to get scholarships just for being able to speak another language and have that DNA in your blood. These are strengths that you have now, but some other strengths that you can develop as a multicultural person are cultural awareness, team building, celebrating, respecting others’ differences, improving your ability to become a leader, etc. These benefits are greater creativity, improved decision-making, helpful language skills, different perspectives, and more.

Student 4

One time being multicultural was funny was in first grade when the teacher thought I couldn’t understand English. She started talking slowly—like very, very, very slow. She thought I didn’t understand, even though I knew English, but I couldn’t speak it that well.

It happened again in third grade when I was already fluent in English. I was in the Spanish-speaking program, and the teacher was told I was in that class.

She assumed I couldn’t speak English, so for about a week, she made assignments in Spanish for me. But the thing was, I had learned English in second grade! So, it was really funny when I answered her question fluently in English. I had known it for a long time by then.

Moments that made me realize how being multicultural can affect things were when, every year in school, I had someone assigned to help me—until they found out I was fluent in both languages.

It’s amazing to be multicultural because I get to celebrate double the holidays in my life. This includes the “normal” holidays in the U.S. and the holidays we celebrate yearly at home. Speaking of holidays, being multicultural changed how I experienced Christmas. When I was in Chile, we would open presents on Christmas Eve after our Christmas dinner.

Being multicultural is honestly one of the biggest blessings I could’ve asked for. Not only having one culture but two is so amazing. Knowing that I have two heritages might sound hard to some people, but it’s genuinely amazing.

Even with the struggles—like facing racism or name-calling—I still love being multicultural and will forever embrace that part of myself.

One last struggle I want to mention is when you have to take that language test at school, which all students who take it probably hate. It’s the worst—spending the whole year in a class you don’t want but need.

Now that I’ve shared the good and bad, I want to say how you feel about being multicultural depends on you. If you decide you don’t like your heritage, that’s your choice. Personally, I love my heritage. I’m saying this because I’ve seen kids try to push theirs away or hide it. In my opinion, you must embrace it—there will always be people who can relate to your experiences.

I want to finish by saying that being multicultural is amazing. I will never run away from my heritage—it will always be in my blood. As someone from Chile, I love my culture. Even though I came to the U.S. when I was young, I still remember a lot about it. Any culture is amazing if you think about it.

I will always remember my roots. Thank you for reading this.

Student 5 (Translated)

Being multicultural means celebrating the traditions, languages, and roots of the places you and your family come from.

For example, I am multicultural because I am from Mexico. In Mexico, I moved from one state to another, and wherever I moved, I continued to celebrate traditions from my previous state. Now, I live in the United States, where I speak both English and Spanish. I’m also learning Portuguese because I admire the cultures of Portugal and Brazil.

The advantages of being multicultural include speaking multiple languages and embracing diverse cultures, making you more creative and respectful. Being multicultural can also open up more job opportunities and help you succeed in finishing high school or college. However, there can still be challenges.

One of the disadvantages of being multicultural is that learning a new language can be difficult, and it can be hard to adapt to a new schedule or culture.

Sometimes, people might criticize you for the way you dress, your culture, or your accent. This can hurt, and it might make someone want to change how they speak, dress, or express their culture.

However, it is important to remember that you don’t have to change because of someone else’s opinion. It doesn’t matter where you are from or your culture—nobody should feel they need to change who they are.

Student 6

Being multicultural means being involved in and connected to many different cultures. Some experiences that have shaped my feelings about being multicultural include gaining different perspectives, being bilingual, facing judgment or misunderstandings, and celebrating traditions. Being multicultural also allows you to see a broader, worldwide view.

Being bilingual can be a huge advantage in life. Speaking more than one language can open up more career opportunities, educational benefits, and travel advantages because you can help translate for others. It also allows you to help students who only speak one language by supporting them in school, making them feel more comfortable, and showing them that they have someone they can rely on.

This can help them feel supported and confident as they work toward becoming fluent in English.

However, being judged and misunderstood as a multicultural person can be more common than people realize. There are many reasons why multicultural people are judged or misunderstood, such as language barriers, struggles with belonging, identity confusion, differences in cultural norms, and stereotyping.

Language barriers are a major factor because people often judge others by their accents, their ability to communicate, and even their intelligence.

Multicultural individuals may also have a more challenging time feeling a sense of belonging because some people treat them as outsiders, making them feel like they don’t belong or aren’t wanted. Identity confusion can also make someone feel uncomfortable, especially when they’re frequently asked questions about their background or when their identity is questioned.

Additionally, cultural norms can be misunderstood or seen as strange by people unfamiliar with or open to different cultures. People who have only been exposed to their own culture may struggle to understand the practices and traditions of others.

Some strengths I’ve developed from being multicultural include communication skills, open-mindedness, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. Communication skills are a significant strength because I can communicate effectively in English and Spanish.

