No Seas Pocha

My mom often admonished me to not mix English and Spanish verbally, though we lived on the Texas-Mexico border in a home so close to the Rio grande we could see the soccer (or Futbol) field lights across the river. I got it that she didn’t want me to speak Spanglish, but looking back, being Pocha is actually exactly what I was by its definition: Pocha is a term used in some Spanish-speaking countries to refer to people of Mexican origin who have assimilated into American culture. Pochos are seen as a hybrid of Mexican and American cultures. This painting reflects the contradiction of her request as we crossed the river daily to visit my abuela, take dance classes, and buy elotes, then back home to do homework in English and watch Charlie’s Angels before bed.