A speaker traces why Latinos sometimes undermine each other to three sources: generational scarcity that treats success as zero-sum, the Spanish caste system that ranked people by skin color and status, and the myth of La Malinche, who symbolizes betrayal for those who leave the community.
This is part 1 of a 3-part series on why sometimes in our community we tear each other down. Now, this didn't start with us. It started generations ago when our people lived in survival mode. There wasn't enough money, not enough opportunity, and not enough security. So the mindset became, if you win, I lose. Then came colonization. Colonization is when a foreign power comes in and takes over the land, controls the people, and creates a system where some are on top and others are on the bottom. In Latin America, that meant Spanish rule, where people were divided into classes based on skin color, background, and status. So instead of unity, We were taught comparison, competition, and where we fit in the system. And then there's something many people don't fully understand. That was La Malinche. She was an indigenous woman during the Spanish conquest who became an interpreter and worked closely with Hernán Cortés. Over time, her story became a symbol, right or wrong, of betrayal, of choosing the other side. So culturally, that created something deep. Sometimes when someone succeeds, especially in a different world, it can feel like they've turned their back on where they came from. And that's just the beginning. Because what got passed down after that might be affecting you today more than you realize. Follow me for part 2.
