hispanic cultural identity essay

Being Latina and the struggle of the dualities of two worlds

Reflections on why our identities can help create a better world for all of us.

A few days ago, I attended a Zoom presentation organized by ASUN entitled “What does it mean to be Latinx?” Every time I witness the complexity of identities in the Latinx community in the United States, I am amazed. Amazed that we are always perceived as a homogenous group, when in reality, we couldn’t come from more different backgrounds, and we couldn’t have more different and complex identities. Also, the challenges we face are as different as each of our stories. So, in the spirit of Hispanic Heritage Month, please indulge me in letting me tell you my story.

There is a well-known character in Mexican history that invokes both love and condemnation from most Mexicans. Her name was Malintzin but history knows her as La Malinche . Her story is similar to that of U.S.A.’s Pocahontas ; the beautiful indigenous woman who abandons her tribe to help the white man. (The legends omit how she became the property of such White men, but that’s another story). 

La Malinche was a Nahúatl woman who was given to Hernán Cortés as a slave. Due to her upperclass education, she spoke two languages, an ability that made her very useful to Hernán Cortés in communicating with the indigenous people as he went about conquering Mexico. On one hand, she was intelligent and, clearly, resilient. But on the other hand, she helped Cortés begin the Spanish colonization of the Nuevo Mundo. This duality is what gives her such a complex identity. And this duality is one that follows me.

When I was in high school, several of my classmates would sometimes call me Malinchista . As you can imagine, that was NOT a compliment. By definition, a Malinchista is “a person who denies her own cultural heritage by preferring foreign cultural expressions” (I’m not making it up; look it up).

In my early teens, I discovered American football. While switching channels on the television, I stumbled across a game being played in several feet of snow. I had never seen this! The game was being played in Minnesota. That year, the Dallas Cowboys won the Super Bowl, and I became a die-hard fan of Roger Staubach and “America’s Team.” This marked the initiation of my love for all things American. I learned about Formula 1, Sports Illustrated and Tiger Beat. Yes, Tiger Beat introduced me to the American darlings of my generation. My bedroom walls were covered with pictures of American teen idols I had never seen before in my life (in the 1970s, Mexican TV programming didn’t broadcast many American TV shows; I only remember Dallas and The Partridge Family , which of course, I loved).

I also loved English-language songs. I used to spend my money buying cancioneros , books similar in format and quality to comic books, for people who were learning to play the guitar. The cancioneros had the lyrics of the songs along with the music notes. I literally used these cancioneros to practice my English. I would translate each word of the songs, and then I would play the records over and over until I memorized the lyrics and could actually follow the singer pronouncing the words. Do you know how hard it is to sing at full speed: “Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall?”

By the time I was in college, I had already spent time in the city of Dallas (and yes, I made the pilgrimage to Irving, Texas and the Cowboys’ stadium) – and perfected my English. I started studying English when I entered first grade. By middle school, my parents were paying a private tutor. In Mexico, English was accepted as the lingua franca needed to succeed in the world, and my parents were going to make sure I learned it. (My dad had taught himself English, and he shared my enthusiasm for English language magazines, although not for the Dallas Cowboys.) Learning a second language allowed me to learn about, navigate and integrate into a different culture. And, unlike La Malinche , I did this of my own volition.

When I made the decision to come to the United States to study, my father told me, “If you ever decide this is not for you or things don’t work out, come back home.” But I was not turning back. In my mind, America was the best place in the whole world (my small world, at least). I had spent a semester in an exchange program at the University of Oklahoma, and I knew back then I belonged in the United States. One of the things that caught my attention early on was the fact that people could wear their pajamas to class (I know you’ve seen it), and nobody blinked an eye. One could wear her hair in blue spikes or wear slippers to the grocery store, and no one would say a thing. To me, that was amazing! People didn’t bother you, judge you or care what you wore. I felt America was the place where not only public services worked, but where you could be yourself and you could be free to be whomever you wanted to be. There was a sense of freedom that was refreshing.

However, for a long time I felt like I didn’t belong here, and I didn’t belong in Mexico, either. Navigating two worlds was not precisely difficult  but sometimes unsettling . You spend your time “live switching” from English to Spanish to Spanglish and back again. You mix Cholula with Five Guys hamburgers. You watch American soccer but listen to the Mexican commentators (otherwise it’s like listening to golf announcers). And you truly think Mexican soccer fans are like the old Oakland Raiders fans, only worse. Women in Mexico are as rabid fans as many men, but, at least back in my day (I feel ancient now), you didn’t see many women go to the stadiums. As a woman, I never felt safe. I only went to a match if my male friends went with me. This is one of the most striking differences between the U.S. and Mexico: American soccer fans are so mild-mannered in comparison!

Another striking difference I noticed when I first came to the U.S. was that I was not getting cat calls out when I was out walking in the streets. In Mexico, everywhere I went (since I was a preteen, for goodness’ sake), I would be subjected to cat calls and whistles – and the harassment only got worse the older I got. My experience as a woman was of always being on high alert. But when I came to the U.S., I felt respected. I could exist without being harassed continually. Women here seemed to have a voice and the same opportunities as men to grow and pursue their dreams. I felt free to pursue a career and to not be expected to only dream of marrying and having children. Although, over the years, I’ve come to realize there still is much room for improvement.

Back in the 1500s La Malinche did what she could to survive (did I say historians think she died before she was 30?). History asked her to do a task she didn’t want, and she did her best. I am sure she considered her options and bought time, respect and the right to live in the best way she could. She used her skills to earn a place in history, and although her role continues to be debated, I cannot blame her. Did I turn my back on my country? Or did I look for a better life? My circle of Latina friends in the U.S. is full of intelligent, professional women who left their countries and built a better life ­– a different life – here in the United States. They all miss their families, and they all support their biological families in many ways. What they can do from here, however, is more than they could have done had they stayed in their countries of origin.

Being Latina in America is both an honor and a challenge. We struggle with the dualities of our worlds. We struggle with the adjectives that define us. We are a complex mix of races, traditions and experiences. We care for our people, and we work tirelessly to do what must be done to help each other. The complexity of our identities can help us create a better world for all of us, a world where our differences are not viewed as a threat but as an asset. A world where we all thrive. ¡Sí, se puede!

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This blog post features a compilation of narratives from Duane Morris staff members in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

By Yolanda Arnavat-Parga

I was born in Cuba and came to the U.S. in the early 1960s along with my parents and grandparents who were born in Spain and Cuba. Being Hispanic to me means having the opportunity to live with extended family, celebrating everything with delicious food, and enjoying our culture and heritage. As a child, it meant speaking Spanish exclusively at home, honoring your parents/grandparents, embracing your family’s expectations and traditions and changing hats depending on where we were in order to fit in. Later on, it meant working hard to excel at school/work and espousing the right ethics to honor our family and trying to mitigate any erroneous preconceived ideas about Hispanics. Today, it means embracing the richness of our diverse customs, culture and heritage and being proud of the current and future contributions of all Hispanics.

By A. Venissa Fernandez

I was born in the Dominican Republic and emigrated to the United States when I was three years old. Thinking back, I had no idea how lucky I was to have parents that made the incredible sacrifice in choosing to immigrate to the U.S. coming here with very little knowledge of the culture, the rules, and even the language to raise two young children.

Being Dominican is part of my personality, interests, and tastes in life. My identity gave me a starting place, and a whole tribe of people to relate to. Coming from a big family also taught me about community, loyalty, and respect. These things are crucial to my character, and I directly attribute them to growing up in a big Dominican household. I learned at a very young age that we were different, our culture, humor, music, food, even our birthday parties were different than everyone else’s.

In New York, the Dominican culture thrives in neighborhoods like Washington Heights, where I grew up, which experienced an influx of Dominican immigrants in the 1960s. Today, as you walk through the neighborhood, you experience how rich our culture is from the Bachata and Merengue music playing out of any open apartment window or store front, to the no frills local eateries offering a taste of home, or even the famous corner store called “Bodega”, selling all the local and island favorites. Similar to what was displayed, thanks to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway musical “In the Heights”. While growing up in Washington Heights helped me appreciate my Dominican heritage, I am defined just as much, if not more so, by my life-long experiences as a New Yorker, a very special breed of person.

Hispanic Heritage Month grew out of National Hispanic Heritage Week, which President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law in 1968. In 1987, Representative Esteban Torres pushed for a month-long commemoration. He argued that supporters of his bill “want the American people to learn of our heritage. We want the public to know that we share a legacy with the rest of the country, a legacy that includes artists, writers, Olympic champions, and leaders in business, government, cinema, and science. [The month-long celebration] will allow our nation to properly observe and coordinate events and activities to celebrate Hispanic culture and achievement.” Torres’ bill did not pass, but a year later, a similar bill – proposed by Senator Paul Simon – did, with President Ronald Reagan signing it into law on August 17, 1988.

Unlike Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Hispanic Heritage Month begins mid-way through September. This is because September 15 and 16 mark the independence days of Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Mexico.

Hispanic Heritage Month, serves as a means for all members of the Latino community, to connect with their heritage showcasing the beauty of our culture, and different traditions of other Hispanic countries.

By Josephine F. Garcia

I reminisce on the times my Abuelo Santiago and Abuela Carmen would tell me stories while growing up. My Abuelo had established his own milk company in Cuba with hard work and dedication. It was one of his most gratifying accomplishments, and one he was forever proud of in his life. My Abuela raised three beautiful daughters and was a dedicated housewife. While listening to their history, it was evident how much they loved the Country they had left behind. These anecdotes of their life in Cuba demonstrated to me the values and principles I live by today.

As a first generation Cuban-American, I was blessed with the opportunity to live with my grandparents alongside my parents for many years. It is a Cuban tradition for the family to all live together. The characteristics that were instilled in my family and I reflect the lives of my grandparents in Cuba. They were and will eternally remain my foundation. My grandparents were the humblest people I have ever known. They lived a life of honesty, trust, loyalty and dedication to their family and work.

Being bi-lingual has given me an advantage in my personal and work life, as we live in a diverse America where there are so many people of other Latin cultures and who speak the Spanish language. I love everything about the Cuban culture, and I will always be proud of being Cuban. I will forever keep my Cuban heritage alive and I have also taught my children to continue the legacy.

By  Andrew J. Hanna

I am a Chicano. A Chicano is a chosen identity for people of Mexican descent born in the States. My mother, who was born in Mexico, made it her mission to ensure that her children were raised to understand both of the cultures in which they were born. Being born and raised bi-racially has allowed me to accept and understand people that are different than me. As a person of mixed race and cultures, it has enabled me to help others in finding opportunities that lay quietly waiting to be discovered. Most importantly, being bi-racial has allowed me to witness the beauty of people and their contributions to our society and world.

