Why is latino not a race

Because Latino and Hispanic are U. Brazilians are Latino but not Hispanic. Spaniards are Hispanic but not Latino. Why is it important to be clear about our distinctions between race and ethnicity? Because in our efforts to prioritize racial diversity in our work and workplaces, we may end up accidentally using Hispanic or Latino as a racial category.

Not only would this represent a misunderstanding of how race and ethnicity intersect in different ways, but it could lead us to fall short of our stated goals around diversity, equity, and inclusion. In , the Census Bureau reported to the OMB that a test using a combined race and ethnicity question yielded a substantially increased use of OMB standard categories among Hispanic or Latino respondents, as well as higher rates of respondents identifying as Hispanic alone, instead of other categories, such as White.

But in January , the Trump administration announced that it would continue with the same dual question format as in the Census.

This issue is another in a long list of factors that could contribute to the misrepresentation of Latinxs in the Census. Racial and ethnic categories are social constructs, defined and designed by those who have historically held positions of influence. The policy implications of using inadequate methods to collect data on identity are not trivial.

Furthermore, it illustrates the importance of conducting ongoing research to keep identity categories up to date. The US is becoming increasingly diverse, a fact illustrated through the self-identities of authors Jorge and Rob—from first and third generations of Mexican immigrants, respectively. Jorge is Mexican; Rob is Chicano. But both of us are Latinx. October 15, The Merriam Webster dictionary defines the word "race" as a "category of humankind that shares certain distinctive physical traits.

We are so different, and that's the problem too. We are so many countries. Hispanic refers to those who are from a Spanish-speaking country, but Latino or Latina includes people from countries in Latin America who may speak Spanish, Portuguese or other indigenous languages.

Often the two terms are mistakenly used interchangeably. Salinas studies and researches social change on race and ethnicity. He said the issue is complicated by the fact that the words "Hispanic" and "Latino" identify ethnicity and not race.

I think that's where we struggle, many of us, is where do we fit in?