T A L I A

1(c).  Mexican American her parents are from Chihuahua, Mexico. My dad is the true mut lol His mom is Filipino and Polish born and raised in the Philippines His dad is Guatemalan. So I’m half of all that. 2.  What ethnicity are you often mistaken for? -There’s been a few but mostly for Middle Eastern or Colombian which I don’t mind either. The women are stunning! 3.  Which background do you most embrace? I embrace me, myself and I which means I embrace it all however I do identify myself more with Mexican because it’s more dominate, percentage wise and I grew up with more Mexican traditions than anything else and also Filipino because my grandma was born and raised there and has shown me some traditions and what that culture is all about. Plus not to mention I was part of the Filipino club back in high school. Her dad is full Pinoy. Her mom is where the Polish side comes from, my great grandmother, who is no longer with us RIP but we had very limited and few times together that I can barely hold on to any memories. And my dad’s dad is where the Guatemalan part comes from and I never met him at all he died not too long before I was born. So there’s that. It’s not because I am ashamed of or think one race is better than the other. They are all a part of me. It’s who I am. I just again identify most with Mexican Filipino because of what I already mentioned and that’s just what I was around. Plus my dad loves to say he is Mexican. It’s funny when he and my mom first met that’s what he told everyone and I’m sure he has his reasons for embracing what he does. I know some of them but that’s another story. 4.  Have you ever been teased for being different? I have more when I was younger but still happens to this day. Unfortunately. I would get picked on for being so dark in the summer and so pale in the winter. Plus I had big poofy hair back then and would get spit balls through a straw in my hair all the time. I’d get made fun of because I wore payless shoes instead of jordans. Also I would get bullied because of who I hung around with and made my friends even being physically harmed and spit on because of it in high school and called a you know what lover and although I am not black and I am proud of being a Mixed Latina… I can’t help but to feel very connected, protective, and involved when it comes to them and I think after this watching this whole video you can understand why. Hopefully. My whole life my best of friends have always been black even til this day lol. They never put me down or were too embarrassed to be my friend in front others or judged me for the way my hair looked or how I dressed. I’m like an honorary sista who gets invited to the cookouts and anyone who has a problem with that is just ignorant plain and simple and while it hurt me deeply back then and struggled a little bit with what people were calling and saying to me… now I really don’t care what I am called or if I am made fun of anymore. I am me and I am very proud of who I AM where I come from AND I can still love and be friends with whoever I want regardless of what race they are or color of their skin is. 5.  What makes being multiracial a beautiful thing? Just being here on earth and knowing that you were made by two people who loved each other and looked past their differences and where they came from. 6.  Is your hair curly or straight? My hair is naturally curly. 7.  Which YouTube curly girl would you trade curls with for a day? @sunkissalba or @frogirlginny. They are some of my many favorite people to watch and I truly admire how much they have grown. Their own journey and how confident they are in their natural hair and skin. 8.  If you could change one thing about your curls what would it be? I would not have some of these stragglers hanging around that still til this day after almost 3 years of being a natural I have like I will get some hair that will curl but the ends be like “meh” pretty much straight and then at the top I’ll get some that want to be straight and flat and then curl. It can be so frustrating sometimes! Lol but gotta love em. They came a long way. 9. What is your go-to hair style when you’re in a rush? Honestly a bun lol or or if I’m not trying to mess up my hair a pineapple 

*** And this next one is going to be more of a long one which is why I left it second to last. I’ll be sharing almost my whole curly hair story and journey as well as what was it that finally after so many failed attempts inspired me to go natural and stay natural. ***

