By: Crystal Galvan

In this paper, the concept of cultural hybridity is explored, showing how it has shaped into an identity crisis among many Chicano/as and Mexican-Americans in the United States today. This is seen through historical background information explaining how Chicano/as and MexicanAmericans are cultural hybrids and showing how being a cultural hybrid affects them in their every day lives.

How does being a cultural hybrid affect identity? Is there previous research about cultural hybrid? What is a cultural hybrid? What forms of discrimination have cultural hybrids gone through? Do hybrid believe they do not belong in either of there cultures?

Culture hybridity is a key component of the Chicano/a culture because it has shaped and continues to shape their identity. As a society they went from being Indigenous to Mestizos, to second- generation Mestizos. Mestizaje is not being either race but both. The Chicano identity provided Mexican Americans for the first time with a viable means of understanding their complex hybrid existence. Mexicans born in the United States would not feel entirely attached to Mexico for it was a land they never knew. Nor could they feel completely American in a society which had so marginalized them. Chicano/a mestizaje, or in other words cultural hybridity, embodies the struggle for power, place, and personhood arising from histories of violence and resistance. Author Sandra Cisneros also discussed her difficulties growing up as a Mexican-American women, always straddling two countries but not belonging to either culture.

Different perspective of cultural hybrids second generation mestizos Contributes more research to the concept of culture hybrids

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