I first visited Mexico City in the summer of 2016 and I met a large majority of my extended family. Before leaving I met my Abuelo and he showed me how he had spent his life documenting our family. His house was filled with various suitcases and boxes full of photographs spanning decades. Unfortunately he passed away shortly after I met him. After his death I realized that I had convinced myself that being “American” was better than being Mexican. I had spent so much time and effort to hide my Mexican-ness that I had effectively distanced myself from my community and many family members. My work is a way for me to process and examine my identity and the cultural push and pull I experience as a first generation Mexican-American here in the Midwest. I want to explore what it means to be Mexican, what it means to be American, and what it means to be both. Photography has also been a way for me to heal and grow closer with my family and culture.