Open-mindedness is another strength I’ve developed, as I can focus on different aspects of languages, cultures, and people, and I’m open to learning new languages.

Creativity is also one of my strengths because I can draw inspiration from both cultures and express it creatively.

Lastly, problem-solving is a key strength for me because I can approach challenges from multiple cultural perspectives and find solutions that work for different situations.

Student 7 (Translated)

I think being multicultural means enjoying and participating in traditions from different countries. For example, I am multicultural because I celebrate things from Venezuela and the United States. Why am I multicultural? Because I celebrate U.S. holidays. For instance, we don’t celebrate Halloween in Venezuela—we celebrate something called Carnival. Carnival takes place every February. Instead of asking for candy, we play with water, throwing it and splashing it everywhere.

Multicultural people participate in various cultures and make different traditions part of their unique personal identity while still honoring their own culture. I celebrate Halloween, Easter, and other holidays here in the U.S.

One experience that shaped my feelings about being multicultural was the first time I celebrated Halloween with my mom and friends—I felt very happy.

One strength I’ve developed is having more confidence when trying new things.

Student 8

Multicultural means having multiple nationalities and cultures. This could mean that you are from different places worldwide and learn other ways of doing things.

My mom always made me dance Mexican folklore, and I never really wanted to do it, and I never understood why she made me do it. Now, I understand that it is a part of my family’s culture. This made me realize that I should be proud of where my roots come from, making me feel proud and happy about where my family comes from.

My dad comes from Argentina and tells me how he got to America at a young age. He said he came at the age of 19 and met my mom. At the time, my grandma was diagnosed with cancer. My parents already had me and my siblings so he couldn’t return to Argentina. Sadly, she passed away, and he didn’t get to say goodbye. He said it was hard for him.

Sometimes, in movies, there are Spanish phrases that people might not understand, but I am glad I can appreciate them.

I was in my P.E. class once, and there was a sub. He asked if everyone understood; I didn’t because he was on the other side of the gym. I shook my head and told him I didn’t understand. I guess he saw me and assumed I only spoke Spanish, and he asked, “Should I get someone to translate it for you?”. He probably didn’t mean to be racist, but the comment felt wrong.

Also, my mom and I went to a store. There was a white man, and he told one of his workers to follow us in case we stole something. In this situation, he saw a brown woman and her kid. He assumed we were going to take something valuable.

I’m happy my parents taught me their native language even though we were in a society where speaking English was more common.

One of the strengths I’ve developed from being multicultural is communicating with Spanish-speaking people. It could also help me communicate with people like my family and me. I get to join classes like Latinos In Action and help my community. I can also relate to people and their problems. That means I could get them help.

Student 9

Multicultural means that you have two or more cultures in your life or blood.

My experiences about being multicultural have shaped my feelings. Sometimes, I’ve wished I wasn’t multicultural; people have made fun of me for being different from them. I’ve been called “illegal” just because of my color, and that would want me to be white. Some people would call me dumb because they thought I didn’t understand English.

One strength I have developed about being multicultural is that I can talk to more people. I would also get better work offers since I speak two languages. I can watch movies in Spanish and English and know what they are talking about. I am excited to take a BRIDGE program in high school that will allow me to get a minor in Spanish and get more job offers than other people can’t get.

I like the fact that my parents decided to come here and give me a better life. I am excited to raise my family here and give them a better life than me. I have stuff I couldn’t get when I was younger. I will work harder and make sure I get a good education like my parents want.

Student 10 (Translated)

For me, being multicultural means being an immigrant from one country and moving to another. In my case, I am from Mexico, and I have been here for two years. This means I am living between two cultures and learning how to live in two different countries.

My story involves my family, especially my mom, who wanted to study English at the school my aunt was studying—Nomen Global in Orem, in the United States. She was interested in learning English and becoming an English teacher in Mexico within a few years.

A significant experience for me is having an uncle who is American. He is Navajo and doesn’t speak any Spanish. When we first met him, it was tough to understand his language, which was English, but we had to learn how to communicate with him to be able to talk often and be a close family.

One cultural shock we experienced was related to the idioms we use in Mexico. He would laugh at our idioms because he didn’t understand them. It was funny because we thought we spoke typically, but he found it strange and amusing. Over time, he got used to hearing our idioms and eventually began to understand them perfectly—he even jokes with us now using our idioms!

One strength I’ve developed is trying to understand and learn everything about different cultures. I lived with my uncle in the United States, so I’ve learned how important it is to study and understand how different cultures work. It’s a lot of fun because you know about others outside your culture and gain new perspectives.

