My Cultures and Melissa Carrillo Acevedo

Microcultures
Motto: “A negative mind will never give you a positive life.”
-anonymous
Ethnic Ancestry/Culture

• My ethnicity is Hispanic. My father was

Mexican and my mother is also Mexican. Both
of my parents come from Jerez, which is in
the state of Zacatecas, Mexico. Being full
Mexican many traditions have been passed on
from generation to generation. Some of these
traditions include; traditional celebrations,
music, and the biggest being food. Most of the
food I eat on a day to day basis is traditional (Grandmother’s earrings)
Mexican food. One thing that was passed down
to me was traditional gold earrings that
belonged to my paternal grandmother that
passed away in Mexico. Even though I never
saw her much her earrings are something very
special to me.

(Pictures by my cousin Moni

Sabado de Gloria Celebration (Saturday of Glory)
from Jerez, Mexico.)
Linguistic/Languages

Growing up learning 2
languages
• My family has always spoken two languages. My mother is fully
bilingual and my father understood English and spoke it, but had a
small accent. My parents always made Spanish our first language so
that we were able to communicate with our elders. They also saw
the benefit of being bilingual and how it would better us as we got
older. My sisters both speak Spanish very well. I too speak Spanish,
but my Spanish wasn’t fully learned until once I was out of high
school. My sisters are eight and seven years older than me so they
grew up together. When they were being taught Spanish they didn’t
have English being spoken around or to them. When I was younger
learning was hard. I didn’t pickup on Spanish because my sisters
attended school and always spoke English around me. Since they
would speak to my parents and each other in English. I picked up
English and never really spoke Spanish at all. I was able to
comprehend some parts of it, but I did not know how to speak it
properly or write it. Since I didn’t know Spanish I had
communication problems with my elders and had a hard time when
I had to take my communion classes in our Catholic Church were
classes were given in Spanish. It wasn’t till I was out of high school
that I took a Spanish course in college and began
working/communicating with co-workers/customers that my
Spanish really improved. I am now able to speak it, write it, and in
some cases translate for others.
 Religion/Faith

• The majority of my family on both my

parents’ side are Catholic. My sisters and I
grew up in a Catholic home were we taught
our cultures beliefs and to have faith. My
parents have never pushed religion on us, or
have ever made us have a strict schedule to
attend church. My sisters and I have learned
traditions in baptisms, communions,
conformations, traditional celebrations etc.,
and all of the important meanings behind
them. Since I can remember my maternal
grandmother has always been a very
religious person. She has always instilled
faith in us which is what I believe has helped (Rosary my uncle brought my
my family through really tough times. mother from his trip back
from Mexico.)

(Statue of La Virgen de Guadalupe (Virgin Mary) my mother has in our backyard.)

Social Economic Status

Strong Family Structure

• My family’s economic status has always been in the
middle class. We have never needed any sort of
government assistance. Both of my parents have
always worked to provided both my sisters and I with
everything we have ever wanted/needed. My parents
have always been very fortunate in having steady
jobs sometimes one taking on opposite schedules so
that the other could stay and take care of the three
of us. My parents would give up spending time with
one another so that my sisters and I could live
comfortable without having a need for anything. My
family’s structure has always been very strong. Even
though no family is ever perfect my parents were
married for 24 years until my father passed away in
2009 when I was only sixteen. My mother being a
very strong lady managed to pull ahead and continue
providing for the family on her own even after the
loss of my father.