Passing pt 1

I think I want to do a series on the idea of "passing" and skin color and would love to get your insight on the topic. Just submit a post! Right now I will try to speak on some things that have been on my mind.

What do you do when "dressing for the job you want", also includes your job as a community leader? At several Latino professional conferences I always hear people discussing how hard it is to dress professional while honoring your culture. When I asked my friend Michelle (@mgcsilva) what she thought she brought up some other good points"Are suits and cardigans seen as part of "white culture" because successful Latino professionals aren't visible or because the clothes themselves don't fit our bodies or because our bodies in the workplace seem threatening?"

These are all great points, but the question I am facing is slightly different: how do you represent your culture when in a suit you "pass" as white? My skin color isn't enough of an indicator of my culture. So where does that leave you when, without those cultural signifiers, you blend into the white backdrop?

Descriptive Democracy - having leaders who share characteristics such as race, ethnicity, country of origin, or gender - is so important. We need people who we identify with to be in positions of power. Not only so they can make changes that will benefit us but these leaders will eventually normalize people of color being successful. There is still too much of a token minority sensationalism around the chosen few who are in elected office.

But, if you are not seen as "descriptive" of the community you come from, what can you do?

In my minority majority hometown, I never had to deal with the fact that I didn't look Mexican enough. So many of us were Latinos and we all looked different; tall, short, light, dark, blonde, brunette, etc. It was rare that someone had to ask "what are you?" And it was actually pretty entertaining when someone did since I was very active in a Hispanic leadership organization all through high school and felt like I was participating and giving back. There was no mistake I was a Chicana. Or so I thought.

Then I moved.

Now I find myself in a weird position. Very few people think I am Mexican and some don't think I am a women of color. I don't get treated "better" (I am still overweight and live in a body conscious city) though now I am privy to even more insensitive comments. 

So what happened?

Was it my new business casual clothes? My countless hours indoors getting no sun? I don't know. But what I do know is that I am feeling left out. More people assume I am white, or that I don't speak Spanish. These assumptions nag at me and I start to feel a little "lost in the Big City".

I don't think that this experience is particularly unique or excessive challenging, but it can be a lonely place.

Has any of the WC readers been in a situation like this?