#GrowingUpSalvadorian: Salvadoran American Twitter Represents

By Daniel Alvarenga

Photo taken by Daniel Alvarenga at Central American Independence Parade in Los Angeles, 2013.

Salvadoran Americans came out last week to make #GrowingUpSalvadorian, a trending hashtag on Twitter. At its peak, it had 24,000 tweets and in the days following, many more trickled in. We’re the 4th largest Latinx group in the United States, and some say we are poised to be the 3rd. Despite that, we’ve gotten used to the fact that we’re invisible in US media in Spanish or English. The only regular representations I see of us is as MS-13 gang members, voiceless but never listened-to refugees, or any freakshow that makes us look exceptionally backwards (I see you Primer Impacto). This hashtag was refreshing because we weren't only representing ourselves, but also celebrating ourselves. I also couldn’t help but notice some recurring themes.  
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For starters, we cannot come to a consensus on what to call ourselves in English and how to spell it – Salvadorian, Salvadorean, or Salvadoran. If you’re writing an academic paper or news article, go with Salvadoran. It will make you sound proper and educated. The reality is that most people, including actual Salvadoran Americans, will use Salvadorian or Salvadorean—it just sounds natural to us. However, it is never and will never be El Salvadorian, El Salvadoran, or El Salvadorinian or you'll never be invited to the pupusería again and have to eat frozen Whole Foods pupusas over the sink alone for the rest of your life. 

When most Salvadorans don't know that Salvadorian or Salvadorean is wrong #growingupSalvadoran

— Chaya (@sarahdsntcare) June 30, 2016

When you cringe when people call you El Salvadorian ("el" means the in Spanish so you're saying "the salvadorian" □#growingUpSalvadoran

— Fatima Duran (@findingfati) July 1, 2016

When your most significant media representation is a misspelled hashtag #growingupsalvadorian □ pic.twitter.com/NYdyno0iLL

— SalvaCultura ✊ (@SalvaCultura) June 30, 2016

What brings together a people divided by the lingering politics of a brutal civil war, transnational displacement, and generational trauma? The answer is food: pan con chumpe, 100 lbs of contraband queso duroblandito – all watered down with a plastic baggie of kolashampan. 

Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years, Graduation, Birthdays #GrowingUpSalvadorian pic.twitter.com/5TEri1VKBM

— MANDA (@MadamSteamfunk) June 30, 2016

#GrowingUpSalvadorian the bestttttttt omg pic.twitter.com/Z6L8P1JPIM

— nicole (@feministmami) June 30, 2016

#GrowingUpSalvadorian only soda to get when you go to a Salvadorian restaurant pic.twitter.com/6DHIilFDYZ

— Aaron (@soriano_60) June 30, 2016

Other Northern Triangle folks from Guatemala and Honduras took up their own hashtags and reminded us Salvadorans that they share an isthmus with us. 

#GrowingupHonduran you love all of this pic.twitter.com/q0v7Mg4miX

— aleida Ally (@beysembaevay) August 1, 2015

But pollo campero is Guatemalan, y'all can't take that from us #growingupguatemalan https://t.co/eEAabh3T6s

— marlyn (@margr0d) June 30, 2016

Ha ha. Even though I'm Guatemalan these tweets are giving me life. #growingupcentralamerican https://t.co/1uJWX8KPAa

— Maya Chinchilla (@chachachapina) June 30, 2016

#GrowingUpHonduran #GrowingUpSalvadoran
Using the word "vos" instead of the word "tu."

— Dina Reyes (@dinareyes_0304) July 15, 2015

So much about being ourselves is speaking our rich Caliche Spanish and unapologetic voseo. It speaks for itself. 

#GrowingUpSalvadorian when no one understands what tf you mean when you say colocho, pajilla, chiniar, sincho, puchica, bolado, chele, etc

— Emely Valdez (@sailormouth7) June 30, 2016

#GrowingUpSalvadorian Going to a hispanic restaurant and asking for a pajilla(straw) and getting a confused face

— SACELY RRRIVERS (: (@Taaachhhi) June 29, 2016

#GrowingUpSalvadorian when your family are in el chisme and all you hear is them gasping or saying "fijate vos" "nombre vos"

— lesly (@leslys_) June 30, 2016

Your Mexican friends asking if you were speaking a foreign language with your own family. #GrowingUpSalvadorian #GrowingUpSalvadoran

— Dichos de un bicho (@DichosdeunBicho) June 30, 2016

When you're from Latin America’s smallest nation, there is so much that goes unsaid in mainstream Latinx media. There were astute observations all around. 

"I'm Salvadorian" "That's the same thing as Mexican " #GrowingUpSalvadorian pic.twitter.com/xBtaQDB4K2

— emiy (@emily_anaya) June 16, 2016

#growingupSalvadorian getting roasted on every time a soccer event is on because you're Salvadorian

— ♥️بریجت (@Bvxvo_) June 30, 2016

#GrowingUpSalvadorian having to wait hours at the airport cause they won't let your Tia out with 6000 pounds of queso

— Hispanic Folk (@High_Life_Joe) June 30, 2016

I hate the #GrowingUpSalvadorian hashtag. Its literally so relatable that I feel exposed lmao

— baby (@kingfidias) June 23, 2016

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