https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw The person I am interviewing is someone who I met years ago through my church. I was an active member within the youth group and thus became one of her first friends in Lubbock. We became very close and even now as we are on our separate paths in life we stay in touch. She was kind enough to listen to and answer my questions. Here is a dictated version of the interview. Interviewee: 23, Originally from Cuba, Female en-us 2022-04-11 18:17:40 UTC 2022-04-16 20:09:04 UTC hello@padlet.com mollypagettu https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2139634684 "Even in more recent times I have not been too impacted by these opinions. Unless I tell people, the assumption made is not that I am from Cuba. I get more questions regarding topics of Mexican immigration and Mexico. My Cuban “identity “ is often not recognized unless I bring it up."

Overall this question and answer gave more insight to the generalization that occurs for the Hispanic population. 

]]> 2022-04-11 18:19:48 UTC https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2139634684 mollypagettu https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2139635009 “When I think about my life now and how wonderful it is, I rarely think about Cuba. My family is here now and it feels like home. I have been here (in America) for almost a decade. When I first came here I can remember people having a hard time with my accent. That is something that stays with me. I know that my story is very different to others, but that was something that was difficult to get used to. The styles I saw in school as well. I did not dress the same as others because we did not have as much money and I was left with the outdated styles of Cuba at first. I feel that I was able to adjust quickly because I had such a strong community. What do I miss from home? The food.”

My friend naturally has a positive outlook and this is evident in this. I can remember when she first moved here she really was happy for the new opportunity. She joked about missing the food and even poked fun at some of the food that is common here. She is happy here though, and I love that she is able to share this.  

]]> 2022-04-11 18:20:01 UTC https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2139635009 mollypagettu https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2139635395 Cuba is an entirely different world than America. Even when you only look at the appearance of Cuba, it is very opposite. I lived in Vedado which was very close to the capital. This is different from Lubbock. In Cuba there were always people walking on the streets and it had a bigger city feel. I think people talk to each other more there. Here people are not as friendly. The buildings were old, I thought some were beautiful but some were falling apart.  My life in Lubbock now is a little quiet. Compared to life in Cuba, I feel here people keep to themselves more. The cultures are different, but also I feel Lubbock is a bit of a small town. 

]]> 2022-04-11 18:20:16 UTC https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2139635395 mollypagettu https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2139636620 "I was lucky to walk into such a welcoming community when I came here. Our family was taken care of and I knew we had full support behind us. I know that not everyone has the same experience. I do miss the community I had back in Cuba. My family is large and we all took care of each other there. We lived close by and spent most of our time together. We knew all the secrets of our neighborhood. While I feel welcomed in my new community and am constantly finding my way, I sometimes miss the familiarity and confidence of home"

]]> 2022-04-11 18:20:58 UTC https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2139636620 mollypagettu https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2139636978 After explaining the concept of capital this was her response: "I have seen this more than I ever wished to. Something as simple as my name has been a reason for not getting a job. When I was applying to colleges I had to worry about my ethnicity and history holding me back. I had the grades, but I also had the label of an immigrant. An immigrant from Cuba too! This is something I had to adjust to and I do not think it would have been as easy if I had not had people with me."

When answering this question, my friend’s attitude shifted. While she was happy to reminisce about home and the story of her journey here, when I brought up this topic it was not as easy for her to answer. I noticed this and did not ask too many probing questions as I did not want to push past her boundaries. 

]]> 2022-04-11 18:21:15 UTC https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2139636978 mollypagettu https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2139637369 “Yes, I do. I have talked about how my situation is different from others. I came to America with a lot of support. I had people behind me and around me that helped me understand where I was. While I had support, I also dealt with a lot of judgment. Like I said earlier, my name alone is something that can stop me from being chosen for a job. I had to work very hard to get the chance to move to America, and once I was here I found myself learning to ignore a lot of hate. I do not like to focus on it though. I like to focus on what I have accomplished despite all of that.”

What she is referencing here is her happy marriage and her success in finding work pursuing art.