By Sofia Lowenberg

There’s a broad range for what it means to be Hispanic in the U.S. It applies to someone who’s fourth-generation American, or, in my case, to someone who’s second generation (though there is some debate what first and second generation means). My first language was Spanish. My mother, Maria, was born in Bogotá, Colombia and my father, Fernando, in Guatemala City, Guatemala— both came to the USA in the early 60’ as adults, met in New York, and married in 1974. Both my parents came here to live the American Dream and they are extremely proud of both my brother and me. A New Yorker, born and raised in Queens, NY, I am fortunate enough to have obtained an education in the world’s finest city.

My paternal grandparents were from Spain. As a gift for my mother’s 75 th birthday, my mother and I went on a tour through Spain. We both felt a connection to Seville and Salamanca and I loved the vibe in Barcelona and Costa del Sol.

The Hispanic experience is incredibly diverse, it’s not just one point of view or perspective. For me, Hispanic Heritage Month serves as a means for all members of the Hispanic community, no matter their background, to connect with their heritage. I am sharing with my husband and my son the rich Hispanic culture, including teaching them Spanish and my love of music and dancing.

By Francisco Maldonado

I was born and raised in Puerto Rico. We are a friendly, family-oriented people who enjoy a rich Spanish influence. Being Hispanic has played a huge role in defining who I am and how I view the world. Of utmost importance are our really close-knit families and frequent family gatherings along with the Hispanic traditions that have shaped my experiences growing up. What better binds the family than food. Traditions such as Noche Buena (Christmas Eve), Año Viejo (New Years’ Eve), Los Reyes Magos (Three Kings’ Day), Fiestas de las Calles San Sebastián, Fiestas Patronales, Quinceañeros (Sweet Fifteen) to name a few. Something that cannot be absent during these family gatherings is delicious traditional food.

The taste and aromas of places, families and our histories are anchored in our memories by the foods and traditions we enjoy. My best memories go way back with my mother in the kitchen and my sisters hanging around watching her cook our daily meals and listening to what transpired during the day. The love and joy with which she cooked for us daily and the preparation of our traditional feasts significantly impacted me. Cooking was such a predominant part of our daily life that I chose to get a degree in Culinary Arts many years after college. As a result of my culinary training along with my childhood experiences and spending time in the kitchen with my mother, I have been able to mix and adapt my cuisine and eating habits. I cherish the memories of cooking special recipes passed down by my grandmother, my mother, and my aunts; I like to share them now with my family and friends. Nothing is more flavorful and portrays my Hispanic heritage more than a Pernil con Arroz con Gandules (Roast Pork with Rice and Pigeon Peas) for our Christmas Eve parties or mom’s Arroz relleno con Pollo (Baked Chicken and Rice) for special occasions, or Bistec con Arroz con Habichuelas y Tostones (Beefsteak, Rice and Beans and Fried Plantains) , after work. I enjoy integrating these traditions in the different events I plan for the Miami and Boca Raton offices as it is fulfilling sharing and teaching others about them.

By Diane Martinez 

I am proud to be Mexican-American. I was born in East Los Angeles, a predominately Hispanic side of the city. My parents were both born in the United States but my grandparents were of Mexican, Native American and European descent.

My father and father-in-law were born in poverty in 1932.   They both proudly served this country at a time when there was little opportunity. That experience opened the door for them to have successful careers and to provide a better living for their families than they had ever known. My father in-law was one of sixteen children. He grew up with little but his parents taught their children about devotion to God. The children learned to dance with each other and to have a joy for living. My father spent his entire career working on the very first space shuttle and subsequent shuttles for space exploration until he retired. He says that growing up he never imagined being a part of something so extraordinary.

What does it mean to identify with my heritage? It means that I am part of a people who have persevered and worked hard to succeed and live the American dream. We have strong family ties and family pride. We have faith, loyalty and passion and apply those traits to everything we do personally and professionally. My relatives have worked the land, served this country, and fought for civil rights. We are a family of humble beginnings, yet every generation has worked hard to succeed

It doesn’t hurt that we also make great music and some of the world’s best food!

By Laura I. Medina

Being a bilingual Puerto Rican in America comes with both advantages as well as some unfortunate “disadvantages.” Growing up in a Puerto Rican household, there is a dynamic culture such as amazing Spanish food, salsa dancing and telenovelas I grew up watching with my mom and my abuela (grandmother) just to name a few. My family stressed the importance of working hard every day, doing well in school so that I can get a scholarship to go to college (we didn’t have the money to pay for it), and I also found playing soccer to be an outlet. All of these things were vital to my success in America is what I taught.

Hispanics are the largest minority in the United States and only growing. Being fluent in reading and writing another language should come as a competitive advantage especially in the workforce. However, I quickly learned that this isn’t always the case as those same traditions I had embraced weren’t always embraced outside of home. As a child I remember struggling with balancing sticking with my culture and traditions, but at the same time trying not to show my roots to the world outside too much due to my experiences with prejudice. My brother, sister, and I only spoke only Spanish in the household then switched to English when we went to school.

As I got older, I learned that this carries over to the workforce and that it wasn’t just me. Hispanics suppress parts of their personas at work such as appearance and communication style to better fit in with the mainstream. I found myself doing the same to try to “make it” or get ahead. I was hiding the very things that make me who I am. Today I know that a large part of my success and drive comes from the morals and values from my Hispanic culture driven to me at a young age. It is my identity. If we instead embrace our differences and utilize them, we can actually be more competitive in a global market rather than trying to fit in to the one that currently exists

Latino History and Culture

Learn more about Latino History and Culture

As part of the largest ethnic group in the United States, Latinas and Latinos have significantly contributed to the nation’s identity and have played a vital role in shaping American culture. The Latino population in the United States has grown to over 60 million today, leaving a big impact on its democracy, economy, and culture.

The Latino culture is extremely diverse, and there is no singular Latino experience.  Explore Latino foodways, art, and music, and learn about the rich history of Latinos, from pre columbian times to today.

Hispanic Heritage Month is a month-long celebration of Hispanic and Latino history and culture from September 15 to October 15. During this month we give extra recognition to the many contributions made to the history and culture of the United States, including important advocacy work, vibrant art, popular and traditional foods, and much more.

Learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month (external link opens in a new tab)

For US Latinos, Identity Is Complex and Varied

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There is no single, all-encompassing term that fully captures what it means to be Latino in the United States

T he ways in which the nation’s sixty million Latinos (or Hispanics or Latinx) describe their identity varies widely across individuals, geographies, immigrant generations, ancestry, and much more. Yet the population is often referred to by a single, pan-ethnic term that implies it is a monolithic group. That masks much of the diversity that characterizes US Latinos.

What is a pan-ethnic term? Hispanic , Latino , and Latinx are currently the ones more commonly used by people living in the US who self-identify as part of this group. Each is intended to capture, under one umbrella, a diverse population. And each emerged at different times and with different purposes, reflecting then popular views of identity to describe Americans who trace their roots to Latin America or Spain. For example, Hispanic emerged as the most used term in the 1970s as civil rights leaders and government officials sought to count the population. Latino/Latina/Latina/o/Latin@ emerged in the 1990s as an alternative to Hispanic, notably as a term that did not come from the US government (even if Latino became an officially recognized term in the late 1990s). Both terms remain in wide use by researchers, journalists, government officials, and the public itself. More recently, a new pan-ethnic term has emerged: Latinx. It is a gender-neutral term and reflects the broader movement of inclusivity that has emerged in recent years in the US.

Despite ongoing debates about which term is better or even the right one to use, more than fifteen years of Pew Research Center Latino surveys show somewhat mixed preferences among the public when it comes to using or not using these pan-ethnic terms. For example, while most have used Hispanic or Latino at one point or another to describe themselves, half in 2018 told us they have no preference for either term. If one is preferred, it is Hispanic over Latino by a two-to-one margin, a pattern that has persisted for more than fifteen years of surveys of the US Hispanic adult population.

Instead, it is family country of origin that matters more than pan-ethnic terms. In 2015, we found that more than half said they most often described themselves by terms like Mexican or Cubana or Puerto Rican or Salvadoreño —i.e., the countries where their ancestors are from. This is more likely to be true among immigrant Hispanics (which makes sense given that is where they are from), but also is true among many US-born Hispanics. Even so, later US-born generations of Hispanics are more likely than immigrant Hispanics to say they most often call themselves American, highlighting changes underway within the Hispanic population as the US born drive the group’s population growth and make up a growing share of all Hispanics (just one-third are immigrants today).

There are many other dimensions to Latino identity. For example, in 2014, one-quarter of Latino adults told us they are Afro-Latino, with those of Dominican and Puerto Rican background making up a large part of the group. And one-quarter of Latino adults are of indigenous roots such as Native American, Mayan, Aymara, Quechua, or Taino. And at least 28 percent say they are mestizo, mestiza, mulatto, or mulatta.

Latinos look at their identity in other ways too. For example, what does it take to be considered Latino by others? In 2015, we asked whether one needs to speak Spanish to be considered Latino—three-quarters say no. What about having a Spanish surname? Eight-in-ten say no. Even among immigrants, majorities agree that one doesn’t need to speak Spanish or have a Spanish surname to be considered Latino in the US.

Looked at another way, do US Latinos see a common culture among themselves or a diverse one? In 2011, 70 percent said US Latinos have many different cultures while just a quarter said they share a common culture.

For some, identity is much more than just about their Hispanic background and that’s important to remember. Some may see themselves as Californians first or as part of Gen Z or as a Catholic first and foremost.

Looking ahead, big demographic trends are reshaping the nation’s Hispanic population. Immigration from Latin America, while up recently, is significantly below highs seen in the late 1990s and early 2000s. As a result, the foreign-born share among Hispanics is falling. At the same time, the group’s population growth rate is slowing as fertility rates fall. And finally, intermarriage rates remain higher for Hispanics than either whites or blacks (Asians intermarry at a higher rate, though)—since at least 1980, one-quarter of Hispanic newlyweds marry a non-Hispanic. In the US today, the single most common intermarried couples are ones where a Hispanic spouse is married to a white spouse accounting for 43 percent of the total.

All these changes may have implications for how the group sees its identity in the future, or if they even identify as Latino. And just as terms have evolved over the decades, it remains to be seen what terms future Latinos will use to describe themselves and their identity.

Mark Hugo Lopez is the director of global migration and demography research at the Pew Research Center.

