Hey guys, I guess I should have introduced myself properly. Apologies in advance if this piece is all over the place, I just went wherever my thoughts took me. (You'll soon notice that's a trend for these blog posts.)
For my blog i'd love to just introduce myself and go by Lila Bear. I'm 31 years young :P I was born and raised in Ojai, California—a majority-white small town (talk about an identity crisis.) My parents immigrated to the United States from Mexico as adults and established a good life for themselves with five children: my older sister, myself, and my three younger brothers.
Ok anyways, how did growing up in a majority-white small town shape my identity? I think about it all the time, and thinking about it all the time is probably one of the side effects of growing up in a majority-white small town. I think my experience will be different than others, and I'm pretty sure I ended up more "whitewashed" than most, given that I "passed" enough to not be totally excluded from white society. On top of that, I'm pretty sure growing up Mexican in a majority-white town gave me access to the necessary audacity to start a blog and yap about my opinions like they're special. Anywaysss...
I vividly remember middle school in Ojai being the worst. Sleepless nights wondering: Should I shave my "hairy" arms tonight or in the morning? Why doesn't my tan give me the same admiration as the tan the white girls get from their summer in Lake Tahoe? Who even am I?? I don't have to explain this—you guys get it. I know my experience on the spectrum of racism in Ojai was, what many would argue, "mild" compared to others—but I don't want to invalidate that the overarching experience of feeling uncomfortable, alienated, angry, and confused was, nevertheless, common and shared.
Things are kind of different now and little me is no longer ashamed of herself. I stopped straightening my hair and, sure enough, my curls came out again. I stopped shaving my arms, and I love the color of my tan.
I would love someone to do a deep-dive analysis of what growing up in this town did to my brain. If you or someone you know has also suffered from being a person of color in a majority-white small town, you might be entitled to the right to call me out on my BS. Let's start the dialogue. I love to learn and I love to change my mind—it's fun! (or maybe a serious mental health condition?)
That was the shortest intro but I guess it's just enough to give you a little sneak peak behind the curtain on who's writing this blog. I'm excited to dive deeper and learn more alongside you as I continue writing and exploring topics.
Stay curious, stay open, and keep asking questions! Always lead your curiosity from a heart-centered space, and don't stop learning.
Until next time!!
🧸 Meet the Author
Chantal is the founder and curator behind Lila Bear, a dreamy, sustainable gift shop dedicated to giving new life to secondhand treasures and celebrating mindful curation. When she isn't yapping on the blog or analyzing social theories, you can find her restoring items and saving teddys from the landfills.
Browse the Lila Bear curation here: https://mylilabear.com/
P.S. I love to yap, so if you have a topic you'd like me to yap and blog about... I'm so there, it's insane (shoutout to the iconic Eunice in She's the Man). Anyways, email meeeeee! Byeee!