10. What inspired you to go natural or wear your hair curly? 

So in order to know what inspired me you have to know more or less what I had to go through to get there…. so I’ve always been made fun not just for my hair but many different things some I already mentioned in a previous question so I won’t get into it again but it really hurt me and caused me to have very low self esteem. My mom would try to help me out and blowdry my hair straight but people only made more fun of me because instead of poofy curly hair I was just a big puff ball to them now because we didn’t have a flat iron at the time to make it flat….I ended up begging my mom to get a relaxer and do it for me she said no and that I would regret it so I better not do it... Mothers are usually always right aren’t they? I did and do regret it. Not enough to have done it a second time later on in high school tho but we’ll get to that later. So basically I convinced my dad to get it I did the relaxer all by myself I was probably like 7 maybe 8 but I was definitely too little to be doing that and especially not all on my own. I burnt my entire scalp and hair. It felt so stiff and stuck together I freaked out and I cried I didn’t know what to do. I even blocked out what happened afterwards it was that bad but one thing I do know is I wore my hair in braids, buns, and or ponytails, for a very long time. When it finally got a little bit better I was in 6th or 7th grade. Yes, it took a few years to recover. I straightened my hair everyday and it looked good. I was no longer getting made fun of for my hair which was nice but it was always one thing or another.  Anyways I remember one time I didn’t straighten my hair and all hell broke lose all over again like I couldn’t take a day off from straightening my hair =| I guess not that’s when I started to really get the kind of comments like why is your hair like that? Why didn’t you straighten it today or brush it? You look better with straight hair! Even some of my family members said this to me which hurt more than anything or anyone but I wasn’t strong or confident enough yet so I just gave in and made sure I did my hair all the time especially going into high school but because I was already not liked and such an easy target high school was even worse for me. I started skipping class because I just couldn’t handle it and needless to say failing. Anyways I got an opportunity to move and go to a different school for a year to see if I can turn my grades around or else I was going to be sent to some kind of boarding school. So long story short I went to the new school… Nobody bullied or even bothered me. In fact people wanted to hang out with me all the time but I was too focus on my education and already had a set plan in hanging out in one of my teacher’s classroom with two other great girls who of course were … no need to even say it but anyways lol they embraced me everyone at that school just made me feel so happy and alive even while I forgot to mention rocking my curly hair this whole time only wearing mascara and chapstick with some cargo pants and my payless shoes. It was just a completely different feeling that school was so diverse but I’d be lying if I said the majority weren’t black and not once did I EVER feel out of place or uncomfortable I felt like I was home as weird as that may sound but this is why for me they play a bigger part than some people would like to realize and accept in my natural hair journey and just becoming a better person in general. I ended up getting straight A’s in my academics. I won awards, certificates, and attended special events. A lot of really cool things like being interviewed at dodgers stadium on the field while Matthew Mccaughnahey threw the first pitch and literally him sitting right next to me or just casually running on the track and playing football with him when he came to our school. It was the best time and experiences I ever had in my whole life and I couldn’t have done it without all my teachers and principle who believed and saw something in me as well as all the friends that I had made to help me prosper and grow into the woman I was always meant to be. However it was only supposed to be for a year and I knew this it was time to go back and face my fears and do what I did over there back over here. I tried to go back with my confidence and that focus on my studies attitude that I had. I wish I could say this is when things changed for me and people got better over there but it actually got a lot worse. People had started rumors about me saying I got pregnant and dropped out others said I died others tried to say I killed myself. People were shocked when I came back. Some were just happy to see that the rumors weren’t true even some of the mean ones that used to make fun of me but stopped cause even they realized it was just too much and too far. But the ones that actually started and participated in the rumors were pissed and made things even worse for me as if all those awful things weren’t enough. Needless to say I straightened my hair right away even used a relaxer with much more success than I did years ago for the first time but it was way beyond that at this point that honestly there were times where I did want to do one of the things they said already happened. It is so sad and I hate to say it but that was part of my life and kind of embarrassing but that’s what happened to me. I didn’t even want to go on and today I am so thankful and blessed I didn’t give in to that. Those people obviously were really evil and cruel and I truly hope they changed for the better but yeah I told my parents and thank God they knew it wasn’t me just trying to get out of school or anything this time because it’s already been proven and a fact I am a good person and an excellent student. I love learning! I really do. I will forever be a lifelong student. So it was them and it was the school’s system that had failed. Nobody cared enough about me at that school to stop what was happening. I was almost on the verge of giving up in life and not going to school anymore luckily though my mom knew I was so much better than that so instead I went into independent studies. I worked hard and taught myself a lot of things everyday even when I didn’t have to or it wasn’t due until the following week. I just got err done. Anyways fast forward I graduated with diploma in hand walked the stage. And so after high school I had many attempts of embracing my curly hair and failing because I would still get those comments about looking ugly with curly hair I look better with straight hair blah blah blah. It wasn’t until I challenged myself and actually prove to myself I can do it that I did. I started a tumblr which by the way go check that out: and created a counter and I remember I told myself I wanted to challenge myself for at least 30 days. 30 days came then I said okay let’s try 6months then 6 months to a year and well you get the picture I haven’t turned back since! But now for the last question…finally LOL. 11. 10) Any advice to some who struggle with their natural hair &/or multiracial identity? 

I’d first like to say that even if you are more than one race you don’t only have to identify yourself as just one if you don’t want to nor do you have to identify with all of them either but just be able to accept what is and what isn’t. 

Also you are not alone even though it may feel like it at times or maybe even all the time. The truth is though... you’re not. And almost all of us have been there or can relate in some way or another and you really just have to get yourself into that mindset that you aren’t alone and I would encourage you to surround yourself with people who are similar to you and if there aren’t any in your community then reach out online even Instagram. Today’s world and technology is so advanced and can be used in a positive way and a outlet. I’m a believer in what you read, see, or even listen to shapes who you are and how you feel about yourself. So follow and interact with people just like you. Check out @naturallycurly their website and ig + @mixdgrlproblems @aroundthewaycurls @heyfranhey @sunkissalba .... the list goes on and on. It’s just very important that you know and understand you aren’t alone and the natural hair curly girls mixed community is usually always very helpful and welcoming no matter your race gender your hair type texture age none of that matters to us and we are here for you. At least I know for sure I am I will be doing a video just on transitioning tips and how to build confidence soon so be sure to like and subscribe so you don’t miss out on that plus I’m very excited to announce I will be doing a giveaway on a brand that is fairly well known and cg friendly if not my next video the one after that so again be sure to subscribe and stay tuned! 