In The Community
Today there are many labels I proudly use during introductions. I am a first-gen Guatemalteca-Mexicana college student. Identity is one of the things we use to define ourselves and we cling to it- it’s our orgullo. Latino culture is orgullo. I, along with many others, understand what the experience is like when we’re told we don’t look as if we have the privilege of feeling the pride that is our culture.
I never questioned the cultural experiences or events I followed my parents to as a kid, I found my comfort in the grande backyard fiestas, Noche Buena celebrations, endless (and sleepless) quinceañeras. I felt spoiled being the kid that had tamales and champurrado for breakfast before school. My mom’s outrage at novelas was mine as well. To put it simply, all I knew was being Latina meant I had warmth, comfort, and celebration surrounding me.
When I got to middle school, I began to comprehend how my identity was both used as an insult and simultaneously disregarded. I witnessed people I cared about deal with microaggressions for their language barrier, yet on my end, I would be told things that left me confused:
“you don’t look Latina,” “you’re acting white,” ”you don’t look like someone who would speak Spanish.”
I felt conflicted, should I be thankful I’m seen as what the “norm” is? Does being called white mean I’m being seen as educated? Why am I so insulted but strangely relieved? Who the hell decided being Latina came with a template anyways?
Reflecting back, I realize that subconsciously I was associating not being seen as a minority with a sense of safety and acceptance. This eventually manifested into believing I was just a white-washed Latina. I looked in the mirror and believed this was the way I was supposed to present myself as. I pushed away where I found my comfort and leaned into the identity others were essentially defining for me. I pushed away what was my orgullo. By the way, no thanks to the mandatory school surveys where I had to mark “Other” or “White” alongside “Hispanic/Latino”.
Down the line, I learned what the term “Eurocentric” meant. It put into perspective how the views and beauty standards of today came to be, how it shaped the expectation of what “educated” and “not a minority” looks like. At the end of the day, this is an outdated mindset that shouldn’t carry weight or value today. I began to look towards strong badass Latinas who never hesitated to correct anyone trying to doubt their identity.
There was a power in hearing someone say the words “No, I am Latina.”
It’s freeing when you’re the one taking charge of what defines your Latinidad. It runs a lot deeper than appearance, Spanish fluency, or stereotypes. It’s generations worth of cultura and experiences to carry. I’m still strengthening my connection to my roots today, and when I think of the diverse women who confidently take pride in their identity, it pushes me to tap into my orgullo even more.
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One of the great things about growing up Latino is that you get to have a lot of experiences that are unique to the culture. Only Latinos know the joy of trying to get as many toys and candy from the piñata as possible, no matter who you have to hurt to get that bag. Even if you didn’t have a perfect childhood (who does, anyway?), you can look back at those quintessential Latino experiences and smile. We’re feeling nostalgic today, so let’s go down memory lane and look into the 10 childhood moments all Latinos cherish:
Quinceañeras and officially coming of age
Sweet sixteen parties don’t hold a candle to Quinceañeras. Like, not even close! Quinceañeras are one of the Latino traditions that truly stand out, and every Latina, if they chose to have one, can look back on their Quinceañera with fondness, even if it was debacle or in this case, Monster Energy Drink-themed to try to please your highschool crush. Decked out in a dress that could double as a cupcake topper, young Latinas dance the night away, soak in the inevitable chismes, and feel like royalty for a day. Even if you didn’t have one, attending one was sometimes even better. Who doesn’t love a good party with some top-level people watching?
Going to baseball or soccer games
Whether it’s baseball or soccer, Latinos love going to a good game. When baseball or soccer season came along, you looked forward to going to games with the entire family. Uncles would get a bit hammered on beer, you got to eat churros and hot dogs, and you knew all the celebratory chants by heart. When your team scored a goal or hit a home run? Pure euphoria. There’s really nothing like cheering your head off with hundreds of other people who are just as excited as you.
