Latinx Studies

For myself, this class started out as just a requirement for my major as a general elective, but the funny thing about life is that things do not always stay the same and that includes how I view things.  I have really come to enjoy Introduction to Latino/a Cultural Studies.  I see this class as a chance to learn about another race or ethnicity that I would not be able to in my other classes.  The only types of history I know is that of the United States because of elementary school, middle school, and high school.  I barely know anything about my own ethnicity's history... Except for the fact that Spain ruled over the Philippines for like 300 years.  US history is taught as a requirement but it was surprising to learn that Latino/a Studies formed through opposition and strife unlike US history.  I feel that it is wrong to just form a study such as a race's history just because of opposition.  I feel that it is a necessity for those that are descendants of that race, ethnicity, and culture.  According to the reader that was assigned for this class, the second generation will only see culture as optional.  It became apparent as to what good a class such as Latino/a Studies can have on students born in the US thanks to "Precious Knowledge."  The students finally felt like they belonged in the school and community and their grades showed significant improvement thanks to those Ethnic Studies classes.  Classes like these also help outsiders become aware of what happened to those people coming into the states and may even help stimulate people to try and help future generations not suffer the same mistakes.  For me this class opened my eyes to the fact that I need to be grateful to my parents that left their homes and came to the US to give their children a better chance at a life.  I finally understand the pains that my dad went through the 10 years he was here without my mom and the pains my mom felt when she left the Philippines to come to the US.  She had to adapt to an environment where she had to do everything herself unlike in the Philippines where there are nannies for the children and the household chores.  My mom used to tell me about how hard it was especially with a 5 year old daughter, which was my sister.  I wish that there were more classes like Latino/a Studies for those of different backgrounds like myself.  This class opened my eyes to the importance of knowing one's history.  I count as one of those second generation children that tend to see culture as "optional", which I hate to admit.  For all the future generations it is important to teach, preserve, and document one's history so that it is never forgotten.