Day 22- MHFA, Mexican or American or Mexican- American?

Today was more of an administrative day. I researched a program that EPMHMR wants to start called Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). This is basically what we know in physical terms as CPR. However, since mental health does not receive as much attention or any attention for that matter regarding ways OF dealing with an individual who is going through a mental health problem or crisis, the MHFA is very important and necessary. So my job was to basically gather information on MHFA and write out 5 to 6 paragraphs describing it. Once it is edited, my summary will actually be posted on the official EPMHMR website for all to see, which is pretty cool.

Moving away from work for a second, I had lunch with my supervisor today and his coworker. We obviously went to a Mexican restaurant since I prefer to eat that over anything else here. And we got into an interesting conversation. They were explaining how certain Mexicans in El Paso shy away from the language Spanish because they were taught to be ashamed of it growing up in school. I even met a lady at my employee orientation who stated “I have lived in El Paso all my life and I do not know Spanish. It’s so annoying that people just assume I speak it.” Mind you, this woman was of Hispanic descent as well. She had tried so hard not to learn her native tongue because she did not seem it was necessary. Her words definitely caught me off guard because my Hispanic friends back home try so hard to hold onto the language and speak it every chance they get. I realized that those friends are from New York City, a place where diversity is acknowledged, wanted, and something to be proud of. Here in El Paso, right on the border of U.S. and Mexico, the perception is different, especially because El Paso was at one point a part of Mexico. It’s ironic too that so much of the population is Hispanic, yet many individuals prefer to claim their American identity and downplay their Mexican identity. But I do have to take into account that there have been divisions made into this region. People have moved towards westernization. Mexicans from El Paso are not necessarily Mexicans from Mexico. There seems to be a clear distinction between the two, many taking more pride by being from the American side of the border. This dichotomy really caught my interest because of the location the people live in and the history they have lived. I wonder if the perception will ever change and if Spanish would be something all individuals will speak proudly in El Paso.