Part of the human experience is developing an identity in order to feel a sense of belonging in your community. Having firm roots in one country, while being raised in another, leads to a tug-of-war in deciding which country one identifies with.

Being raised in the U.S., people of Mexican descent are often told by their families that they are not Mexican enough. Usually this is because they cannot speak Spanish very well and have different tastes outside of what is considered to be “normal” in Mexican culture.

They often get teased and are referred to as “coconuts,” a derogatory term to describe someone who is “brown” on the outside and “white” on the inside.

Being perceived as not Mexican enough or not American enough is not the problem of the person trying to fit it. The stereotypes that people from both groups hold are to blame for this inner struggle.

Growing up in a Mexican household, it is expected to maintain language, history and traditions so that they can keep being passed down to future generations. However, growing up in the U.S., there is also pressure to abandon these customs.

In a scene from the film “Selena,” Edward James Olmos’ character talks about the pressure of being a Mexican trying to fit in the U.S.

“Being Mexican-American is tough, Anglos jump all over you if you don’t speak English perfectly,” said Olmos in the movie. “Mexicans jump all over you if you don’t speak Spanish perfectly. We gotta be twice as perfect as anybody else.”

Trying to be more Mexican or more American is not a problem of identity, it is a problem of ignorance.

People from Mexico immigrate to the U.S. to look for better opportunities and cannot expect their children to not change. Similarly, the U.S. is a place where people have the freedom to express themselves and embrace diversity.

Mexican-Americans who struggle with this identity crisis should embrace what they know about both cultures instead of trying to identify to just one. It is not often that people can truly say they have the best of both worlds. It is okay to listen to La Arrolladora and Red Hot Chili Peppers; play Loteria and Monopoly; and embrace green, white and red with the red, white and blue.