Connect with him on LinkedIn.

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Can You Lose A Language You Never Knew?

Kevin Garcia

Olvera Street, a historic Mexican marketplace in downtown Los Angeles. 1935. Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images hide caption

Olvera Street, a historic Mexican marketplace in downtown Los Angeles. 1935.

I grew up a monolingual Mexican-American by accident.

My father was often away for weeks at a time, driving 18-wheeler trucks importing and exporting goods throughout the Southwest. My mother worked an office job, and had to juggle her career, finishing her degree and raising two young children. With both parents working full time, this left my brother and me in a bit of a free-fall.

But when I was around four, help arrived. My aunt Nena moved from Mexico to the U.S. — the plan was for her to live with our family and take care of my brother and me while settling into life in Los Angeles.

At the time, it seemed like a wonderful idea. My aunt would help with childcare while teaching us Spanish. What no one anticipated was her own eagerness to learn English, essential for her transition to the U.S. And who better to learn from than two native English speakers?

This resulted, much to everyone's chagrin, in two stubbornly Anglophone children. I can't speak Spanish. It's a simple fact that fills me with shame.

Will Spanish Thrive Or Decline In The U.S.?

What I didn't know at the time was that my situation reflects a question in the broader Latinx community: Just how important is knowing how to speak Spanish, anyway?

The answer, even among the Latinx community, is complicated. A Pew Research Center study from October of 2017, found that "while the number of Latinos who speak Spanish at home continues to increase due to the overall growth of the Latino population, the share of Latinos who speak the language has declined over the past decade."

In other words: While the population is growing, a smaller percentage of us are speaking the language. In 2006, 78 percent of Latinxs spoke Spanish at home. By 2015, that number had dropped to 73 percent.

I'm part of that decline. Living in a city with nearly 5 million Latinxs provided me with countless opportunities to engage my culture. I have fond childhood memories of outings to Olvera Street , weekly trips to the local panadería , and dance lessons in ballet folklórico .

I'm proud of my culture. But despite all this, I struggle with my Mexican identity.

Growing up, I was told that understanding the language of the home country was of the utmost importance. Sometimes this message was subtle: Spanish-speaking strangers who, after trying and failing to interact with me, would let out a pointed "¿No habla español? "

Latinx: The Ungendering of the Spanish Language

Other times, it was more explicit — the gentle (and not-so-gentle) teasing from family and friends for mixing up ser and estar ; the uncomfortable silence that fell between my cousins and me, neither of us able to communicate during my family's trips to Mexico.

This disconnect between language and culture is all too common for Latinx Americans. According to Pew , 71 percent of self-identified Hispanic adults said that you don't need to speak Spanish to be considered Latinx. At the same time, nearly 90 percent say that it's important for future generations of Latinx Americans to speak Spanish.

Language is central to just about every cultural identity. And language, particularly for Hispanics, transcends national borders. We have a word for this: Latinidad . It's an understanding that Latin American communities are varied and complex, but connected by a shared language.

For me, this understanding played out on a personal level. In school, my friends were Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican and Salvadoran. We didn't necessarily share a common experience. But Spanish was supposed to be a way we could understand one another despite our different backgrounds.

This perceived understanding explains the warmth and affection I receive from Hispanic strangers I meet in public. It also accounts for their visible disappointment when I reveal the extent of my American assimilation. Growing up, it didn't matter to my friends or to strangers that I could make tamales or sing my heart out to Selena's Como La Flor (albeit with a bit of stumbling through the lyrics).

In the view of many of my Hispanic compatriots, I wasn't Mexican-American. I was just American.

Mark Hugo Lopez is the Director of Hispanic Research at Pew . He's the researcher who found that a declining proportion of Latinxs speak Spanish. Lopez says that when he talks to Latinxs about how they identify, language often becomes the focal point.

"A lot of Latinos will say it's important that future generations of Hispanics in the U.S. speak Spanish," Lopez says. But, he adds, "the proof is in the pudding. How many of them actually do? ... There's a lot of tension here about what people want and what actually happens."

That tension exists for good reason. Language is so important because it's "how we experience the world," says Amelia Tseng. She's a professor of linguistics at Georgetown University, a research associate at the Smithsonian Institution and a scholar in residence at American University , where she studies multilingualism and identity. "We live our lives in language."

Tseng says that's part of why so many people, consciously or not, think of American identity and speaking English as inextricably linked.

How Latino Players Are Helping Major League Baseball Learn Spanish

And it's probably why I have such complicated feelings about being a Mexican-American who can't speak Spanish.

This feeling, called "language insecurity" in the academic community, is especially common among second-generation Latinxs in the U.S., according to Tseng.

"They kind of feel like they can never win," she explains. "They're just very aware that any moment they could be told, 'You're not doing it right,' and there's sort of a challenge to that part of their identity."

Despite this insecurity, Tseng stresses that growing up monolingual, like I did, isn't anyone's fault. For second- and third-generation Latinx Americans, retaining Spanish "isn't a question of how much you want to keep it. It's a question of how much opportunity you have to keep it."

Tseng says there are barriers to bilingualism that are often outside of our control: social pressure, stigmatization and discrimination.

Ultimately, Tseng adds, it's important for Latinxs to grapple with these sentiments openly. "It helps people understand themselves and where they come from better. And then they can also make more informed choices about what they want to do."

Some people may not want to learn Spanish. "That's OK," she says. "Let's celebrate all identities, and not just the ones we think are correct."

I'm not sure if I'll ever be comfortable with my relationship to Spanish. I mourn the loss of a language that I've been told all my life I have a some sort of claim over. But, can I lose something I never really had to begin with?

Whatever the answer may be, one thing is certain: I'll continue belting my heart out to Selena: "Yo sé perder, pero ay cómo me duele."

"I know how to lose, but, oh, how it hurts me."

Kevin Garcia is an intern on NPR's RAD team. You can follow him @keangarc .

What Does It Mean To Be A 'Nation Of Immigrants'?

• mexican american

Fostering Latino Cultural Self-Identity among Mexican American Adolescents

Antonio l. estrada 1* , ricardo jasso 2 , barbara d. estrada 3.

1 Department of Mexican American Studies, the University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA

2 Amistades Inc., Tucson, Arizona, USA

3 Impact Consultants, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, USA

* Corresponding author: Antonio L. Estrada, Department of Mexican American Studies, the University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Received Date: 04 December, 2022

Accepted Date: 13 December, 2022

Published Date: 16 December, 2022

Citation: Estrada AL, Jasso R, Estrada BD (2022) Fostering Latino Cultural Self-Identity among Mexican American Adolescents. Adv Prev Med Health Care 5: 1036. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29011/2688-996X.001036

The goal of El Renacimiento is to increase Latino cultural self-identity among Mexican American adolescents in order to reduce the negative effects of acculturative stress. The curriculum, El Renaciemiento, was implemented after school hours in predominantly Mexican American middle and high schools in a U.S.-Mexico border community. Two-hundred and seventeen (217) Mexican American males and females ages 12-21 participated in the curriculum. The evaluation of the curriculum uses a pre-test post-test design to assess positive changes in Latino cultural self-identity. Self-administered pre-curriculum measures included acculturation level, acculturative stress, and Latino cultural self-identity. Measures were available in English and Spanish depending on the preference of the participant. One moth post-curriculum participants’ repeated the Latino cultural selfidentity measure. The primary outcome measure was change in Latino cultural self-identity among Mexican American males and females who participated in El Renacimiento. Prior to the curriculum, students’ acculturation level was negatively correlated with acculturative stress (r=-.228, p<.005). Mexican American females reported a more “Mexican-Bicultural” cultural orientation than Mexican American males, though not significantly so (p<.10). Those adolescents 14 years of age and younger reported a “Very Mexican” cultural orientation compared to those adolescents 15-17 and 18 and older who tended to report a more “Mexican-Bicultural” cultural orientation (p<.05). At Post-curriculum, Mexican American adolescents showed a statistically significant increase in Latino cultural self-identity (p<.01). Fostering Latino cultural self-identification among Mexican American adolescents is an important social and cognitive process that has the potential of decreasing acculturative stress and its negative health consequences.

Keywords: Ethnic identity; Acculturation; Acculturative stress; Adolescents; Mexican Americans; Latinos

Introduction

Negative perceptions, opinions and discriminatory practices toward immigrant and non-immigrant Latinos have long been part of the socio-historical reality in the American Southwest [1]. Historical documents and research findings convincingly demonstrate the insidious nature of discrimination and prejudice experienced by Mexican Americans over the past 170 years [2,3].

When do Latino adolescents begin to experience and internalize racist attitudes and discriminatory practices from others? Bernal and colleagues [4] have shown that beginning early in a Mexican American child’s life, feelings of difference and inferiority are transmitted by the dominant non-Latino society via social institutions like schools or government organizations, and policies like those enacted by Arizona to suppress Latino historical and cultural knowledge [5]. Likewise, during the Trump administration, anti-Mexican sentiment resulted in immigrant child removal and detention, sometimes including American citizens [6]. Mexican and Mexican American adolescents thus internalize negative perceptions about their ethnicity from the dominant society, which can lead to negative health and mental health outcomes. Several studies have documented the effects of family separation and/or detention in Mexican American families and neighborhoods, and are considered Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) [7-10].

Ethnic and Cultural Identity among Latino Adolescents

Research literature cites both positive and negative psychological effects of ethnic and cultural identity [4,11]. Ethnic identity can have a positive impact on the effects of acculturative stress and symptoms of depression. Lower levels of ethnic identity or negative perceptions of one’s own ethnic identity are found to be associated with higher levels of anxiety, higher rates of depression, and higher rates of acculturative stress [12]. Alternatively, high levels of ethnic identity are found to increase acculturative stress as proposed by Berry [13] and others. Findings of a “buffering effect” of ethnic or cultural identity, moderating the effects of acculturative stress on negative psychological and physical health outcomes are documented in the literature as well [14,15].

Studies have found that a positive self-concept is negatively associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety as reported among Latino adolescents [16]. Further, having positive selfesteem is negatively associated with initiation and continuation of substance abuse and HIV risk behaviors [17,18]. Other studies demonstrate that positive self-esteem is positively correlated with measures of resiliency [12]. Resiliency is a positive psychological trait that enhances a person’s ability to cope in stressful situations [19]. Increasing resiliency and reducing the effects of acculturative stress among Latino adolescents are important in order to build self-esteem and other protective factors and to reduce risk factors for a number of health-associated risks [20].

