By Elena Martínez
Mrs. Lee, my kindergarten teacher, was not my first introduction to the power of staying on task, finishing what I start, and not giving up. Disney stories were not the first to show me that anything was possible. If children’s storybooks and fairy tales are the amalgamation of magic, marvel, and meaning, then my origin, my bloodline, is the quintessential Disney storybook. The lessons and experiences from my parents’ life anecdotes, tales, accounts, and narratives, have revealed to me the story of my ancestors, my family, and my community. This repertoire illustrates the magic and marvel found in growing up dirt poor in a pueblo in Mexico and making the most of living in the barrios of East LA.
Similar to the story of “Jack and the Beanstalk,” I too share humble beginnings and have been entrusted with a great responsibility. Like Jack, my responsibility is to metaphorically take the “magic beans” my parents have entrusted me with and see to it that they grow into something special. It is through the lens of my parents’ lives — their struggles, sacrifices, setbacks, triumphs, and optimism — that has had the greatest impact on the person I am today. These “magic beans” have sprouted into a magical beanstalk that lies deep within me: spurring imagination, engendering hope, and brimming with optimism. My beanstalk grows confidently, exploring a world full of possibilities, and knows only the very top of the sky as its ceiling.
“Papá you actually lived in a house made of dirt without electricity, gas, and indoor plumbing?”
As a little girl, my parents’ stories were captivating and unbelievable; I was unable to fathom a reality so different from my own. “Papá, you actually lived in a house made of dirt without electricity, gas, and indoor plumbing?” I asked incredulously. I would paint mental images of my parents’ pueblos and would commonly contrast the quotidian events of my childhood with theirs. My dad would share with me his experiences living through the 1968 Chicano blowouts as a teenager at Roosevelt High School and of supporting Cesar Chavez and the farmworker boycotts. I often found myself wondering what I would have done had I been there. My mom has talked about all the responsibilities she had as a child. By the age of 10 she knew how to buy groceries, wash clothes at the river banks, and how to make tortillas. My parents’ stories left me in awe and wonderment and etched powerful and lasting images in my fertile and imaginative mind.
Slowly, I’ve pieced together my dad’s arduous journey: from going shoeless to shining shoes, from being disparaged for not speaking English in grade school to obtaining a college degree. In doing so, I gained a deeper appreciation of what it means to not give up and to always give it your best; to “echarle ganas.” “Echarle ganas”, the essence of giving it your all, is as deep-rooted and integral to the Mexican culture as balance and harmony is to the Chinese culture. This imperative phrase has since become much more than a motto. It is my mindset, my heartbeat, and my cultural battle cry as I aim high and give life my best shot.
Mija, always try to keep it simple, but reach for a deeper understanding of things”
As I mature, my understanding and appreciation of my parents’ experiences has only grown and intensified; filling me with a sense of wonderment and inciting gratefulness, a strong sense of self-awareness, identity, and pride. “Mija, always try to keep it simple, but reach for a deeper understanding of things,” my papá frequently advises me. I have put this into practice and it has helped me gain a deeper and more profound understanding of my culture, heritage, and myself. This mindset has also assisted me in gaining a broader, deeper, and more nuanced understanding of the realities and meaning found in the stories we have undertaken in this class.
I planted my “magic beans” in fertile ground.
As I take this time to reflect on my own story, I feel blessed to know that I planted my “magic beans” in fertile ground (unlike Jack who just threw them out the window). And we all know the reality, that good seeds will grow strong and healthy not by themselves, but only if they are nurtured and taken care of. As I continue to grow, I make sure to find time to engage in opportunities that help me stay connected and nurture my connection to my culture. For example, dancing as part of LMU’s Grupo Folklorico De LMU (as my dad did from 1973 to 1977), tutoring children who just immigrated from Mexico, and helping my family make tamales from scratch during the holidays.
My unique and evolving personal perspective — birthed, nuanced, and shaped by the influences of my immigrant roots, household, and community — is the stuff of Disney. My story is rooted deeply in overcoming the challenges that life puts in our path. Luckily, my parents instilled in me an “anything is possible” mentality and a “comeback can be stronger than your setback” attitude. A confidence dwells in knowing that my metaphorical “beanstalk” has Hispanic heritage, family, and community written all over it. It is a beanstalk growing, thriving, and blossoming, hopefully into something truly special.
My parents
Folklorico at LMU 
Folklorico Dancing with my dad 
Folklorico at LMU
Making Tamales this Chirstmas! 
We made 100+ tamales
The mural at my elementary school that my dad painted
Teaching my roommate to make tortillas
Homemade tortillas 
Tortilla making
