Have you ever gotten stuck at the race and ethnicity portion of a survey, exam, poll, etc.?As a recent Latinx graduate, I’ve been in a constant search for employment during this whole pandemic. From one job application to another I have found a common struggle when filling out my identification with Hispanic and Latinx being regarded as an ethnicity but not a racial identity. Over the past 3 decades, the Hispanic population in the United States has grown faster than any other racial or ethnic group. Currently, 17% of the US population identifies as Hispanic or Latinx and this group is projected to compose almost 30% of the nation’s population by 2060. This growth of Hispanic/Latinx populations has been met with identification struggles because of the complexity of multi racialism and the limited options available for identification in many surveys such as the census. It’s time for there to be expanded options of racial identities to encompass the bigger picture of diversity within the Hispanic and Latinx community. For now, I’m left having to choose “other” for racial identity because I don't see myself in any other of the options given. Choosing “other” always drives my mind into a million thoughts attempting to decipher the right identification of my race. The problem, I believe, lies within the multiracial components within the overall scheme of Latinx races such as my father who is Afro-Latinx while my mother is a white Latina. To my content, I found that I was not alone in this identity struggle. The same survey by PEW states that while only 6% of Hispanics and Latinxs identify as multiracial in census surveys when the options are expanded to further denominations (like Afro-Latinx, Afro-Caribbean, indigenous, etc) the numbers jump up to 34% of individuals identifying as a multiracial Hispanic or Latinx. Oftentimes, Hispanic and Latinx individuals are met with this problem because of the separation of Hispanic/Latinx ethnicity from the race. In 2010, upwards of 37% of Latinx individuals chose Hispanic/Latinx for their ethnicity while choosing “other” as their racial identity and writing their responses as Mexican, Hispanic, or Latin American. This identity is further emphasized when PEW conducted a National Survey of Latinxs which found that around 67% of Latinxs consider Hispanic/Latinx identity to fit both ethnic and racial parameters. However, the reality is that these census surveys deny acknowledging the multidimensional facets of how Latinxs and Hispanics view their identities. Clearly, there needs to be a change to expand the options and for this year’s census of 2020, there have been some changes made in the right direction. Currently, there is a category labeled “Hispanic or Latinx, or Spanish Origin” including all individuals that identify with one or more nationalities or ethnic groups originating in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central, and South America, and other Spanish cultures.
This change recognizes that there is a distinction in diversity between the Hispanic and Latinx communities. It provides an outlet for individuals of these communities to understand the importance of their background but it’s missing the further options within the race category. I’m happy with this step forward, however, I believe another step could be made. The additions of racial options such as afro-Latinx, afro-Caribbean, indigenous, mestizo, etc. would take it a step further by providing all individuals with more expansive options to identify themselves. Written by: Eduardo Abreu If you are interested in learning more about this topic feel free to check out these amazing resources: Resource: PEW Research Center Article “The Many Dimensions of Hispanic Racial Identity” 2020CENSUS.GOV “Questions Asked on the Form ‘Questions Asked: Hispanic Origin’”
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