Because of what falls left of the hyphen in “Mexican-American,” I am often asked how my family celebrates Mexican Independence Day on September 16 (today). I have to confess that we never have. As native Californians, my family, just like everyone else on our suburban block on July 4th, merely lit up the ol’ barbeque […]
Author: Michele Serros
Named by Newsweek as "One of the Top Young Women to Watch for in the New Century," Michele Serros is the author of Chicana Falsa and other stories of Death, Identity and Oxnard, How to be a Chicana Role Model, Honey Blonde Chica,and her newest young adult novel, ¡Scandalosa!
We’ve Come a Long Way, Chica. Or Have We?
It was fellow seventh grader Ana Chavez who first decreed to me: “Only putas go on the pill.” A few years later, as a sexually active teenager, I was still haunted by Ana’s proclamation, which echoed the sentiments of my neighborhood and family. While I feared becoming embarazada (pregnant)–a seemingly common rite of passage for […]
Hollywood Health Care Came With a High Price
It was standard procedure to “go with the flow” and perhaps chuckle at such “jokes.” Any opposition deemed one too sensitive, not a team player. Soon enough, my stomach started to hurt. My lower back ached. I woke up with nausea and dread knowing I would have to spend my days and nights feigning acceptance in such an environment.