HOW IT FEELS TO BE COLORED ME-- RIOS

I WAS BORN IN EAST LOS ANGELES, YES IAM A MEXICAN AMERICAN. IAM PROUND TO BE MEXICAN AMERICAN AND I LOVE THE DARK SHADE OF BROWN OF MY SKIN. I COULDNT AND WOULDNT PICTURE MYSELF ANYOTHER WAY. ALL MY LIFE I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SURROUNDED BY THE HISPANIC/ LATINO COMMUNITY. YET WITH IN THE LATINO CULTURE THERE ALWAYS EXIST A LEVEL OF HOSTILITY TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER AND ITS ALWAYS BEEN THERE. I DONT LET THAT AFFECT THE WAY I TREAT OTHERS, WHETHER IF THEY'RE MEXICAN, WHITE, AFRICAN AMERICANS, ASIAN, OR IRISH. BEING OF MEXICAN DECENT IS THE ONE THING THAT IAM MOST ORGULLOSO ABOUT, ORGULLOSO MEANS FOND OF, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A HUGE WORLD OUT THERE. I'VE BEEN DISCRIMINATED, HATED, ENVIED THROUGH OUT MY LIFE. TIMES WHERE I CAN JUST IGNORE IT AND NOT LET IT GET TO ME. BUT THERES TIME WHERE IT FEELS LIKE EVERYONES OUT TO GET YOU. AND WHY JUST BECAUSE YOU LOOK DIFFERENT ON THE OUTSIDE. I FEEL EVEN THOUGH I MAY BE DIFFERENT, WHEN I ENTER OTHER COMMUNITIES WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION IS NOT OF LATINO HERITAGE, I CAN OFFER A LOT.