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The racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the United States is what makes the country unique. But when you live in a place that is widely known as a melting pot, preserving your cultural identity can be challenging. Some lifestyles and customs naturally tend to become more dominant. However, celebrating your cultural identity is vital because it can enrich your life in many ways. Moreover, by celebrating your background, you can improve your community’s cultural awareness.
This article will help you discover a few key ways to reclaim and celebrate your cultural identity in an inclusive way.
Stay Connected
An essential way to preserve your cultural identity is to stay connected with your roots. Read relevant blogs and websites. Follow influential voices such as artists, writers, comedians, or athletes with the same cultural background. Read authors who tell stories about straddling two or more cultures. If you’re Native American, read about what’s happening in the Native American communities. If you’re Latino, read about Latinx culture. Form close relationships with people who share the same cultural identity. Staying connected with your roots can also mean following how your culture is perceived in society and speaking up when you feel misrepresented.
Share, Share, Share
From cuisine to traditions or attitudes towards life and death, every culture has something unique that deserves to be known by the entire world. Another essential way to celebrate your cultural identity is to share with your extended family, community, and friends the values, achievements, and particularities of your culture. Share delicious meals or start a cooking class to share your ethnic cuisine. Teach your traditional dances. Invite people to festivals, art shows, or other events related to your cultural background. Share historical information. Talk about new musicians or writers. And share your personal story.
Learn History
Another important way to reclaim and celebrate your cultural identity is to learn the history of your culture and community. The more informed you are about your background, the easier it is to reconcile the past and the present. Educating yourself on aspects of your culture can also help you find a balance between celebrating your cultural identity and blending into a society that naturally tends towards homogeneity. Moreover, learning history is critical because someone might be interested in knowing more about your cultural identity. Being confident in sharing historical facts and information about beliefs or traditions is a good way to show that you value your culture.
Embrace Your Cultural Traditions
One of the best ways to reclaim and celebrate your identity is to embrace cultural traditions and incorporate them into your lifestyle. Celebrate holidays related to your heritage and invite friends that are not very familiar with your culture to celebrate with you. Consider wearing traditional clothing items or adopting various rituals and customs that can enrich your day-to-day life.
In a country as diverse as the United States, a large percentage of the population has mixed heritage, which means cultural identity is a lot more fluid than we imagine. If you feel that celebrating your cultural background matters to you, use the tips above to become more involved with your culture.