fbpx
Thursday, January 23 2025

In Part 1 of this series, Culturs chatted with poet Shayla Montero about her hair and inner beauty. Part 2 covered her inner confidence. In the third and final segment, we discuss how multiculturalism has played a role in the making of Montero’s poem “Awaken.”

Discovering the multitude of backgrounds that a Third Culture Kid (TCK) and multicultural people have is one very important way of discovering your true identity, and Shayla Montero has some insight on this topic.

Montero and her multicultural heritage

Montero identifies as an African-American but her last name is Portuguese and her father is Cherokee. Although she has grown up identifying as a black, African-American woman, she has not had a chance to explore her other identities yet.

I really haven’t had a chance to explore the other identities of myself.

Multicultural feet (Image via Pixabay)
(Image by Daniela Mininni from Pixabay)

Montero says the description of herself in “Awaken” as lost in the state of ambiguity points to the fact that she hasn’t had a chance to explore her other identities yet. She says the “big chop,” i.e. cutting her long hair short, has given her the opportunity to begin discovering her background fully.

I’ve been raised to know about my other identities, but haven’t been able to explore those identities.

Montero hopes to find her core by walking in all her identities. To be truly “whole,” she needs to acknowledge all of her backgrounds and to be “all those things in one.”

Through that ‘big chop,’ I really want to explore all my identities further.

Culturs TV programs are presented on dptv.denverpost.com through a partnership with The Denver Post. Ramproductions in the Department of Journalism and Media Communications at Colorado State University produced the video.

Click below to watch the video on XOTV.me.

Culturs TV: Shayla Montero
Photo by Kayle Kaupanger on Unsplash
Previous

Shayla Montero On Powerful Hair and Discovering Her Confidence – Part 2

Next

The unique life story of a TCK - Part 1 of 2

About Author

Samantha Malpiedi

Samantha Malpiedi is a columnist for Culturs and is especially interested in current issues around the world that affect people and the way they make their livelihoods. Her cultural awareness education began at age fifteen when she traveled to five different countries including parts of Europe, Mexico and Kenya and ended in her time spent living in Chile at age 21. From these experiences she developed her love for travel and the appreciation for culture. As a duo-language speaker, she thrives in environments where communication spans cultures. Never complacent to stay in one place, her articles will interest anyone that might resonate with a restless nomad, hungry for a taste of travel.

Check Also

Verified by MonsterInsights