I love this. Also I sometimes feel like generally that being an individual who comes from several backgrounds that are often impacted more so (In America) by more struggles financially and socially are overlooked. Like when an individual is able to make it to a high achievement of a position career wise that sometimes its just seems as "badges" rather, but perhaps a lot of people just don't understand what it takes to surmount the struggles. Some individuals will crack it up to be "DEI hire", which is highly disrespectful and such a slap in the face to someone who is just as capable if not better despite the person being some form of "against the grain" whether it be sexuality, gender, race, religion, etc.

This hits super home for me. I am as well someone of this group and also feel that gender is of the same nature. I also really appreciate the socio-cultural background by how some Chicano cultures viewed genders, trans, and intersex individuals.

I also personally relate to this because I as well am part Mexican and grew up in a Hispanic household where the social expectations were not this blunt as the narrator, but more subtle and sly within the household I grew up in. These expectations that were subtly implied often came from my stepmother who had way more devout Hispanic parents that often high preached these ideals as well - as they converted from Catholicism to non-denominational.

I personally can relate to the narrator, especially on the grounds of working towards something else that separated myself from my family's own conventional way of going about things, however, there is also a burning drive that all of that will and hard work will breakthrough once you have an opportunity to find your own path. I used the outlet of becoming a better person and outlook or future to leave an abusive home and a toxic household.

A powerful statement at the end by the author. She finally takes the title proudly and its significance.

I really love how the script is flipped for this word. The narrator switches it to her being the one who says these things. The one who takes power. Where the word in origin is usually a derogatory, negative word used against women.

A ah-ha moment of the poem where there is a great understanding of the narrator. The narrator becomes aware of the power and influence in an inspirational way.

We can all melt together and become something stronger and new, but not without a massive push for change. A massive force or energy, otherwise it's not enough to invoke permanency. This also makes me think of chemistry with bonds and the electron cloud. This is highly similar to that of the characteristics of valence electrons which is also similar to welding metaphors since it's explained by chemistry!

Mmmm I can most definitely see this as a unifying metaphor for all of us human beings. We are all human. We are all of the same species and this is just an interpretation from a welding perspective.

I think this is a beautiful blend or summary of how a welder sees their self.

Same.

Ouch, this really seems like it should be coming from the kid not the parent :((((

This breaks my heart :(

Negligent parenting and this also makes me think of Matilda when they parents wouldn't give a care in the world to leave her home alone at any age.

Negligent parenting

I feel bad for the kid. They are trying to care and look after their mom, but they seem to take it as criticism?....I can relate as well . This seems to be a turning point for the son where he starts to take on more adult-like or parent the parent situationships.

I find it a bit odd that the mom is getting mad at him for appreciating the things they do have, but I could see it being because she wants better for them or because how she was brought up was much better than want they're experiencing at the moment.

This will definitely be an emotional patch to work through when he gets older...it could turn depressive.

I tend to hear this the other way around with people who live in America and have immigrant parents or grandparents. We are often taught the language from which our immigrants relatives came from to stay connected with our culture whereas in this context it's a bit of that but also because in the U.S. it's somewhat more of a necessity.

I believe (with my little knowledge of Spanish) this translates to I never want questions about your papa (dad).

Trying to not feel what is being deeply felt. They need something to cope and nothing seems to work.

Again this line is a grieving emotion where it's a bit depressive because things feel like they're going in motion but you're still working through a loss.

All of the previous lines and words of details from the world in which the person is experiencing are very persistent with how a grieving person would or could be thinking. When going through this, it feels like the whole world is still going on whereas what you're grieving is something that wraps your emotions and mind.

This is such an immaculate and beautiful text! The way I can perfectly visualize and relate to this feeling and moment of this type of situation is crazy. I also feel like the way its written is synonymous with someone who is also staying up late and really letting what's on their mind free flow into words of great imagery.

This text hits personally. It reminds me of all of the ethnicities that I am and always makes me proud of my roots. Although all of my grandparents are immigrants they are all from different stretches of land: Russia, the Philippines, and Mexico.

This is a very significant vow that actually feels equal. When it comes to love there is a balance for one another.

It's shown in this light that he decides to turn to the safety and numbing American identity. Also not without great remorse and acknowledgement of the betrayal.

This specific "side-eye" mention pulls me back to Jovita Gonzalez's writing where she was also echoing the change that American immigrants brought where they brought on more successful and robust businesses that flourished the economy, but at the cost of it being their success and not one that was shared with the Texan-Mexican alike that already had established practices and businesses there.

I had to look up the definition of Neurosis since I wasn't too sure what the definition exactly meant by I had an idea to what the context of the text was trying to say. Neurosis is an outdated term to describe a myriad of mental illnesses. The overarching meaning of this specific paragraph is to paint the choice of basically persevere with the spirit and resilience of the Mexican spirit or to "betray" that and assimilate and fall in line to the emptiness and numbing reality of American social and cultural life.

This similar theme kind of reminds me of one of my songs by Green Day which is "Jesus of Suburbia". While the struggles are different I would argue the attitude, angst, and context of cultural and political scenes share a similar ground in that sense...

This comment really resonates with me because it reminds me of the "Si se puede!" line of the UFW which were also a large movement of Chicano culture and one I can especially relate to since I had family who were directly involved with this during the Delano Drape Strike.