{"id":6000,"date":"2024-04-14T18:02:06","date_gmt":"2024-04-15T01:02:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/Lmarce\/?page_id=6000"},"modified":"2024-05-07T13:59:52","modified_gmt":"2024-05-07T20:59:52","slug":"spring-2024","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/Lmarce\/","title":{"rendered":"USC Annenberg’s Journalism Spring 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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As I recollect my first day at USC, I recall looking for a cafeteria and I asked a classmate in the Wallis Annenberg Hall for directions to get a burger. She scoffed at my question saying, \u201cThere\u2019s only a dining hall here and you need to pay for your food.\u201d After turning her back on me I walked away astonished not knowing what about me made her so hostile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a Chicano born in Los Angeles, the odds of being able to attend a prestigious institution as a first-generation college student such as USC are close to none. It is true for me to say that me attending this institution is an honor and a privilege. However, I soon found my reality as a student did not parallel that of most of my classmates or my initial expectations. I felt unable to connect with those around me and could not adjust or find a place in the college lifestyle I was told throughout my life would be the pinnacle of my youth. Most who played an active part in my life outside of school have told me there is no reason I should feel the way I do about my situation and I have an attitude problem or I\u2019m just ungrateful. Not having (or giving myself) the opportunity of getting to know many of my peers, I decided to focus my capstone project on the experiences of other Chicano students to see how their time at USC compared to mine. Not finding many other students who consider themselves Chicanos, I decided to interview any Latino student at USC willing to share their thoughts. After getting to know about 20 peers of similar heritage, I have learned that many experiences and perceptions I\u2019ve gained are shared throughout the Latino community of USC not only now, but also of the past due to the various socio-economic factors affecting their community as well as others underrepresented on college campuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of many such students who shared similar feelings was Anahi Jimenez, a Chicana student from East Los Angeles, who recollected her experience of immediate alienation. She said “I remember one particular instance… I introduced myself and one of the students asked me, ‘so are you in a gang because you’re from East LA?’\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Christina
Christina Guerrero <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
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