Student 11

I am proud to be multicultural because I can help people in my family speak either language, like when we go to a store and they don’t know what something is called. I also love expressing my culture through food, parties, and games, and being multicultural means knowing and expressing both cultures without being embarrassed to wear or do things from either culture. It also means understanding both cultures well and having them in your blood.

It also means I have more opportunities for different jobs and scholarships. One of my favorite things is that I have double the music I can listen to and understand.

My experiences have sometimes involved being called racist names, which makes me sad, but I am still proud of being Mexican-American. Also, people—mostly at stores—sometimes assume I don’t speak English, even though I speak English well.

Sometimes, I’ve been put at the back of the line and haven’t received as much attention as others. One time, when I was walking home from school, an old man yelled, “Go back to your country before I chase you!”—and he started chasing me. However, I will never let people get into my mind and make me think being Mexican is bad. For me, I love being Mexican. I am proud, not ashamed because it shows that I am different and cool in my own ways, too.

Some of the strengths I have developed include confidence and self-respect. One of my biggest strengths is learning not to be ashamed of who I am and to be confident in myself and my culture. I’ve also learned to prove people wrong when they say I can’t do something because I’m Hispanic—by doing it better than them. I’ve learned to read, write, and speak both languages, which is helpful when hiring. I’ve also learned to be a hard worker and a smart person. I consider myself a multitool knife because I’m good at many things indoors and outdoors.

I also love being American because of the good food, music, and games. I started speaking English at the age of 6. When I was around 3 or 4 years old, my parents and I lived in a two-room, one-bathroom apartment near Dixon. Now, we live in a five-bedroom, two-story, three-bathroom house. Every 4th of July, we put up our American flag and do fireworks. I love being multicultural because it means double the fun things I can do. My favorite Mexican dish is pozole rojo or tamales de pollo with an agua fresca made by my grandma. My favorite American dish is a homemade burger with Dr Pepper.

I love both of my cultures because I can help people from either language group. For example, I can help most Latin Americans or English-speaking people. I was born here in the USA, but I have Mexican blood. One of the things I love doing is helping as many people as I can. This is because I didn’t get much help when I needed someone, so now I want to give others the help I never had. Now that I am in Latinos in Action, it will help me become a better person. One day, I hope to have a good job where I can use both cultures. That is why I love being multicultural. I hope you liked my story.

Student 12

Multiculturalism is when a person has different cultures or ethnicities in their background. It’s where multiple cultural traditions from different nationalities coexist. Everyone believes in different things, but multiculturalism can describe a mixed-ethnic community with multiple cultural traditions. Some people don’t believe in certain things, and that’s okay—people have different beliefs and nationalities.

Multiculturalism can also be defined as the ability to live with and understand multiple cultures. Schools, for example, are full of different cultures, and we don’t tell anyone they can’t celebrate theirs. Every year, we celebrate my cultural festivities, like Cinco de Mayo, Día de los Muertos, Día de los Niños, Día de Reyes, and Mexico’s Independence Day. Even though it’s not part of my culture, I also like celebrating the Holi Festival.

My dad is from Mexico and has many different traditions that I don’t always know about, but we celebrate them sometimes because my grandma reminds him to share them with us. My mom is Mexican, but her heritage comes from her dad’s side, not her mom’s. She grew up without her parents, so we have different traditions than my dad’s.

My bloodline comes from different places, including Mexico, America, and Germany. My grandma told my dad that I could have been born with blue eyes because his family has German heritage from my great-grandma—but I wasn’t. However, I’m the only one of my siblings with light-colored hair, which I believe comes from my great-grandma’s side.

Nationalities are about where you’re from and where your parents are from. They can come from different countries or have different ethnic backgrounds.

Student 13

What does it mean to be multicultural?

It means having more than one culture in your life. For example, I am Mexican, Salvadoran, and American.

What experiences have shaped my feelings about being multicultural?

I feel good about being multicultural; nothing has changed my feelings about it. But I like it because I can take a bridge program that will allow me to finish high school with a minor in Spanish—and that way, I can earn college credit. I love being multicultural, even though I don’t know a lot of Spanish. I still know some Spanish, and I want to learn more.

What are some strengths I have or have developed by being multicultural?

One strength is that I can speak two languages, so I can communicate with people who don’t speak English and only speak Spanish. That’s helpful because I can talk to people in Spanish instead of not knowing what they say. For example, if a teacher speaks English and a student doesn’t understand, I can explain things in Spanish.

I’m grateful to be multicultural because I’ve learned traditional games and activities that I probably wouldn’t have known otherwise. Knowing more than one language and having parents who were born elsewhere is unique. I enjoy speaking Spanish, even though I don’t see much yet. I want to learn more languages because it’s essential to understand and appreciate different cultures.

Being multicultural has helped me develop better communication skills and the ability to interact with people from different cultures. It has also taught me tolerance and patience. I take pride in my work and ensure I always do my best and give it my all.