Acculturation and Acculturative Stress among Latino Adolescents

Acculturation theory is based on the hypothesis that people from cultures outside of the U.S. adapt or “acculturate” to U.S. mainstream societal values, norms, beliefs and ways of behaving or interacting with others [13,21]. The process of acculturation involves interactions with familial, social and cultural institutions that either facilitate or hinder adoption of mainstream cultural values, beliefs and behaviors. It is well documented that acculturation varies with age, length of time in the U.S., generation status, and immigration status. Acculturation to mainstream values, beliefs and behaviors occurs faster among youth than for adults, generating intergenerational conflict in Latino families [22]. Additionally, Latinos who have resided in the U.S. for two or more generations tend to be more acculturated than newly arrived immigrants [13]. The acculturation process itself, though not necessarily stressful, has been viewed as stressful in some situations and has been linked to negative psychological and physical health outcomes among Latinos [23].

Acculturative stress, the negative stress reactions of Mexicans when acculturating to the U.S. mainstream culture, has been the focus of many studies on Mexican Americans and other Latino subgroups [24,25]. Acculturative stress among Mexican American adolescents is associated with engaging in a number of risk behaviors including initiation of substance abuse, early sexual behavior, HIV risk behaviors, and psychological symptoms of depression and anxiety [26].

The linkage between ethnic or cultural identity, acculturation, and acculturative stress is explicit. Models of Latino youth development include appraisals of discrimination, racism and ethnic identity that lead to perceptions of acculturative stress. Several acculturative stress models are documented in the literature Caplan [27] . Caplan (p.96) provides a useful framework for conceptualizing the interdimensionality of acculturative stress that includes instrumental/ environmental (e.g., language barriers, unsafe neighborhoods), social/interpersonal (e.g., loss of familial and friendship networks, intergenerational conflicts) and societal (e.g., discrimination, racism, historical trauma). Taken together, these dimensions shape the context of experiencing acculturative stress.

Even though there are over two-dozen documented acculturation measures [28], there are fewer valid and reliable measures of acculturative stress with Mexican American adults and adolescents in the research literature [29]. Acculturative stress measures often include items related to perceptions of discrimination and racism experienced by Latinos. Acculturative stress measures have also been adapted and utilized among Latino adolescents [29,30].

Few studies have reported interventions designed to overcome the effects of acculturative stress among Mexican American adolescents through an intervention or curricula designed to strengthen cultural resiliency [31]. Cultural resiliency is the positive identification with cultural strengths such as values, beliefs, and traditional ways of knowing that have a positive influence on a person’s ethnic self-identify and self-esteem [12,14,32].

The Current Study

This study is a preliminary evaluation of a community-based Latino-focused cultural curriculum designed to enhance Latino cultural resiliency and reduce acculturative stress among Mexican American adolescents in a southwestern border community.

Amistades, Inc., a Latino non-profit community-based organization, developed and implemented El Renacimiento (the Renaissance) curricula. Amistades, Inc. developed the curricula to include the concept of cultural healing in addressing the heightened levels of cultural trauma experienced by Mexican American adolescents and transition age youth in US-Mexico border communities, resulting in unhealthy assimilation as opposed to healthy acculturation. The goal of the curriculum is to empower Latino youth through a positive connection to their cultural and historical roots. To accomplish this goal, the eleven (11) week Renacimiento curriculum introduces the importance of heritage, history, and identity for Mexican American adolescents and transition age youth ages 12 to 21. The examination of indigenous (Indio-Latino) concepts, language and current issues that youth may find relevant to their lives and situations, allows for an openness to exploring one’s own identity, awakening thoughts through empowerment, and encouraging voice. Guided by a trained instructor, Mexican American participants explore their heritage and create a positive Latino cultural self-identity by perceiving themselves within a socio-historical context and from an indigenous (Mestizo) perspective. The instructor uses storytelling to discuss current issues relevant to the lives and situations of participants. The instructor address participant’s cultural conflicts, health and wellness, self-sufficiency issues, and educational readiness skills, all within the positive context of their rich culture (please contact the authors for a complete description of the curriculum).

The study recruited Mexican American adolescents from several public and charter middle and high schools in a predominantly Mexican American community in the American southwest. Recruitment began in August 2019 and continued through April 2020, when schools closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Two-hundred and seventeen (217) Mexican American adolescents participated in the eleven-week El Renacimiento curriculum. Before the curriculum participants completed the Hispanic Stress Inventory for Youth [29], the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican American Youth [33] and a Latino Cultural Self-Assessment developed by Amistades, Inc. One-month postcurriculum, participants completed the Latino Cultural SelfIdentify assessment again. One-hundred eighty-two (182) of the 217 participants completed both pre and post-curriculum assessments. All instruments were self-administered and available in English or Spanish depending on the preference of the participant.

The data analysis plan consisted of performing cross tabulations for categorical coded variables, one-way analysis of variance for categorical independent variables with a continuous dependent variable, and correlations among variables. Chi-Square analyses, with Bonferroni Post-Hoc Tests, was used to assess statistical analysis at p<.05. All data analyses were performed using SPSS Version 26. As noted previously, the present study used several cultural measures to assess acculturative stress, cultural self-identity and acculturation level among Latino adolescents. All measures have high levels of internal consistency as measured by Cronbach’s Alpha.

• The Hispanic Stress Inventory for Youth – Modified [30] measured acculturative stress with higher scores indicating more acculturative stress (alpha =.843).
• The Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican American Youth – Modified [33] measured acculturation, with higher scores indicating higher acculturation to the Anglo dominant culture (alpha =.875).
• A Latino Cultural Self-Identity assessment for Latino Youth measured cultural self-identity with higher scores indicating a more positive Latino cultural identification. (alpha Pre = .929, Post = .943)

Sample Characteristics

The age range for the sample of Latino adolescents was 1021 years (M=15.00, SD =2.64). About forty-six percent of youth were 14 and younger, about one-third (32.7 percent) were between the ages of 15-17, and slightly over one-fifth (22 percent) were 18 and older. The majority of the sample was male (78 percent).

Table 1: Latino Cultural Measures Used in the Current Study.

As originally developed, the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican American Youth assesses the “type” of acculturation level by taking the total score on the acculturation scale and dividing it by the number of scale items [34]. The ratings are comprised of five (5) types: “Very Mexican,” “Mexican-Oriented Bicultural”, “True Bicultural”, “Anglo-Oriented Bicultural”, and “Very Anglicized.” In the present study, we categorized all participants using these five acculturation types. As seen in Table 2, the majority of the sample are “Very Mexican” and “Mexican-Oriented Bicultural”. About one-fifth are “True Bicultural”, and 12.5 percent are “Anglo-Oriented Bicultural” or “Very Anglicized.” However, due to only one participant falling into the “Very Anglicized” orientation category, the final acculturation rating scale had four types – “Very Mexican,” “Mexican-Oriented Bicultural,” “True Bicultural,” and “Anglo-Oriented/ Very anglicized.”

Table 2: Sample Characteristics of Study Population.

Gender differences showed that a higher percentage of Latino females than Latino males had a “Very Mexican” cultural orientation, though not significantly so (p<.10). A significantly higher percentage of Latino adolescents 15-17 years of age had a “Very Mexican” orientation than those Latino adolescents 14 years and younger (p<.05). Alternatively, a higher percentage of Latino adolescents 14 and younger, and 18 and older had a “Mexican-Bicultural” orientation. Controlling for age, we found that younger Latino males held a more “Mexican” orientation than Latino females did.

Table 3: Sample Demographic Characteristics by Acculturation Rating Scale Type.

Pearson moment correlation coefficients among the variables of interest are shown in Table 4. Latina females were significantly more likely to be older in age than Latino males (r=-.232, p<.001), and were more likely to have a more “Mexican” cultural orientation than Latino males (r=.165, p<.05). Acculturation level was negatively correlated with the acculturative stress (r=-.228, p<.01), indicating that those Mexican American adolescents who had a more “Mexican” cultural orientation reported higher levels of acculturative stress.

Table 4: Pearson Product Moment Correlations for Pre-Test Variables and Post-Latino Cultural Self-Identity.

Pre-Curriculum Results

The study used a one-group, pretest-posttest research design to evaluate differences in Latino Cultural Self-Identity before and after participating in El Renacimiento curriculum. One-tailed Paired T-Tests were used to examine pre-post curriculum differences on the Latino cultural self-identity assessment, with p<.05 set as the aprioi significance criterion.

The results showed that Latino adolescents who had a more “Mexican” cultural orientation were more likely to report higher acculturative stress levels as measured by the Hispanic Stress Inventory. The Acculturation Rating Scale was negatively correlated with the Hispanic Stress Inventory (r=-.258, p<.005), indicating that Mexican American adolescents who had a “Mexican” cultural orientation reported experiencing significantly more acculturative stress than other cultural typologies. The Hispanic Stress Inventory was not statistically associated with the Latino Cultural Self-identification measure at pre-curriculum. Statistically significant differences were found between acculturation level and age and gender of Latino adolescents, with older adolescents having higher acculturation levels, and Mexican American females having a more “Mexican” orientation than males (p<.05).

Post-Curriculum Results

Using one sample t-tests, a statistically significant finding emerged for improvement in the Latino Cultural Self-Identity assessment post curriculum (p<.001), with a mean increase of 2.1 points or a 15.3 percent increase in positive Latino cultural selfidentification. The results showed that Latino adolescents who participated in El Renacimiento curriculum were significantly more likely to report a more positive Latino cultural self-identification of themselves post-curriculum. Overall, El Renacimiento curriculum had a positive impact on Latino adolescents’ cultural self-identification. Post-curriculum results did not show significant mean pre-post differences between Latino females and males.

Multiple generations of Mexican Americans have experienced anti-Mexican sentiment through prejudice, discrimination and institutional violence [1,2]. Interrupting this cycle of psychosocial stress among Mexican American adolescents may be the first step in fostering cultural resiliency and reducing the negative effects of acculturative stress. A focus on enhancing multiple protective factors while also reducing multiple risk factors is the hallmark of much of the substance abuse prevention research targeting Latino youth and other groups [34]. Our results show that the enhancement of ethnic identity and cultural self-identification among Mexican American adolescents could potentially prevent or buffer the negative psychological and physiological effects of acculturative stress.

