The Cultural Self Portrait assignment marked a turning point in how I understood intercultural engagement as a practice rooted in self-awareness, positionality, and community. Through my cultural autoethnography and creative collage of previous artworks of mine, I explored how class, language, family, gender, and ethnicity shape both my opportunities and responsibilities in global spaces. This assignment was very impactful to me as I got to hear vulnerable stories from my peers. I always love how much CGST 205 fosters a collective environment where trust and relationships are built through being transparent with one another.
Writing about my experience made me reflect on and confront the ways privilege and marginalization coexist in my life. I benefit from the supportive and nurturing family I grew up with. For I know that individuals like my father barely had anyone to call family, and having time to be a child was a privilege I had. I benefited from being born in a country that is rich in educational opportunities, which is why I have gotten so far in my education. Yet, there were many challenges I still had to navigate as a low-income student with Guatemalan heritage roots entering institutions that weren’t built with me in mind.
As I reflected on the different aspects of my identity, I got ideas for what I want to do with the rest of my time at Wesleyan, and that is to further explore these identities of mine. I plan to push back against some of my beliefs that were reinforced in me from childhood. I also plan to connect more with Guatemalan heritage by reading more books written by Guatemalan authors to better understand Guatemala’s history and culture.
Date Posted: 16th December 2025
