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The Resource You sound like a white girl : the case for rejecting assimilation, Julissa Natzely Arce Raya

You sound like a white girl : the case for rejecting assimilation, Julissa Natzely Arce Raya

Creator
Author
Summary
"Nationally bestselling author Julissa Arce interweaves her own story with cultural commentary in a powerful polemic against the myth that assimilation leads to happiness and belonging for immigrants in America. Instead, she calls for a celebration of our uniqueness, our origins, our heritage, and the beauty of the differences that make us Americans. "You sound like a white girl." These were the words spoken to Julissa by a high school crush as she struggled to find her place in America. As a brown immigrant from Mexico, assimilation had been demanded of her since the moment she set foot in San Antonio, Texas, in 1994. She'd spent so much time getting rid of her accent so no one could tell English was her second language that in that moment she felt those words-you sound like a white girl?-were a compliment. As a child, she didn't yet understand that assimilating to "American" culture really meant imitating "white" America-that sounding like a white girl was a racist idea meant to tame her, change her, and make her small. She ran the race, completing each stage, but never quite fit in, until she stopped running altogether. In this dual polemic and manifesto, Julissa dives into and tears apart the lie that assimilation leads to belonging. She combs through history and her own story to break down this myth, arguing that assimilation is a moving finish line designed to keep Black and brown Americans and immigrants chasing racist American ideals. She talks about the Lie of Success, the Lie of Legality, the Lie of Whiteness, and the Lie of English-each promising that if you obtain these things, you will reach acceptance and won't be an outsider anymore. Julissa deftly argues that these demands leave her and those like her in a purgatory-neither able to secure the power and belonging within whiteness nor find it in the community and cultures whiteness demands immigrants and people of color leave behind. In You Sound Like a White Girl, Julissa offers a bold new promise: Belonging only comes through celebrating yourself, your history, your culture, and everything that makes you uniquely you. Only in turning away from the white gaze can we truly make America beautiful. An America where difference is celebrated, heritage is shared and embraced, and belonging is for everyone. Through unearthing veiled history and reclaiming her own identity, Julissa shows us how to do this"--
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Edition
First edition.
Extent
198 pages
Contents
  • Part one. The lies we're told
  • The lie of Whiteness
  • The lie of English
  • The lie of success
  • Part two. Embracing our truth
  • Reclaiming our history
  • Reclaiming our identity
  • Reclaiming our culture
  • Last words
Isbn
9781250787019
Instance
Label
You sound like a white girl : the case for rejecting assimilation
Title
You sound like a white girl
Title remainder
the case for rejecting assimilation
Statement of responsibility
Julissa Natzely Arce Raya
Creator
Author
Subject
Language
eng
Summary
"Nationally bestselling author Julissa Arce interweaves her own story with cultural commentary in a powerful polemic against the myth that assimilation leads to happiness and belonging for immigrants in America. Instead, she calls for a celebration of our uniqueness, our origins, our heritage, and the beauty of the differences that make us Americans. "You sound like a white girl." These were the words spoken to Julissa by a high school crush as she struggled to find her place in America. As a brown immigrant from Mexico, assimilation had been demanded of her since the moment she set foot in San Antonio, Texas, in 1994. She'd spent so much time getting rid of her accent so no one could tell English was her second language that in that moment she felt those words-you sound like a white girl?-were a compliment. As a child, she didn't yet understand that assimilating to "American" culture really meant imitating "white" America-that sounding like a white girl was a racist idea meant to tame her, change her, and make her small. She ran the race, completing each stage, but never quite fit in, until she stopped running altogether. In this dual polemic and manifesto, Julissa dives into and tears apart the lie that assimilation leads to belonging. She combs through history and her own story to break down this myth, arguing that assimilation is a moving finish line designed to keep Black and brown Americans and immigrants chasing racist American ideals. She talks about the Lie of Success, the Lie of Legality, the Lie of Whiteness, and the Lie of English-each promising that if you obtain these things, you will reach acceptance and won't be an outsider anymore. Julissa deftly argues that these demands leave her and those like her in a purgatory-neither able to secure the power and belonging within whiteness nor find it in the community and cultures whiteness demands immigrants and people of color leave behind. In You Sound Like a White Girl, Julissa offers a bold new promise: Belonging only comes through celebrating yourself, your history, your culture, and everything that makes you uniquely you. Only in turning away from the white gaze can we truly make America beautiful. An America where difference is celebrated, heritage is shared and embraced, and belonging is for everyone. Through unearthing veiled history and reclaiming her own identity, Julissa shows us how to do this"--
Assigning source
Provided by publisher
Cataloging source
DLC
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Arce, Julissa
Dewey number
303.48/2
Index
no index present
LC call number
HM843
LC item number
.A73 2022
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Assimilation (Sociology)
  • Americanization
  • Minorities
  • United States
Label
You sound like a white girl : the case for rejecting assimilation, Julissa Natzely Arce Raya
Instantiates
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 191-198)
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Part one. The lies we're told -- The lie of Whiteness -- The lie of English -- The lie of success -- Part two. Embracing our truth -- Reclaiming our history -- Reclaiming our identity -- Reclaiming our culture -- Last words
Control code
on1303113254
Dimensions
22 cm
Edition
First edition.
Extent
198 pages
Isbn
9781250787019
Lccn
2021041591
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
System control number
(OCoLC)1303113254
Label
You sound like a white girl : the case for rejecting assimilation, Julissa Natzely Arce Raya
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 191-198)
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Part one. The lies we're told -- The lie of Whiteness -- The lie of English -- The lie of success -- Part two. Embracing our truth -- Reclaiming our history -- Reclaiming our identity -- Reclaiming our culture -- Last words
Control code
on1303113254
Dimensions
22 cm
Edition
First edition.
Extent
198 pages
Isbn
9781250787019
Lccn
2021041591
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
System control number
(OCoLC)1303113254

Subject

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