Hispanic or Latino?

So, how should you refer to people from most of the countries throughout Latin America or Spain? Hispanics or Latinos? It depends on who you ask.

The origin of the word "Hispanic" is the Latin term Romans used when referring to Europe’s Iberian Peninsula – "Hispania" –made up of Spain and Portugal. Many people I know balk at being identified as Hispanic, noting that Spain colonized their family’s country of origin and they in no way want to show acceptance or even tolerance of that historical fact.

The National Council of La Raza website notes: "the terms 'Hispanic' and 'Latino' are used interchangeably by the U.S. Census Bureau to refer to persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central and South American, Dominican, Spanish, and other Hispanic descent; they may be of any race. Some segments of the population also use the term 'La Raza' which has its origins in early 20th century Latin American literature and translates into English most closely as 'the people,' or, according to some scholars, 'the Hispanic people of the New World.' Mexican scholar José Vasconcelos coined the term to reflect the fact that the people of Latin America are a mixture of many of the world's races, cultures, and religions." (Click here to learn more about Vasconcelos.)

The NCLR web site goes on to explain how "some people have mistranslated 'La Raza' to mean 'The Race,' implying that it is a term meant to exclude others. In fact, the full term coined by Vasconcelos, 'La Raza Cósmica,' meaning the 'cosmic people,' was developed to reflect not purity but the mixture inherent in the Hispanic people. This is an inclusive concept, meaning that Hispanics share with all other peoples of the world a common heritage and destiny."

But Carlos Hernandez-Chavez, a friend of mine born and raised in Mexico and now a U.S. citizen, reminded me, whatever the reference you use – Hispanic or Latino - our cultures, regardless of one’s opinion of Spanish colonialism, has a strong European influence from Spain. "What’s this ‘Latino’ thing about?" he asked. "Not all Spanish-speaking people are Latin American. And not all Latin-based languages are Spanish. Calling myself a Latino makes no sense to me." Latin-based (or Romance) languages include French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Romanian. If forced to choose between the two, Carlos opts for "Hispanic." After a few moments, he added, "if you really want to be accurate, call me what I am – Mexican."

According to a 2002 survey by the Pew Hispanic Center and the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 53 percent of Hispanics had no preference between "Hispanic" and "Latino." Among the 47 percent with a preference, 34 percent preferred "Hispanic" to "Latino" (13 percent). That same survey also provides a good lead on what to do when faced with the challenge of not knowing whether to refer to someone as Hispanic or Latino - 88 percent of "Hispanics" prefer to identify themselves by national origin rather than either of the two more generic references. It seems to me that the more we generalize ethnic references, the more likely we are to slip into stereotypes. No, we don’t all eat tacos.

Everyday Democracy created a dialogue guide about immigration for communities that want to address this hot button issue. Conversations are designed to help participants consider that Hispanics or Latinos are but one cluster of ethnicities that make up U.S. immigrants. Click here to read about communities who have addressed their immigration issues through dialogue aimed toward taking action and here to download a free copy of our immigration discussion guide.

Gloria Francesca Mengual is a program director for Everyday Democracy. She is of Puerto Rican and Spanish descent and because she identifies more strongly with her Puerto Rican heritage, prefers Puerto Rican. If the choices are limited to Hispanic or Latino, Hispanic feels more accurate to her.

Comments

[Julie Fanselow]

Gloria, thanks for this fascinating post and for your first contribution to DemocracySpace. I had no idea about the background of the term La Raza nor the work of José Vasconcelos.

I do like your idea of trying, when possible, to be as precise as we can when describing people's origins and heritage. Of course, that gets difficult when we need to refer to a large group of people in the aggregate.

But even then, it sounds like it'd be worth asking individuals for their preference and trying to abide by that when referring to them specifically (in writing stories, for example, or singling out people in our organizing efforts).

[Molly Barrett]

Gloria, this is a great article. Thank you for this thoughtful lesson in history and culture, and for reminding us how important (and confusing) language is.

Maybe, when we don't know what words to use, the best thing to do is ask.
Molly

[Nancy Thomas]

Thanks so much for posting this, Gloria. These terms are challenging!

I've heard concerns over “people of color,” and I agree it's a difficult phrase. But it's used a lot. "Minority" is another commonly used and problematic term.

Some people prefer Black, and sometimes it is capitalized and sometimes not. Several Jamaican Americans have expressed frustration to me about being tossed into the category of African American.

My grandmother was Scottish, but her ancestors moved to Ireland for a while (two generations), changed the spelling of their last name (MacCrossen to McCrossen), and then moved to the US. They always referred to themselves as Scottish Americans.

I agree with Molly that it’s best to ask, but that isn't always possible.

[Carrie Boron]

Thanks so much, Gloria, for this insightful post! I often feel uncomfortable referring to someone in generic terms--African American, Hispanic, Latino, etc.--so this post encourages me not to guess or assume someone's heritage, but to simply ask them.
Carrie

[Anthony Butler]

This is a beautiful example E3 in action Gloria. You educated all of us on the importance of being compassionate and considerate when choosing language to define others. You encouraged us to find ways to handle this situation differently so that we are now empowered to be better stewards. Thank you for the sharing. I appreciate you.

[John Fenner]

Gloria,

Wonderful discussion about the impact of language and labels. I left our Learning Exchange with a question about Latino vs. Hispanic - you read my inquiring mind and provided a beautiful response.

John

[Amy Malick]

Thanks for this very interesting post, Gloria. I, too, have been puzzled by this issue. I moved here from Southwest Colorado, where, strangely, according to your history, people from Mexico and Central and South America were referrenced primarily as "Hispanic." Here in Connecticut, where Spanish-speaking people often are of Puerto Rican descent, I more often hear "Latino!" What your thoughtful piece shows me is that I may be the one making these assumptions, and I would do well to ask people what language they prefer.