Watching telenovelas with your aunts
The drama, the tears, the betrayals! Watching telenovelas with our aunts was like a rite of passage. No Latino child ever forgets their first taste of telenovelas because it’s like being invited into the grown-up club! Who needed Netflix when you had María la del Barrio? Plus, you got to learn so much about life from listening to what your tías had to say about shady characters, toxic relationships, and dramatic situations. What a wonderful time it was!
Learning traditional dances
Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels
From salsa to merengue, we learned it all. Our family gatherings doubled as dance-offs, with tías teaching us the moves and tíos embarrassing themselves trying to keep up. If you can master the cumbia with your abuelita leading the way, you can conquer any dance floor.
Looking forward to Three Kings' Day (Día de los Reyes) just as much as Christmas
Image credits: Wikimedia Commons
The holiday season is over after New Year’s for most people, but Latino kids look forward to Three Kings’ Day in January as much as they look forward to Christmas. Or that’s how it used to be and it was glorious! Leaving out shoes for gifts and waking up to find them filled with treats was like Christmas 2.0. And the rosca de reyes? Don’t even get us started on the baby Jesus surprise.
Having water balloon fights on hot summer weekends
Photo by Kampus Production on Pexels
Hot summer weekends were our license to unleash mayhem with a hose in the backyard or water balloons if we wanted to take it to the next level. It always turned into a water war with the cousins (and the grownups loved to join in too). Those sneaky ambushes and soaking-wet battles were the highlight of our summer. Sure, there was the occasional accidental hit to the face with a water balloon, but hey, all’s fair in Latino water wars.
Weekend carne asadas with the entire family
Photo by Anna Guerrero on Pexels
One thing about Latinos is that we don’t actually need a special occasion to get together and have a blast. Not all families are the same, but most Latino families make the most out of weekends with a good family cookout. The smell of grilled meat, the laughter of cousins running around, and the sounds of cumbia, salsa, vallenato, or reggaeton in the background made for perfect memories.
Not missing a single birthday party because of the piñata
No birthday party was complete without the piñata showdown. It was a battle royale where candy and cheap toys were the ultimate prize, and God protect anyone who got in your way. It was so fun to take turns hitting the piñata with a stick, while some uncle, brother, or dad in the family perched precariously on a roof, tree, or just about anything with height to taunt you with expert rope swings that could compete with any cross-fitter. Extra points if said rope swinger didn’t accidentally fall after one too many drinks before the start of the event.
Smashing cascarones on your friends’ heads during Easter
While most people think about egg hunts when looking back on Easter childhood memories, Latinos think of cascarones. Easter was all about smashing cascarones (confetti-filled eggshells) on each other’s heads. The fun was maximized when the person didn’t even see it coming. The end result of everyone looking chaotically festive with all that confetti in their hair was a fun but painfully messy reminder that after the fun, someone is always stuck cleaning up the mess.
Getting your face painted for Día de Los Muertos
Día de Los Muertos is a time to honor loved ones who have passed on, and get our faces painted in the most beautiful (and slightly spooky) designs. Granted, not all Latin Americans celebrate this holiday, but those who do will remember the excitement of getting their faces painted, putting together the ofrenda with their families, and going to fun festivals.
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On March 28, 2024, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) added a new standard for race and ethnicity data collection in the U.S. Census, approved by the Biden administration. Now, a separate checkbox exists for “Hispanic or Latino” alongside all other racial categories. This change has been celebrated by many in the Latino community, and it reflects a significant shift in how the U.S. Census gathers data about this section of the population.
It’s also a significant step toward a more accurate understanding of the Latino population, which has been growing consistently for decades. Before this change, the U.S. Census collected data on Hispanic origin without accounting for race, which meant Latinos were undercounted because many identify with their Hispanic ethnicity and their race, not just one or the other. This is further complicated by the fact that both Hispanic and Latino aren’t races, but many who don’t identify with white, Black, or other racial categories are left in limbo and often choose Hispanic or Latino as their race.
In 2023, a survey conducted by OnePoll involving 1,250 adults reflected that fact. Out of 1,250 people surveyed, 250 identified as U.S. Hispanics/Latinos. The addition of the new U.S. Census category acknowledges this dual identity and is intended to help create a more precise understanding of the demographic.