There are limitations of the present study, however, that we hope to resolve in future research. Participation in El Renacimiento was non-random. The majority of Latino adolescents either were referred by school personnel or were self-selected into the curriculum. Another limitation is that the sample of Latino adolescents in our study was comprised primarily of “MexicanOriented” or “Mexican-Oriented Bicultural” acculturation orientations. Given that the study was in the US-Mexico border region this finding may not be too surprising. The study also did not administer the Hispanic Stress Inventory post-curriculum, which would have assisted in understanding the effects of the curriculum in reducing acculturative stress. In addition, the study obtained limited sociodemographic information from participants (gender and age). A major limitation of the study is that the research design did not include a comparison group. One-sample pretest-posttest interventions without control or comparison groups calls into question the internal validity and reliability of the findings and their generalizability to other Latino subgroups [35].

Nevertheless, few published studies document the positive effects of Latino cultural curricula in enhancing Latino cultural strengths, including ethnic identity [15]. Findings from the present study, although preliminary, provides some evidence that strengthening Latino cultural identification through an immersive, Latino focused cultural curriculum may prove useful in fostering a positive cultural self-identification. In addition, our findings corroborate other findings in the literature on acculturation level and acculturative stress wherein lower acculturation levels are correlated with higher levels of acculturative stress, and vice-versa [12]. Further, we believe that the use of the categorical acculturation typology conveys more information on participants’ cultural orientation rather than simply “lower” or “higher” acculturation does. With this in mind, our approach suggests that research using more standard acculturation measures may not convey a more nuanced approach.

Taking the prevention of acculturative stress and intergenerational trauma one-step further, the current study documents an approach that increases Latino cultural selfidentification among Mexican American adolescents as a potential buffer against the negative effects of acculturative stress. Statistically significant findings post-curriculum with Latino cultural self-identification is another strength of the study and adds to the literature regarding evidence-based cultural curricula leading to positive changes in Latino adolescents’ cultural identification.

The increase in positive Latino cultural identification among Latino adolescents participating in El Renacimiento curriculum are encouraging. El Renacimiento has had a positive impact on increasing Mexican American males and females Latino cultural self-identity. After the curriculum, Latino adolescents were significantly more likely to have a more positive Latino cultural self-identity than before going through the curriculum.

Increasing cultural self-identification among Latino adolescents is an important social and cognitive process that has the potential of decreasing acculturative stress and its negative health consequences. More prevention and intervention programs are necessary that facilitates Latino adolescents’ reconnection to their culture and history. It is unfortunate that curricular policies in several southwestern states have essentially banned the teaching of Mexican American or Chicano Studies in K-12 education that otherwise could have a positive impact on Latino youths’ self-esteem and self-identity, and in turn reduce the effects of acculturative stress. El Renacimiento curriculum will continue its efforts in reducing the negative effects of acculturative stress and increase a positive sense of cultural pride, self-worth, and empowerment among Latino adolescents.

Acknowledgements

All procedures were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000. Informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the study. We would like to thank Ms. Anahi Valenzuela for her assistance in translation of measures and data management. We also want to thank the Latino adolescents who participated in El Renacimiento for their enthusiasm and contagious inspiration. We would also like to thank all of the schools involved for allowing the participation of their students and providing space. Finally, we would like to thank our funder for the project, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Forward Promise Empowerment Initiative (Grant ID #61732), for their vision in allowing us to explore Latino cultural strengths to help combat the effects of acculturative stress.

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Hispanic American Culture and its Impact in America Essay

Hispanic Americans population in USA has been increasing over the last few decades. Today, Hispanic Americans make up about 16 percent of United State’s population and are minority group in the country.

Their presence is felt in various sectors; from work places, business, entertainment, to politics (Cafferty & Engstrom, 2002). As the number of Hispanic Americans increases, their culture is slowly becoming part of American culture.

The term Hispanic is used to refer to a diverse ethnic group united by their use of Spanish language. However, Hispanic Americans originate from various Spanish speaking countries especially in Central and Latin America.

The cultural group share common values by their shared Spanish culture but differ slightly by their country of origin. Hispanic Americans is a highly cultured ethnic group. Hispanic Americans’ family values, language, rituals and religions, etiquette, and eating habits are unique to other ethnic and cultural groups in the country.

The culture of Hispanic Americans has attracted high attention in the recent years. Many of Hispanic Americans maintain their cultures because most are recent immigrants. Family values, etiquette and use of Spanish language are the most distinguishing elements of Hispanic American. Hispanic Americans have high value for their families.

Hispanic American family extends beyond nuclear family and family members relate closely (Clutter & Nieto, 2008). The family is considered as the most important social unit and each family member considers helping other family members as a social responsibility. Family ties are such tight that Hispanic Americans have a habit of visiting one another or even living with other family members.

Spanish language and assent is what is most associated with Hispanic Americans. Most Hispanic American use both English and Spanish but the old and recent immigrants have difficulty in using English. Spanish, however, is the common language that used in Hispanic Americans homes or when speaking to other Hispanic Americans. Apart from language, Hispanic American’s etiquette is unique.

Most Hispanic Americans tend to be formal. For instance, a firm handshake is the common practice for greeting though slight hug and a kill on the cheek can be used among close family members (Clutter & Nieto, 2008). Another cultural feature of Hispanic Americans is religion and rituals. Most of Hispanic Americans are Roman Catholics and religion takes a central place in their lives (Clutter & Nieto, 2008).

Religious rituals such as prayers, attending daily and Sunday mass and celebrating patron saints make part of Hispanic Americans culture. In addition, Hispanic Americans’ eating habit reflects their origin and culture.

Impact of Hispanic Americans culture in American is evident. The most obvious impact is increased usage of Spanish in United States. Today Spanish is used in most parts of the country where Hispanic Americans live or work. A part from spreading Spanish, Hispanic Americans have been successful in small scale business, entertainment, sports and politics and their significance is being respected.

For example, Hispanic American musicians such as Jennifer Lopez, Gloria Estefan and Julio Iglesias and baseball players such as Juan Marichal have been very successful.

In addition, Hispanic Americans interact with other cultural and ethnic groups in the country; in work places, schools, churches and other places and share culture. Consequently, Hispanic Americans culture is slowly being accepted and integrated in American cultures. Hispanic foods, music, dance, clothing are becoming common with other cultural groups.

Hispanic Americans are the most culturally influential minority cultural and ethnic group in United States today.

The Hispanic cultural heritage month (15th September to 15 th October) set aside by United States government, demonstrates the impact of Hispanic Americans in the country (Lamb & Johnson, 2008). The action by the government shows that cultural diversity is something to celebrate and invites all Americans to embrace cultural diversity.

Reference List

Clutter, A. & Nieto, R. (2008). Understanding the Hispanic Culture . Web.

Lamb, A. & Johnson, L. (2008). Latino – Hispanic Heritage . Web.

Cafferty, P. & Engstrom, D. (2002). Hispanics in the United States: an agenda for the twenty-first century . New York: Transaction Publishers.

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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Cultural Identity — I Am Proud of My Cultural Identity

I Am Proud of My Cultural Identity

• Categories: Cultural Identity

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Words: 1139 |

Updated: 7 November, 2023

Words: 1139 | Page: 1 | 6 min read

• Chen, K., Shao, A., Jin, Y., & Ng, A. (2020). I Am Proud of My National Identity and I Am superior to You: The Role of Nationalism in Knowledge and Misinformation. Available at SSRN 3758287. (https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3758287)
• Schwartz, S. J., Zamboanga, B. L., & Weisskirch, R. S. (2008). Broadening the study of the self: Integrating the study of personal identity and cultural identity. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 2(2), 635-651. (https://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2008.00077.x)
• Smolicz, J. (1981). Core values and cultural identity. Ethnic and racial studies, 4(1), 75-90. (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01419870.1981.9993325?journalCode=rers20)
• Hall, S., & Du Gay, P. (Eds.). (1996). Questions of cultural identity: SAGE Publications. Sage. (https://sk.sagepub.com/books/questions-of-cultural-identity)
• Lucy, S. (2007). Ethnic and cultural identities. In Archaeology of Identity (pp. 96-119). Routledge. (https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780203087572-10/ethnic-cultural-identities-sam-lucy)

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Young Latinos: Born in the U.S.A., carving their own identity

This report is part of #NBCGenerationLatino , focusing on young Hispanics and their contributions during Hispanic Heritage Month.

Jason Mero, 18, headed off to Brown University this fall proudly staking claim to his Latinx heritage, ever mindful that the sacrifices his immigrant parents made opened the doors of the Ivy League to him.

Born in Queens, New York, to parents who emigrated from Ecuador 30 years ago, Mero would ruminate with his family growing up about the challenges facing an American with Hispanic roots: how to deal with a more hostile environment against Latinos, and how to assert his U.S. citizenship, his birthright, while staying connected to his community.

"My family growing up wanted me to stick with my Hispanic roots, but also did not want me to show those roots to the world outside," Mero told NBC News. "They knew that being Hispanic-American isn't necessarily looked (upon) with a smile ... in this country. So they were doing that for my safety and to protect me. But even so, these conversations have shown me that I'm still proud of being Hispanic, even though it's being frowned upon by other people."

One million Hispanic-Americans will turn 18 this year and every year for at least the next two decades, said Mark Hugo López, director of global migration and demography research at the Pew Research Center. That stream of adolescent Latinos coming of age in the U.S. started a few years ago and is now gushing.

“This won’t be a passing wave," Lopez said, "but instead an ongoing process over the next 20 years as the young Latino population enters adulthood."

Although percentage-wise Asian Americans are the nation’s fastest-growing minority group, the Latino population will add more people each year to the U.S. than any other group for the next few decades, and their median age is younger than Asian Americans, according to Pew Research Center.

Most of these young Latinos have one thing in common — they were born in the United States.

Nine out of ten Latinos under 18 are U.S. born.

For those under 35, it's about eight in ten, according to new figures from Pew Research Center .

Over half of Latinos under 18 and roughly two-thirds of Latino millennials are second-generation Americans — born in the U.S. to least one immigrant parent.

“These young Latinos are U.S. born, going through U.S. schools,” Lopez said, “yet they grew up in Latino households, exposed to the culture of their parents’ home country — that is the distinguishing point. They have all the markers of being American, yet they are the children of immigrants.”

Navigating their parents' immigrant culture while being born and raised in the U.S. has shaped their views on identity and what it means to be an American — factors that are, in turn, shaping the nation’s adult workforce and electorate.

Juggling language, color, culture

Like other population waves throughout the country’s history, these young bicultural Americans are coming of age enmeshed in their Latino and American worlds and trying to carve out a place for themselves in both of them and between.

Berenize García, 16, of New York City, said her father, a Mexican immigrant, has pressured her to be “more American,” while her mother told her it’s disrespectful not to retain and speak Spanish to their Mexican relatives.

