Individual Cultural Project

I am Adriana Reyes.
I am a whole mixture of European (white) from my mother, and
Mexican from my father. I expressively say mixture because my mothers side
of the family went everywhere; it includes German, Scottish, Irish, and about
8 others. I recognize myself as Mexi-German-Ish. I love learning about my
cultures; it is more than St. Particks, Cinco de Mayo, and Oktoberfest. I love
learning through food. I mainly speak English, and I can attempt Spanish. I
would like to be trilingual; English, Spanish, and German. I find it hard
sometimes to categorize myself as just one.
 Continued
I was born in Anaheim, California in 1989. I can only remember a few things from my childhood. I
have had many head and spinal injuries in my life that have affected my long term memory. I love being a
California-girl. I love the beach, the weather, and relaxed life that it represents to me. I graduated in
California, and taking college courses in Las Vegas. I have worked a variety of jobs; clerk, administrative
assistant, cashier, and now support manager. To me culture is not so much of where my family came
from, but who I am.
I like to cook. Every year I take on the challenge of making an assortment of baked goods for
every person that I work with. I enjoy watching tv and movies. I like mostly science fiction movies,
action, and children movies. I am absolutely enamored with Disney. I want to spend every birthday at
Disneyland. I aspire to be a runner. I am at the before the beginning stage. I like my moments of
solitude. It gives me time to think and self-reflect. I also like chaos, and the energy that it brings. Most of
all I like being busy. At any given time, I have at least three projects or events going on.
 Family
My family is all over the place. My mother had two children
before me; brother Emmanuel and sister TNisha. She was
married to my father. They divorced before I was two. I grew up
with a step-dad/step-mom environment. My father had another
child after me; brother Luis. I have gone through the child
custody pass-off. I have been through another other divorces, of
my mother, and a marriage. I have two nieces from my sister. She
started young. She is the only one of us that has children. I have
no desire for children. My family has gone through many peaks
and valleys. I have learned from all of them.
 Celebrations, Events, and Holidays

We like to celebrate birthdays, life milestones, sports, American holidays and family. We also celebrate
Christian religious holidays, although I do not subscribe to the religion.
Where I lived.

I lived most of my life in California. I spent a few eye-

opening years in Alabama. I now live in Nevada.
Each place has instilled different ideals in me. California is
where I learned that people are different, and that those difference
should be celebrated. Alabama showed me that there is still
enlightenment (from racism) that is still needed. Nevada has shown
me, other than surviving in high temperatures, that the world hold
several possibilities.
 Values, Standards, and Goals

I believe the old adage, You are who you surround yourself with, and that the most
important people should be family and friends. I am not a very verbal or touchy-feely person, so I
try to show that I care in other ways. I think that compassion and understanding is key to knowing
who and how people are.
I would like everyone to treat each other the way that they would like to be treated. I dont think
that anyone is a lost cause, and that there is hope for everyone. I try to hold myself to a higher
standard and always look forward to the next phase in my life. I think people should strive to be
great, and not tv famous. There is a purpose for everyone, and everyone has a purpose.
I think that my purpose is to be a Mathmatics teacher. Preferably to high school students in the
ninth and tenth grade. I want to mold minds and be a part of some of the most memorable times in
a young adults life. I dont want to be rich in capital, I want to be rich in accomplished students.
 Bias
My mother is a Christian woman and my father was a part of the
Jehovahs Witness Church. My older brother and sister have adopted
the Christian beliefs, but my little brother is atheist. Both religions
believed that people are unclean and that they needed to be saved.
They also have a slew of beliefes about people who are different.
For example, both religions think that if a person is gay then that
person is sinning and will go to hell. I believe different. I believe in
people. I know that there are good and bad in the world. I know that
the world is not always black and white. There are some gray areas. I
think that people are born the way that they are, and grow up with
different ideals. I think that everyone could get along if people didnt
look so much at the differences, but focus on the similarities.
 Experiences

There are many experiences that I have gone through. As I have said before, I have some bad
long term memory. I have had at least eight concussions, and I have jarred my spine so hard that I
have had a seizure. I was young and adventurous, but also not so worried about personal safety.
When I lived in Alabama, I experienced racism and prejudice. My mother was married to a
black man. The neighbors didnt think that that was what God wanted. Their children persecuted
me for standing up to the ignorance.
I currently take care of my mother, part-time. She has genetic illnesses that have lead her to be
disabled and unable to work. She has Lupus, neuropathy, asthma, degenerative disk disease, history of
colon cancer and blood clots, and fibromyalgia. She can get around on her own. She has her good days
and bad days. I have the responsibility of her living will. I have learned to be patient, kinder, and more
understanding. I have also learned all the information needed just in case we take a trip to the hospital.
Experiences Continued