]]> 2022-04-11 18:21:31 UTC https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2139637369 mollypagettu https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2139637852 On a daily basis, not really. I do not hide my Cuban heritage at all, but I do not discuss it often. The conversations often acknowledge I am from Cuba and then they move on. Every so often people will ask very stereotypical questions. I think I prefer the first if I am being honest. I no longer need to introduce myself to my close friends and they know me well so the topic is not as common anymore. 

]]> 2022-04-11 18:21:50 UTC https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2139637852 mollypagettu https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2139638181 "I would not be who I am today if I had not moved to America. I am able to pursue my passion in art and I have found my love here. Cuba was beautiful in its own ways, but I think the changes that have happened are good. I am and will always be Cuban, but now I have more opportunities. I learned to ignore and push past any ugly opinions of me. I have made Lubbock my home in the way that feels right to me. My life has changed because I have grown as a person, but I do not think I have left my roots."]]> 2022-04-11 18:22:04 UTC https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2139638181 mollypagettu https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2139638629 "I have noticed that my Husband has changed a bit in order to get along with my family. They love him, but he has had to come out of his shell a little bit. We are loud, he has had to change a bit. I have also seen my close friends and community learn more about Cuba because of me. I love telling my story and talking about my culture to my close friends. They are very loving and appreciative of what I have to say. Not to mention they now ask me to cook for them because Cuban food is so good. I think I have changed more than those around me have changed, but I do see my impact here and there."

]]> 2022-04-11 18:22:21 UTC https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2139638629 mollypagettu https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2142973499 2022-04-13 20:41:13 UTC https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2142973499 mollypagettu https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2142976266 2022-04-13 20:44:21 UTC https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2142976266 mollypagettu https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2142977515 2022-04-13 20:45:53 UTC https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2142977515 mollypagettu https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2142978069 2022-04-13 20:46:32 UTC https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2142978069 mollypagettu https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2142978803 I have known my friend for so many years and gotten so comfortable with her that I feel I have gotten comfortable with her. I was so influenced by my own privilege that I did not take the time to consider the hardships she may have faced. After this interview I was able to look outside of our friendship and understand her on another level. This class has given me many new terms to look at the world through as well as facilitating my understanding of other cultures. I have been able to take the concepts from this class and check my privilege. I learned the struggles that immigrants face as well as elements that can support them. I recognize that some of these questions were uncomfortable to ask, but I feel that I understand more now that i have had misconceptions and questions cleared up. 

]]> 2022-04-13 20:47:25 UTC https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2142978803 mollypagettu https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2143018275 Purple: Assimilation
Blue: Social/Human Capital
Red: Social Construction]]> 2022-04-13 21:34:54 UTC https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2143018275 mollypagettu https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2143019569 2022-04-13 21:36:35 UTC https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2143019569 mollypagettu https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2143026178 Migration out of Cuba has become increasingly difficult with the political unrest and change. Cuban immigration has been increasing for years. My friend was able to immigrate years ago before border issues began to worsen. When you look at the situation now, there is an influx of people leaving Cuba to America by any means necessary. According to the website I will link below, over 1,000 migrants have been returned to Cuba. I wanted to include this information because my interviewee mentioned how her story is different to many others. I wanted to provide more insight to the topic of Cuban immigration to America. 

https://www.wola.org/analysis/cuban-migration-is-changing-us-must-note/#:~:text=So%20far%20in%202022%2C%20861,and%2043%20by%20the%20Bahamas.]]> 2022-04-13 21:44:54 UTC https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2143026178 mollypagettu https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2145649551 Societal acceptance of a truth based on overarching opinions rather than truth. Module three defines social constructions as accepted “realities” surrounding a topic that were created by society.]]> 2022-04-16 20:07:18 UTC https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2145649551 mollypagettu https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2145649819 Human capital is made up of the skills that a person has. Human capital focuses on the individual capabilities of a human and how those skills can correlate to a value.

Social capital refers to the connections you have between other people that can be used to your advantage. 

]]> 2022-04-16 20:08:05 UTC https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2145649819 mollypagettu https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2145650050 Assimilation refers to the acclimation levels an immigrant has in a society. If a person “blends in” with the norm, that is seen as assimilated.]]> 2022-04-16 20:08:39 UTC https://padlet.com/mollypagettu/aiaeyiasa5d7utaw/wish/2145650050