Ozzie Lucca

Growing up in the PNW there wasn't much diversity, with a fairly small Latino community. I'm half Colombian and half Puerto Rican, but was always thought of as 'Mexican' to non-Latinos. I was even once asked what part of Mexico is Puerto Rico? And told, you speak Mexican really well. 

It never really triggered me until I started dating seriously. I dated a Caucasian girl, in particular, whose family really didn't like the fact I wasn't white. For context, we dated for almost 4yrs and I was never allowed inside their home. 

The real deal breaker was when her sister and I got into a heated discussion about affirmative action. After our discussion was over she got up and went to leave.  When my girlfriend at the time asked her sister if I was the reason she was leaving? Her exact response was "You mean your gang banging, Mexican, drug dealing boyfriend? Yes!" 

I remember thinking, I just graduated from the University of Washington and was thinking to apply to law school, but yet I would always be some irrelevant Latino to this family. Really put things into perspective for me. I'll never be what they want because of my ethnicity.