The Potential for Black and Afro Erasure
While many Latinos are behind this new standard as a step toward more inclusivity, many others bring up the point that this new approach could complicate how Afro-Latinos identify themselves in the U.S. Census, essentially erasing Afro-Latinos from the overall picture. The argument is that including “Hispanic/Latino” as a category alongside “Black” implicitly positions blackness as separate from Latino identity, suggesting that the Black category is something exclusive to non-Latinos.
Another issue identified by critics is that the OMB’s definition of who can select “Black” is narrow and limited to people with African origins, explicitly excluding people from Black Latin American nations, like the Dominican Republic and Cuba, and also excluding Afro-Latinos from all over Latin America, including Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, Panama, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
It may seem like a small detail, but looking at the bigger picture, population statistics need to be accurate if they’re expected to reveal patterns and information about racial exclusion. Without that accuracy, systemic racism becomes more obscure and it makes racial equity more challenging to achieve. While the new OBM standard is a step in the right direction, inclusivity remains a work in progress.
“Hispanic” or “Latino:” What’s the Difference?
To understand why the addition of a “Hispanic or Latino” checkbox in the U.S. Census is so important to many, we have to consider the background. The United States boasts a vibrant and varied cultural mosaic, with many ethnicities and nationalities coming together to form a diverse America. When talking about Latin American roots, “Hispanic” and “Latino” are the main terms, but what’s the difference between them? And how well do Americans understand these terms?
The 2023 survey conducted by OnePoll revealed some surprising statistics about our understanding of these two terms. According to the survey, a bit more than four in ten respondents (41%) correctly identified the difference between the terms:
- Hispanic refers to individuals from countries that primarily speak Spanish and is considered an ethnicity.
- Latino relates to people with origins from Latin America - which includes Mexico, South and Central America, and the Caribbean, and is also considered an ethnicity.
- Neither of these terms refers to race, which is a completely separate categorization based on shared physical characteristics rather than shared cultural characteristics, which includes language, as noted above.
However, an equal percentage (41%) believed the exact opposite, while 11% were candid enough to admit they didn’t know the difference at all.
Hispanic and Latino are terms that describe different aspects of heritage and geography. "Hispanic" refers to people who come from Spanish-speaking countries, which could be from both outside and within Latin America. This includes countries like Spain, Mexico, and most of Central and South America where Spanish is the primary language. On the other hand, "Latino" refers to individuals originating from Latin America, regardless of the language spoken. This encompasses countries like Brazil (where they speak Portuguese) and various parts of Latin America where native pre-colonial languages are still spoken and it excludes Spain. So, while a person from Spain would be Hispanic but not Latino, a Brazilian would be Latino but not Hispanic.
Celebrating and Understanding “Hispanic Heritage”
The OnePoll survey touched on another important subject: Hispanic Heritage Month. A whopping 66% of participants said they celebrate this cultural observance. An even larger percentage, 85%, believed it's pivotal for society to delve into Hispanic heritage. However, there's a thirst for knowledge too. Around 81% expressed a desire to learn more about Hispanic/Latino culture, and 84% felt they should have been exposed to other cultures more during their childhood.
Shifting the lens to the Hispanic and Latino participants of the survey, some illuminating insights emerged. Over half (52%) felt that their non-Hispanic/non-Latino peers comprehended their culture “very well.” On the brighter side, 74% believed that their Hispanic/Latino culture received fair representation in mainstream society.
In the professional sphere, the respondents tended to work with other Latinos with 44% of respondents reporting that their workplaces were predominantly Hispanic/Latino, and 43% observing that individuals from their community filled most of the management or executive positions.
While strides are being made in understanding and appreciating the intricate differences and nuances within the Hispanic and Latino communities, there's more ground to cover. As America becomes even more diverse, and the Latino community stands as the second-largest racial group in the U.S., understanding these subtleties and acknowledging the diversity within the Latino community, which unequivocally includes Afro-Latinos, isn't just important; it's essential.
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