“That makes me feel confused, because how can I be Mexican when I’m pressured to be more American? How can I be American when I’m pressured to be more Mexican?” she said.

Her confusion is captured in a scene from the 1997 movie "Selena," in which actor Edward James Olmos, playing a father, tells his children how difficult it is to be Mexican-American and the nonacceptance that comes from both Mexico and the United States: "We have to be twice as perfect as everybody else."

These experiences with language and culture have imprinted themselves on García and have affected how she sees her future.

“I’m trying to, hopefully, one day become a doctor, and in that way empower my patients who have that language barrier, because my mom, who goes to the doctor constantly, can’t really express her pain because she doesn’t speak English,” García said. "Her pain is brushed off.”

While this younger generation of Latinos is more conversant in English than their immigrant parents’ generation, three-in-four young Hispanics say they use Spanish as well, according to Pew.

Toggling between two languages — and that it’s hard to be truly bilingual — is perhaps one of the most common threads growing up for these young Latinos.

“We’re stripped in a lot of cases of our Spanish tongue and our Spanish heritage and told it’s really important that you only speak English and you know how to speak English well because otherwise, you’re going to face hardship, which is in a lot of ways true because of the prejudice that this country holds,” said Alma Flores-Perez, 21, born and raised in Austin, Texas.

“But at the same time, I’ve really come to see the importance of speaking Spanish or at least trying to claim that as our own and not be ashamed when you do speak Spanish, but also not being ashamed if you weren’t taught it, because that wasn’t necessarily your choice,” Flores-Perez said. She thinks her bicultural upbringing is one of the reasons she’s majoring in linguistics at Stanford.

Even more of an impact than language, for many young Latinos, is how their skin color influences how they’re perceived, not only by other Americans but by other Hispanic Americans.

Flores-Perez, who is light-skinned, has been questioned when she identifies herself as Chicana.

"I’ve been called whitewashed,” said Flores-Perez, who said it hurt to not be considered Latina enough because of her light complexion. But she’s come to understand it’s not something she can control.

“I think I can do my best to project that identity and to make clear who I am and explain when people ask,” she said.

Christopher Robert, 18, of Brooklyn, whose mother is Dominican and father is Puerto Rican, said, “There are a lot of people in my family who have a dark skin tone, but still, like, insist that they’re part of a white Latino population."

Robert, who describes himself as Afro-Latino, added, “I choose to acknowledge it and accept it as part of who I am.”

Leyanis Díaz, 25, is an Afro-Latina blogger and entrepreneur based in Miami who was born in Cuba and came to the United States with her family when she was 3.

"I had people tell me they didn’t even know that there were black people in Cuba, which made me really feel ...,” she said pausing. “It gave me self-esteem issues, for the most part.”

That didn't stop her from entering, and winning, the Miss Black Florida USA pageant last year. “In all honesty, the way I’ve combated these stereotypes is by continuing to educate not only my friends, but the people that I encounter —educating them about Cuba, where I come from, teaching them more about my culture,” Díaz said.

Many young Latinos see themselves as in-between skin colors and races.

Jeanette Garzón Terreros, 18, a freshman at Columbia, said that when she's filled out certain forms, she has left blank the questions on race or ethnicity.

“I don’t identify as white, I don’t identify as black, I don’t identify as any of the things, and they don’t put an ‘other,’” she said. Garzón Terreros said she saw a picture of the part of Mexico that her parents are from, and the people looked part indigenous, part Spanish. “It’s like the mix between the two races.”

Experiences shape their outlook

Beyond issues of language and color, living amid their immigrant parents and their extended network has influenced how young Latinos see issues in the U.S. and beyond.

Some recounted, amid smiles, growing up as Latinos while not necessarily embracing their families' traditions. "I don't dance; salsa, nothing," said Christopher Robert. "I don't know how to cook Dominican food or anything."

More seriously, they spoke of the pressure their parents felt to help relatives in their home countries, despite not having much more money themselves.

They also spoke of having to explain their identity not just in their U.S. neighborhoods, but in their parents' home countries, to family members who questioned their accents or status based on their U.S. experience.

Here at home, U.S.-born young Latinos also grow up with the reality that depending on their family or friends' immigration status, they could one day be taken by immigration enforcement officers, held in detention for long periods and possibly deported.

With community if not familial ties to immigrants — including legal residents without documents and people with deportation deferrals — detentions and deportations or the fear of them are part of young Latinos' daily lives.

Flores-Perez said she was "really rocked" when President Donald Trump brought up trying to rescind the DACA program, Deferred Action for Child Arrivals, which allowed undocumented young people brought to the U.S. as children to remain in the country.

Latino A Chicano renaissance? A new Mexican-American generation embraces the term

Her best friend, from Honduras, was a DACA student. "I was terrified, and she was terrified because she’s been here since she was 2 years old. This country is all she knows,” said Flores-Perez.

A survey of millennials released in January found that 49 percent of millennial Latinos worried a lot that a family member or close friend could be deported, compared to 25 percent of Asian Americans and 21 percent of African-Americans. White millennials' experience was the polar opposite to Latinos: Fifty percent said they did not know anyone at risk of being deported.

Young adults under 35 are already the most diverse generation in U.S. history, according to Stella Rouse , a University of Maryland political scientist. The diversity has found its way into politics and policy making and is likely to give a distinct shape to how the country addresses major issues.

In her new book, “The Politics of Millennials" — written with Ashley D. Ross, an assistant professor at Texas A&M University — Rouse argues that millennials' diversity, combined with growing up amid the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Great Recession and the debate over immigration, “simply guides a lot of attitudes and policy preferences.” This includes their views on the economy, the role of government in providing opportunities and how to deal with a lack of access to health insurance.

Rouse sees the influence of diversity and upbringing in young Latinos’ attitudes toward climate change, for example.

The share of Latino millennials who believe climate change is occurring is about 49 percentage points higher than white millennials and 20 percentage points higher than African-Americans.

Young Latinos may be disproportionately affected by climate change considering where they live, how many of them or their families are employed in the agricultural industry and that they have relatives in other countries that have experienced climate-related issues, Rouse said.

Challenges and opportunities

As with every generation, a young person’s trajectory is eventually tied not only to their prosperity but to the country’s economic success. When looking at the nation’s Latino youth, there are challenges and there are opportunities, according to Pew Research’s López.

On the one hand, a record number of young Latinos, 3.6 million in 2016, are attending college, and their share is growing, according to Pew. Additionally, 67 percent of Latinos ages 25 and older had earned a high school degree.

Yet they lag behind other groups in pursing higher education. Just 17.2 percent of Hispanic adults have a bachelor's degree and 5 percent an advanced degree, compared to 38.1 percent and 14.3 percent of non-Hispanic whites, according to the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.

One of the biggest issues is college costs, complicated by the fact that Latino families, which generally started the Great Recession with less net worth than other ethnic groups, lost 66 percent of their household wealth during this period.

“I’m at Northeastern right now — I’m only here because there was a good financial aid package, and even so it was extremely expensive," said Robert, the Brooklyn teen . “Before I made my decision, I sat down with my mom and asked her, ‘Are you sure you want to do this?’”

Despite financial odds, young Latinos are profoundly optimistic. More than three-in-four Hispanics ages 18-35 say most people who want to get ahead will be able to make it if they work hard.

Marco Garcia is Berenize's twin brother. He described their immigrant parents' hard work. “My dad works six days a week from 10 to 10,” Marco said. “My mom works as a housemaid, scrubbing floors, cleaning bathrooms and what not.”

When they were younger, Marco was embarrassed by his parents’ broken English when they came to school functions. Now he and his sister, students at Uncommon Charter High School in Brooklyn, see it as a point of pride that they're children of immigrants — as well as high achieving students.

“I feel very optimistic about the future,” Berenize said. “Our parents already did the majority of the work. All we’ve got to do is just finish it.”

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the Difference between Latino and Hispanic: a Cultural Perspective

This essay about the differences between “Latino” and “Hispanic” clarifies the distinct meanings behind these commonly interchanged terms. “Hispanic” is defined by a connection to Spanish-speaking countries and emphasizes linguistic ties to the Spanish language, excluding non-Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America like Brazil and Haiti. In contrast, “Latino” refers to individuals from or descended from any country in Latin America, regardless of the predominant language, highlighting a geographic and cultural connection. The essay explores how personal identity, cultural expression, and social contexts influence the choice between these terms, particularly in the U.S., where they intersect with broader discussions about ethnicity and belonging. It also discusses the adoption of “Latinx” as a gender-neutral option that addresses the gender binary in Spanish and promotes inclusivity. The terms not only signify where individuals come from but also how they see themselves and their connections to their heritage and communities.

How it works

When delving into the vibrant and diverse cultures that make up the Latin American and Spanish-speaking communities, the terms “Latino” and “Hispanic” frequently pop up. These terms are often tossed around as if they were synonyms, but they actually have quite distinct meanings that can influence how people identify themselves and relate to others.

• 1 Hispanic: The Language Link
• 2 Latino: Geographic Bonds
• 3 Identity and Cultural Expression
• 4 In Summary

Hispanic: The Language Link

“Hispanic” is a term that ties directly to the Spanish language. It encompasses people from, or descendants of, Spanish-speaking countries. This includes a vast array of nations stretching from the European shores of Spain to the bustling cities and tranquil landscapes of Mexico, Cuba, and Colombia in the Americas.

The common thread among Hispanics is the Spanish language, which serves as a linguistic bridge linking these diverse cultures.

However, the term Hispanic leaves out individuals from Latin American countries where Spanish is not the primary language, like Brazil or Haiti. Brazilians, for instance, speak Portuguese, and thus, while they are part of the broader Latin American community, they aren’t considered Hispanic.

Latino: Geographic Bonds

On the other hand, “Latino” refers to people from Latin America or those of Latin American descent, encompassing all countries within the region. This term is not confined to language but rather geography and shared regional culture. Whether speaking Spanish, Portuguese, or French, Latinos share a connection to Latin America. This makes the term Latino inclusive of all Hispanic people from Latin American countries but also extends to include non-Hispanic individuals from regions like Brazil.

The term Latino captures the essence of Latin America’s rich cultural mosaic—from the samba rhythms of Brazil to the tango melodies of Argentina—highlighting the shared heritage and diverse traditions of the region.

Identity and Cultural Expression

Identity is personal and complex, influenced by many factors including family heritage, personal beliefs, and social experiences. Someone from Spain might choose to identify as Hispanic, emphasizing their linguistic and cultural ties to Spain, whereas a person of Mexican descent living in the U.S. might identify more strongly as Latino, connecting more with their Latin American roots rather than the broader Spanish-speaking world.

