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Well as an Italian-American myself, I've filled out forms asking me to check my background and there was a "caucasian" box and an "Italian-American" box. Many people "unofficially" do not consider us to be purely white. I think it's moreso with the Sicilians...
Location: Port Richmond, Staten Island, New York City, New York, 10302
317 posts, read 960,825 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by UpsonDowns
I rarely hear the term Latino in NYC and I live in what I would consider a heavily Latino area. Coming from CA, this is so odd to me. Even weirder is hearing Hispanics and Latinos still referred to regularly as Spanish.
Ehh, I say "spanish" alot to describe people, usually Puerto Ricans (just cause that's Staten Island's largest hispanic group) but also Dominicans, Columbians and so on. In fact, I use it 9 out of 10 times only if I can't confidently describe a specific person as being Puerto Rican or Dominican or otherwise. If I can then that person is "Puerto Rican" or "Columbian" or whatever. Oddly enough though, I never identify Mexicans as "spanish," nor does anybody I know. They're always just "Mexicans." I guess just because I can distinctly identify them as Mexicans most of the time. Because come to think of it, if I'm ever not sure I too call them "spanish."
The only time I use "Hispanic" really is to describe an area's demographics and I never use "latino." Ever. Idk why.
Speaking of California though, if you hear "hispanic" or "latino," are Mexicans the first group to pop into your mind? I always imagined they had to be in most parts of the country. But ever since I was young Puerto Ricans have been the go-to "hispanics" and "latinos" in my mind.
I'm not Latina, but I would find it so offensive if people called me Spanish. But I guess that is another discussion.
To answer your question about CA, in my experience, Latino definitely referred to anyone from Latin America. When I was growing up in northern California, Mexican-Americans were called Chicanos and very established. I'm sure there were new immigrants, but most I knew came from families who had been in CA forever. Our local council member was Mexican-American and culture was strong simply felt like part of the fabric of my city, something like how Italians are in NYC.
However, I think the university in our town was the first to have a Chicano Studies department and that may have made all of the difference. Also, coming from a smaller minority group may have colored my perception of who had power in my city.
When I moved to southern California for college, it was a different story. I met many more Latinos from all over. And Chicano for Mexican-Americans seemed to fall out of favor for the more political La Raza. Once again, this is colored because I was in college when many people who grew up assimilated decide that it is time to explore their cultural identity. Living in LA, I definitely got more of a sense of Guatemalans vs El Salvadorans vs Columbians and don't even get me started on the Cubans.
As a person of color, I appreciate when we are recognized for our individual cultures and not just lumped into being "Spanish" or "Asian." Just because I'm black, don't assume you know anything about me more than some of my ancestors came from Africa.
I'm not Latina, but I would find it so offensive if people called me Spanish. But I guess that is another discussion.
To answer your question about CA, in my experience, Latino definitely referred to anyone from Latin America. When I was growing up in northern California, Mexican-Americans were called Chicanos and very established. I'm sure there were new immigrants, but most I knew came from families who had been in CA forever. Our local council member was Mexican-American and culture was strong simply felt like part of the fabric of my city, something like how Italians are in NYC.
However, I think the university in our town was the first to have a Chicano Studies department and that may have made all of the difference. Also, coming from a smaller minority group may have colored my perception of who had power in my city.
When I moved to southern California for college, it was a different story. I met many more Latinos from all over. And Chicano for Mexican-Americans seemed to fall out of favor for the more political La Raza. Once again, this is colored because I was in college when many people who grew up assimilated decide that it is time to explore their cultural identity. Living in LA, I definitely got more of a sense of Guatemalans vs El Salvadorans vs Columbians and don't even get me started on the Cubans.
As a person of color, I appreciate when we are recognized for our individual cultures and not just lumped into being "Spanish" or "Asian." Just because I'm black, don't assume you know anything about me more than some of my ancestors came from Africa.
What countries are considered Latin America? Latin America is very broad. There are many Spanish Speakers in the islands.
Haitians are considered just that Haitians, or West Indian.
Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Mexicans, Columbians and anyone that comes from a Spanish speaking country is consider Latino or Hispanic.
I'm Dominican and I consider myself Dominican. Latino/Hispanic is a word that American mexicans made up. Ask anyone from P.R. or D.R. and they don't know what you are talkimg about.
I think Hispanic is the word America (US gov't) created to indentify people of Spanish origin. Puerto Ricans identify with this term, especially the older generations, because they have been using it for decades. Mexicans did not identify with their "Spanishness" and are more Latin American focused, so they created the term Latino and it has spread to everyone..however Hispanic is still very northeastern, while Mexican populated areas use Latino.
That's the problem. Just because people speak Spanish, it does not mean that they are of Spanish origin. There were people in the Americas before the Europeans colonized and calling someone Hispanic does not recognize the fact.
The Caribbean is not part of Latin America - different indigenous populations and different colonizers.
Overall this whole conversation points to the fact that "race" is a social construct. But we certainly do have regional and cultural differences.
Location: Port Richmond, Staten Island, New York City, New York, 10302
317 posts, read 960,825 times
Reputation: 166
Quote:
Originally Posted by UpsonDowns
I'm not Latina, but I would find it so offensive if people called me Spanish. But I guess that is another discussion.
To answer your question about CA, in my experience, Latino definitely referred to anyone from Latin America. When I was growing up in northern California, Mexican-Americans were called Chicanos and very established. I'm sure there were new immigrants, but most I knew came from families who had been in CA forever. Our local council member was Mexican-American and culture was strong simply felt like part of the fabric of my city, something like how Italians are in NYC.
However, I think the university in our town was the first to have a Chicano Studies department and that may have made all of the difference. Also, coming from a smaller minority group may have colored my perception of who had power in my city.
When I moved to southern California for college, it was a different story. I met many more Latinos from all over. And Chicano for Mexican-Americans seemed to fall out of favor for the more political La Raza. Once again, this is colored because I was in college when many people who grew up assimilated decide that it is time to explore their cultural identity. Living in LA, I definitely got more of a sense of Guatemalans vs El Salvadorans vs Columbians and don't even get me started on the Cubans.
As a person of color, I appreciate when we are recognized for our individual cultures and not just lumped into being "Spanish" or "Asian." Just because I'm black, don't assume you know anything about me more than some of my ancestors came from Africa.
Interesting.
You know, come to think of it, off the top of my head I can't pinpoint a time where I've ever heard a Hispanic identify themselves as "latino" or latina." In fact, I can't remember one calling themselves "Hispanic" either. It's either "Puerto Rican" (or whatever they are) or once in a while, "spanish." I never knew this was unique in any way. Learn something new every day.
Not to sound stereotypical (LOL) but here goes: the transplants who move here from the mid-west or south or wherever they are from! Again, it's an "unofficial" way of describing them. I guess most Italians don't look like that, although I have pale skin and blue eyes and dark hair! Go figure!
Please don't type in red, it's a mod color and it's confusing and annoying.
And what do you mean that Italians aren't white? Italian-American is not a race and I find it very very hard to believe that there was a box for that on a race survey.
I am a midwestern transplant and an Italian so I just contradicted your whole little hair brained theory. I would be VERY offended if someone told me I was not pure white because I was italian.
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