Reflection #4

Negotiating Between Two Worlds

Magali Huitron
Elizabeth Velsquez & Mayra Villarreal
November 10, 2014
Ethnic Studies 21
MW: 3:00 p.m.-3:50 p.m.

The presentation was called Negotiating between Two Worlds it was given by CAMP
director Viridiana Diaz. It was about how for Latino students it is sometimes more difficult to
balance our life with school. For a Latino student their priorities are: 1. Family, 2. Work, and
3. School. That is compared to Non-Latino students priorities which are: 1. School, 2. Family,
and 3. Work. The order of those priorities makes it harder for Latino students to graduate
because we are constantly struggling with our families and work before even thinking about
school.
According to the presentation higher education is designed to be individualistic. As
Latinos we are not individualistic, on the contrary we are always to help others and to be part of
a team with our families. We are closer to families and depend on them our whole lives so when
we come to college we are alone and sometimes we do not know how to react. Luckily we are
part of CAMP which is like a family who is there to help.
In my case my priorities consist of family and school being equal, and then work.
Although I am very fortunate to have a mom who always tells me to put school work first. I feel
that family and school are equally important. You need to love your family and be there for them
because when you fall they will be the only ones truly there for you, they are the only ones I can
depend on and they know they can depend on me. That is why school is equally important
because everything is for my family. My grandparents are so proud that my sister and I are in
college and they are always telling their friends about their granddaughters who go to college in
Sacramento. My mom tells me not to worry about work if it is going to distract me from my
studies.

Viridiana shared with us a story about a past CAMPer who was conflicted with choosing
whether to go home to his family because his brother was sent to jail or to stay and study and
take some midterms. She personally helped make a list of all the pros and cons of what would
happen if he left because that is what he was determined to do. He ended up realizing that there
was not much he could to if he went back home. There would have been greater consequences if
he left because he would have failed some classes and received low grades for missing midterms.
He was so scared though of disappointing his family for not going back. As Latinos we do not
want to fail our families and although it is a good thing to be close with them it can sometimes
result in your personal failure.
Many of the things said during the presentation were helpful and can contribute to my
success at Sacramento State University. By learning the different order of priorities for students
between Latinos and Non-Latinos I was able to reflect on my own priorities. That helped me see
what I care for more clearly and so that next time I am feeling stressed I can think that school
and family are equal because I commit to one to help the other.
We heard more than one story about students conflicted with school, work, and family.
Hearing the different stories helps give me examples of what one can do in certain situations.
Thinking of the good and bad that can happen in any decision is always a good way to make a
choice. You also have to think about the future not just about how you are feeling in the moment.
You cannot take decisions based on emotions or with fear of what your family might feel
because in the end they want what is best for you.
To help deal with the conflicts that can arise with family, school, and work we can
educate our families. We can do this by letting them know everything we have to do as students

it might even be ok to exaggerate a little because they might be a little unconvinced that being a
student is hard work. We should share with them some of the work or assignments we do in class
to show them what we are learning. If you have to work do not over work yourself. Over all in
order to succeed we need to be honest with others including our families, supervisors, and
ourselves, and only do what we can one day at a time.