Justin Agrelo’s testimonio reflects on his experiences as a Puerto Rican living in Argentina and examines what it means to navigate Latinidad—a term that refers to the shared attributes of Latin American people and their descendants, as well as the complexities and contradictions of their identity and culture—without speaking Spanish fluently.

Agrelo faced several rhetorical constraints, beginning with questions about his own identity as a Latinx person. He shares experiences of being unable to speak Spanish correctly, describing how he felt like a “fake Latino” or “wannabe Puerto Rican” because he couldn’t speak the language fluently while his family could. Another constraint is his internalized shame, or vergüenza. He notes that whenever he had to confess that he didn’t speak Spanish, it felt embarrassing and shameful, making him feel inauthentic or inferior.

Agrelo establishes ethos by drawing on his lived experience. In the section titled “Dilemma,” he discusses the varied reactions he receives, stating, “In Argentina, the reaction to me not knowing Spanish varies much more than it does in the States”—demonstrating that he has navigated these situations across different cultural contexts. He evokes pathos through vulnerable reflection, asking, “Is this confusion about why I couldn’t muster up enough capital or privilege or time or interest to learn Spanish like the heaps of non-Latinx Yankees do every other day? I mean, it is my family’s language, right?… How could I be so shameless?” This passage conveys the embarrassment and shame he has internalized. Logos appears when he analyzes the questions people ask him, recognizing that “underneath all of those invasive questions (that aren’t actually questions but a load of accusations and assumptions about someone they barely know)” lies judgment rather than genuine curiosity.

A notable technique is his use of repetition. He recounts the familiar exchange: “‘But they speak Spanish in Puerto Rico, right?’ To which I will confirm, ‘Yes.’ They will then ask if my parents speak Spanish. ‘Yes.’ And this ‘yes’ is the yes of all yeses because it always leads us down the most enervating of enervating paths towards the most simple of simple observations.” This repetition mirrors the exhausting predictability of these conversations.

Structurally, the testimonio follows a pattern: Agrelo shares a personal experience, critiques that experience, and then reflects on its broader meaning. This approach aligns with the testimonio tradition, a rhetorical style rooted in Latin American literature that uses personal narrative to challenge dominant narratives—in this case, the assumption that speaking Spanish is essential to Latino identity. He also includes references to music his family loved, reinforcing his cultural connection and strengthening his argument that language fluency is not the sole measure of Latino authenticity.

The topic remains highly relevant today. The embarrassment of butchering a Spanish phrase—or not speaking Spanish at all—is something many people still face. As someone who is Chicano and not fluent in Spanish, the original student author notes that this testimonio resonates personally and speaks to a shared experience among Mexican Americans, Chicanos, and U.S.-born Latinos. Its long-term influence lies in its potential to help those dealing with identity questions understand that not speaking Spanish does not make them any less Latino.

Justin Agrelo is an award-winning journalist, community engagement specialist, and storyteller based in Los Angeles. At the time of writing this testimonio, however, he was living in Córdoba, Argentina. Originally from Chicago, his parents were from Puerto Rico. On his website, Agrelo describes his approach to storytelling as data-driven and human-centered, rooted in community practices. He aims for his work to complicate predominating narratives and highlight the easily overlooked human nuances of present social issues. His focus is on crafting narratives that are accurate, contextual, and reflective of the true lived experiences of everyday people.

Agrelo's testimonio was published on August 29, 2017, by Latino Rebels, a digital media platform focused on Latino perspectives and news. At the time, Agrelo was living in Córdoba, Argentina—an experience that prompted his reflections on navigating Latinidad without Spanish fluency. Rather than responding to a single occasion, the piece emerges from a lifetime of encounters: the questions, assumptions, and judgments he has faced from other Latinos, Hispanics, and Spanish speakers about his identity. He describes feeling policed by these groups for the way he sees himself—as a Latino who cannot speak Spanish fluently, despite having parents who speak the language and come from a Spanish-speaking country. The testimonio captures both his experiences in Argentina and earlier ones in Chicago, revealing how the same stinging vergüenza follows him across more than 5,000 miles.