Harvard Chicano

As a Mexican-American graduate of Harvard University with a poor command of the Spanish language, I related well to Navarrette’s article. However, I found the tone of the article to be somewhat negative and pessimistic.

With roommates from top Eastern boarding schools and friends with no need for financial aid, I also found myself to be different from some of my peers. I not only scrubbed toilets and cleaned dormitory showers to help pay for my tuition, but was also told by some instructors that “it was incomprehensible how you ever got into Harvard” and that “you’ll never graduate.” It was easy to ignore these ridiculous statements for I always had much confidence in myself and was intent on learning as much as possible while at Harvard and on the East Coast. No one, certainly not individuals with racist beliefs or fellow Latinos who labeled me as a “coconut,” was going to prevent me from having a positive college experience and graduating from Harvard.

For high school students considering college, whether or not they are Mexican-American or Ivy-League bound, I sincerely hope they receive messages of hope and encouragement from their families, educators and alumni. Their dreams and aspirations are too important to be negatively influenced by others. And I certainly hope the Hollywood movie-to-be about Navarrette will be filled with positive images of Latinos succeeding, leading and enjoying themselves in college. Because in real life, there is no fantasy about successful, well-adjusted Latinos at Harvard or any other institution of higher learning.

STEVEN MUNATONES

Whittier