Moreover, these terms carry different connotations and implications in various contexts, especially in the U.S., where they intersect with broader discussions about immigration, ethnicity, and belonging. The term Hispanic was officially adopted by the U.S. government in the 1970s for census data, but its use has evolved and sometimes been contested due to its implications of colonialism and its focus on language over geography or culture.

Evolving Discussions on Identity

As discussions on identity continue to evolve, so too do the preferences for these terms within communities. Some prefer Latino or Latina to emphasize their cultural connections without highlighting the colonial history associated with the Spanish language. Others opt for “Latinx,” a gender-neutral term that challenges the gender binary prevalent in the Spanish language and aims to be more inclusive.

While the terms Latino and Hispanic may seem simple at a glance, they encapsulate deep and nuanced cultural, linguistic, and geographical histories. The choice between them can reflect personal identity, historical awareness, and cultural connection. Understanding the distinctions between these terms enriches our appreciation for the complexity of cultural identities and encourages more respectful and informed interactions within and across communities. Each term offers a window into the diverse ways people relate to their heritage and to each other in a multicultural world.

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How Three Creatives Are Preserving Their Culture This Hispanic Heritage Month

Campaigns /  september 2023.

Legacy. Culture. Connection.

Levi’s® celebrates hispanic heritage history month 2023.

by Jacynth Rodriguez

The expression, “give them their flowers” is often used as a reminder to cherish the loved ones who have paved the way for generations to come. To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re highlighting the power of legacy, culture, and connection through the eyes of three talented Hispanic Americans and the intergenerational bonds that helped pave the way for the creatives they are today.

They each pay their homage on custom pairs of co-designed Levi’s® 501® jeans, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary.

GABRIELA RUIZ

The Los Angeles-based artist Gabriela Ruiz was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley to Mexican immigrant parents. She was seven years old when her mother met the man who would become her stepfather, Israel Quijano Morales. “He fulfilled that father role. He's really been attentive, and I've just learned so much from him,” says Gabriela. Israel — a construction company owner originally from Mexico City, Mexico — has had a major impact on the artist’s work, which spans sculpture, video, painting, and apparel design. “She knows what she wants and she goes after it. Nothing's going to stop her from doing whatever she wants to do, especially when it becomes an idea that she has in her mind,” says Israel.

Going into art as a [first-generation creative] has been really challenging. But it has also brought a different perspective to my practice. I've been able to utilize my culture and background to influence my work.

Gabriela has learned a lot from her stepfather, and vice versa. While Israel provided her with the tools to successfully build her own art installations, Gabriela continues to inspire him with her boundary-pushing artistry. The two often work together on projects, further enforcing their bond as a family business. “I think that going into art as a first-generation has been really challenging, but I think that it also has brought a different perspective in my practice,” says Gabriela.

For Israel, seeing his stepdaughter fulfill her dreams instills a sense of pride in him and his Latino culture. He was only nine years old when he immigrated to Escondido, California to be with his father; leaving behind his mother and three sisters in Mexico City. He met Gabriela’s mother after moving to Los Angeles in 2000 where he worked as a cook until his passion for electricity led him to become an electrician. “I don’t come from a family of artists. I come from a labor background,” says Gabriela. “Going into art as a [first-generation creative] has been really challenging. But it has also brought a different perspective to my practice. I've been able to utilize my culture and my background to influence my work.”

Their homage to the 501®s, features a colorful glimpse of their Mexican heritage and an ode to blue-collar workers. Gabriela was drawn to a split garment concept, one half being construction-inspired to represent Israel’s influence and the other half, a skirt intended to represent her own artistic flair. This isn’t the first time she’s incorporated elements of Israel’s workwear into her fashions. “I've actually worn his harness,” she says. It also doesn’t hurt that 501®s have been a staple for Israel and his company Handy Crew Solutions for decades. “The design fits to your body. It doesn’t drag,” says Israel. “I think it is the blue-collar jean,” echoes Gabriela.

Before Juan Veloz became a published photographer working with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, he was Monica Soriano’s grandson. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, the Dominican-American creative credits Monica’s influence on his upbringing as a young, Afro-Latino. “She taught us a lot of things growing up. Speaking with authority, being respectful to everyone, never forgetting your roots — every conversation you start with should be with love,” says Veloz.

Something that I take a lot of pride in is the third culture. So how my grandma was raised, how I was raised, and how I can mesh those two

Born in 1945 in the Dominican Republic, Monica was the eldest daughter in her family. She attended school until the age of twelve and joined the workforce soon after to assist her family financially. She recalls one of her very first jobs selling candy in a basket atop her head. “Her mom took her out of school at a young age because they were in a crisis, and she kind of had to do what she had to do,” explains Veloz. It wasn’t until 1981 that she made her way to the United States to raise her own growing family.

The sacrifices Monica made for her family are not lost on Juan, who now knows what it feels like to leave loved ones behind in search of one’s own dreams. Since moving to Los Angeles from Brooklyn, he holds steadfast to his grandmother’s wisdom and his Dominican-American community for support and inspiration. “Something that I take a lot of pride in is the third culture,” says Veloz. “So how my grandma was raised, how I was raised, and how I can mesh those two.”

It all culminates in Veloz’s desire to use photography as a way to preserve the rich culture passed down to him. With his 501® designs, he quite literally gave his grandmother her flowers by using various stylized patches, some actual drawings made from his own family portraiture, and familiar motifs imbued with sentimental meaning: hands outstretched with bouquets, a bird soaring from the nest, a candy basket, a camera, and a trio of butterflies. Through his design, Juan also hopes to honor his mother, Monica Victoria Mercedes, who passed away this year, naming his custom design “La Victoria”. “My grandma always says we're living our ancestors' dreams,” says Veloz. He hopes that when she sees the finished design she will also see the beautiful legacy of their family.

ALEJÉ SANTIAGO

Alejé Santiago is many things: A creative, a stylist, an influencer, a student at the University of Pittsburgh. And according to his sister Gladizel, he’s the little brother she has watched grow into the imaginative young man that he is today. “Alejé is just someone that you want in your corner. I'm the “older sister” but I always go to him for advice, and he gives the best advice even if sometimes I don't want to really hear it,” says Gladizel.

I think our identity plays into anything we do. I felt like I couldn't put a lot into the world until I really knew myself and understood myself.

They share an unshakeable bond due to their upbringing as children of Puerto Rican and Cambodian parents in Lancaster, Pennsylvania — a city that boasts a thriving Hispanic community. Sitting at the intersection of two unique cultures has inspired Alejé to dig deeper into who he is and what that represents. “I think our identity plays into anything we do. I felt like I couldn't put a lot into the world until I really knew myself and understood myself,” says Alejé.

One way he’s been able to embrace his identity is through fashion. “I always loved playing with clothes as a kid and playing dress-up games, especially. As I got older and understood style, I fell in love with styling clothing,” says Alejé. So it was no surprise to Gladizel when her brother was tapped to create a one-of-a-kind 501® design with Levi’s®. What did surprise her was him choosing her as his collaborator. “I'm glad to be here, honestly,” says Gladizel. “And now that I get to experience this with [Alejé], I feel like this is going to bring us 10 times closer, even though we already are pretty close.” Alejé has looked up to Gladizel throughout his life and cherishes their relationship for many reasons, one being her unconditional love and support.

To honor their siblingship and their heritage, the pair adorned their 501® design with patches that represent both their culture and their individual personalities. Alejé envisioned both legs decked out in Puerto Rican symbols as well as other patches and line drawing stitching that represent his and Gladizel’s own personal histories. At twenty years old, Alejé is just getting started on his creative path. “I'm very proud of what I can offer the world. I feel like I'm at a point where I know who I am and what I'm capable of from things I've done already in my past.”

As a continuation of our Hispanic Heritage Month celebration with Gabriela, Juan, and Alejé, we set up shop with an Airstream in the heart of LA for a moment of connection centered around music, food, and community. Meet the Writer Jacynth Serrano Rodriguez is an LA-based writer and creative focused on exploring the nexus of art, culture, and media.

Hispanic Cultural Day turned into a protest at the Oklahoma Capitol

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Hispanic Culture day at the Oklahoma Capitol looks a bit different this year.

Legislative leaders and advocates moved the event to the steps of the Capitol because of the size of the crowd.

Hundreds of people from across the state are taking part.

“It makes me it makes me mad because, you know, my family and I don’t want them to be separated from me, said Pamela Herrera who, opposes HB 4156.

This event has turned into a rally in response to the new Immigration bill passed by lawmakers and signed into law by Gov. Kevin Stitt.

Speakers have focused on a consistent topic and that is that they are Oklahomans and that is what matters.

“We’re here to work. We’re here to respect everyone. I feel that they’re being unfair. This is going to create a lot of racial profiling,” said Sophia Isiordia, who opposes HB 4156.

The group also went into the capitol for lunch and wrote letters in opposition to the law to tape on Governor Stitt’s door.

Senator Michael Brooks-Jimenez was at the event as well. He said he’s advocating for the community and is thankful the turnout of Wednesday’s event was so high.

“I fully anticipate that there will be litigation filed before the effective date of the bill,” said Michael Brooks-Jimenez, (D) Oklahoma City.

Many Oklahoman’s oppose the bill, but some are in support.

“I agree with the house bill because, you know, if you enter this country– this country is based on the law and everybody needs to follow the law,” said Pablo Morales, who became a citizen in 2000.

House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, and Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, are the authors of the measure that seeks to crack down on illegal immigration.

Governor Kevin Stitt and Attorney General Gentner Drummond sent News 4 a statement on Wednesday in response to the rally.

“Our state capitol is the People’s House, and we’re blessed to live in a country where free speech is protected. After Attorney General Gentner Drummond requested HB 4156, we knew this was going to create challenging narratives for Oklahoma’s Hispanic communities. That’s why I launched a task force to come up with clear legal pathways for people to join our workforce and help those who embrace our country’s values and want to contribute to the economy. Oklahoma is going to be a law and order state while uplifting Hispanic Oklahomans and all those who seek to join the American Dream.” Gov. Kevin Stitt

“Attorney General Drummond trusts our police forces and sheriffs’ offices to enforce the new law without violating the Constitutional rights of U.S. citizens. While he respects the concerns expressed by opponents of the law, AG Drummond has been clear that HB 4156 is necessary to crack down on the illicit marijuana grows and other criminal enterprises that often are fueled by illegal foreign nationals. Racial profiling already is strictly prohibited by law.” Phil Bacharach Director of Communications for OK Attorney General Gentner Drummond

The law goes into effect July 1.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.

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A Case Against a Top New York Restaurant Could Lower Barriers to Unions

The National Labor Relations Board says the management at Lodi unlawfully fought a union drive. If the allegations are upheld, the board could force the company to bargain.

A Lodi worker’s coat bears a pin that reads, “I back our union.” Credit... Yuvraj Khanna for The New York Times

Supported by

By Priya Krishna

• May 15, 2024

The National Labor Relations Board has issued a complaint against the New York City restaurant group headed by the acclaimed chef Ignacio Mattos, saying that it engaged in illegal practices to dissuade workers from forming a union at Lodi , in Rockefeller Center.

The 24 allegations, some involving Mr. Mattos himself, include surveilling workers’ communications, telling employees that the restaurant would close if a union were formed and warning undocumented workers that their immigration status would be affected if they unionized.

The practices alleged are fairly common anti-union tactics. What is distinct about the case, though, is the new tool at the N.L.R.B.’s disposal: its recent ruling that lowers the bar for a union to win recognition.

The ruling, known as the Cemex decision for the construction-materials corporation it was first used against last August, allows the N.L.R.B. to order a company to recognize and bargain with a union — even when workers have voted a union down, as they narrowly did last year at Lodi — if the board’s general counsel can prove to an administrative law judge that management used unlawful union-busting methods that affected the election’s outcome.

In April, the regional director of the board’s Manhattan office, John Doyle, issued the complaint, which seeks a Cemex order. Administrative law judges have imposed Cemex orders on three companies, but this is its first case involving a restaurant. If a judge deems that Mattos Hospitality acted unlawfully, the company will have to bargain with workers at Lodi — which would become one of only a few independent restaurants in New York with a union.

The bargaining unit would be small, at least at first — roughly 50 workers at Lodi, out of 228 employees at Mattos Hospitality’s three restaurants. And a significant percentage of unions never win a contract, said Jeffrey Hirsch, a professor at the University of North Carolina who specializes in labor and employment law.

But the precedent of a Cemex order against a restaurant, he said, could galvanize other food-service workers to unionize. “With Cemex, you go straight to bargaining, and that is a big change,” Mr. Hirsch said.

The N.L.R.B. said that several fledgling unions have been seeking Cemex decisions since the August ruling, and that its general counsel is currently seeking Cemex orders in about a dozen cases nationally.

Mattos Hospitality said it couldn’t comment on the allegations while the case is active. But it pointed to a statement it issued before the union vote that said, “We do our best to make sure that every team member is treated with dignity and respect, and every employee has a voice.”

“The choice of whether the team wishes to be represented by a union has always been up to them, and we are committed to preserving their right to make an informed decision. The Lodi team voted not to unionize in a free and fair election administered by the N.L.R.B.” (The vote was 25 to 21 against the union.)

An innovative chef from Uruguay, Mr. Mattos first made his mark in 2013 by opening Estela , where guests included the Obamas . He has been regularly profiled in the media , and in April was named one of the 100 most culturally influential people in the country by Cultured Magazine.

Lodi, an Italian cafe, was one of the first restaurants to open as part of the recent high-profile overhaul of Rockefeller Center Plaza. (The federal case against Lodi does not include Estela or Mr. Mattos’s third restaurant, Altro Paradiso .)

Localized union-organizing drives have been much in the news, as workers at outposts of major companies like Starbucks and Amazon have won long-fought battles. Yet just 3.6 percent of food-service workers in the United States belong to unions, according to a 2023 report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, compared with 10 percent of all workers. This is in part because the restaurant business has high turnover, and the numbers of workers at independent restaurants are often too small for larger trade unions to take on.

The Lodi workers are affiliating with Restaurant Workers Union — Sindicato de Trabajadores de Restaurantes, Local 1 , a small group founded in 2020, rather than working with a larger union. This can be a good fit at a small restaurant, said Tareq Saghie, a New York City organizer for Restaurant Opportunities Center United , an advocacy and education group for hospitality workers, as it puts workers in more direct communication with management and allows the creation of a union that’s tailored to the type of restaurant.

But these workers don’t have the experience or resources of a larger union like Unite Here Local 100 , which represents several well-established restaurants in New York City, including the Grand Central Oyster Bar and Shun Lee Palace, he said.The Lodi workers said they are helping others in at least four New York restaurants to form unions.

Typically, when workers notify an employer that they are organizing a union, management can either recognize the union or ask for an election.

At Lodi, the atmosphere was relatively amiable before workers notified management about their effort in January 2023, said Rose Thomas, a baker there from June 2022 to June 2023. “We didn’t have any managers that were yelling or verbally abusive or anything along those lines.” Employees said they were seeking better and more equitable pay, benefits like health insurance and safer working conditions.

But once management asked for a union election, the environment quickly turned hostile, Ms. Thomas said. According to the complaint issued by the N.L.R.B. — which is backed by dozens of recordings, screen shots and sworn affidavits from workers — managers began supervising workers more closely, referencing private text messages between workers and making employees feel they were under surveillance.

The complaint states that management “appealed to racial prejudice” to discourage employees from joining the union. In affidavits submitted to the board, workers said the restaurant hired an anti-union consultant, who identified himself by a false name. The consultant held meetings with Latino employees — recordings of which were heard by The New York Times — in which he cautioned them not to trust English-speaking co-workers who had joined the union effort.

In interviews, Latino workers said Mr. Mattos invoked his identity as a fellow Spanish-speaking immigrant. Sometime after the union announcement, one worker said in a sworn statement to the board, Mr. Mattos stormed up to him, pointed a finger and said, “Eso no se hace” (“We don’t do this.”).

Eric Schmidt, a server at Lodi, has taken a lead role in organizing the union, and has a second job as a catering waiter. In a February 2023 text message viewed by The Times, Mr. Mattos told that other employer that Mr. Schmidt had betrayed him by aiding the union effort. The employer, who asked not to be named, said in an interview that she felt Mr. Mattos was warning her against working with Mr. Schmidt. (She kept Mr. Schmidt on anyway.)

The union says three-quarters of the workers at Lodi signed cards saying they wanted the group to represent them. But employees voted against the union in February 2023, and that month, workers began filing charges of unfair labor practices with the National Labor Relations Board.

An administrative law judge plans to hear the case beginning June 24, and it could take months for the judge to make a decision. If the judge issues a Cemex order, Mattos Hospitality could appeal the decision to the full labor board and delay bargaining, said Mr. Hirsch, the law professor.

A Cemex order “lowers the barriers” to a successful union, he said. “It doesn’t lower all of them.”

Christina Morales contributed reporting.

Follow New York Times Cooking on Instagram , Facebook , YouTube , TikTok and Pinterest . Get regular updates from New York Times Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice .

An earlier version of this article misstated the origin of the Lodi union. Workers joined an existing union that had been founded in 2020; they did not form their own union.

How we handle corrections

Priya Krishna is a reporter in the Food section of The Times. More about Priya Krishna

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• A Majority of Latinas Feel Pressure To Support Their Families or To Succeed at Work

1. Daily life experiences of Latinas

Table of contents.

• The impact of gender, Hispanic identity and skin color on the lives of Latinas
• 2. Pressures Latinas face in their lives
• 3. Life satisfaction and sources of joy for Latinas
• Acknowledgments
• The American Trends Panel survey methodology

About four-in-ten Hispanic women say that being female or Hispanic impacts their daily lives. In fact, Hispanic women are more likely than Hispanic men to say sexism is a problem in the workplace, schools and the media.

Differences by gender disappear in other areas. Similar shares of Hispanic women and Hispanic men say they have been treated as if they’re not smart.

This chapter explores Latinas’ views of sexism and their experiences with harassment and discrimination.

Substantial shares of Hispanic women say gender (43%), Hispanic identity (40%) and skin color (35%) shape their daily life experiences a great deal or a fair amount. Overall, 54% say at least one of these shapes their daily life.

By comparison, Hispanic men are somewhat less likely than Hispanic women to say gender (38%), Hispanic identity (36%) and skin color (30%) impact their daily lives a great deal or a fair amount.

Does gender shape daily life for Latinas?

Latinas’ opinions on how much gender shapes their lives can vary by age, education, nativity and political party:

• Age: About half (53%) of Latinas ages 18 to 29 say gender shapes their life, while 30% of Latinas 65 and older say so.
• Education: A majority of Latinas (57%) with a bachelor’s degree or higher say gender shapes their daily life experiences. By comparison, 34% of Latinas with a high school diploma or less say the same.
• Party identification: About half of Latinas (49%) who identify as Democrats or lean toward the Democratic Party say gender shapes their daily life, compared with 35% of Latinas who identify as Republicans or lean Republican.
• Nativity: Nearly half (48%) of Latinas born in the United States say gender shapes their daily life, compared with 38% of Latina immigrants.

How do views of sexism differ by gender?

Hispanic women are more likely than Hispanic men to say sexism against women is at least a somewhat big problem in media, the workplace, schools and families.

• 52% of Hispanic women say sexism against women in the workplace is at least a somewhat big problem, compared with 44% of Hispanic men.
• 48% of Hispanic women say sexism against women in schools is at least a somewhat big problem, while 37% of Hispanic men say this.
• Half of Hispanic women say sexism against women in English-language music is a problem, versus 40% of Hispanic men. 4
• 46% of Hispanic women say sexism against women in Spanish-language music is a problem, compared with 38% of Hispanic men. 5

How do different groups of Latinas view sexism in the workplace?

Latinas who are young adults, college graduates, U.S. born, Democrats or don’t have children are more likely to say that sexism against women at work is at least a somewhat big problem:

• Age: 63% of Latinas ages 18 to 29 say sexism in the workplace is at least a somewhat big problem, compared with 44% of those 65 and older.
• Education: 65% of Latinas who are college graduates say sexism in the workplace is at least a somewhat big problem, versus 47% of those with a high school diploma or less.
• Immigrant generation: 59% of Latinas who are U.S. born and have at least one immigrant parent (second-generation Hispanics) say this is at least a somewhat big problem, compared with 48% of Latina immigrants.
• Party affiliation: 60% of Latinas who identify as or lean Democratic say workplace sexism is at least a somewhat big problem, compared with 43% of Republican and Republican-leaning Latinas.

What experiences do Latinas have with harassment and discrimination?

Over four-in-ten Hispanic women (44%) say that in the past 12 months people have acted as if they were not smart, the most common of five negative experiences asked about in our survey. Meanwhile, 38% of Hispanic men say they experienced the same thing.

About a third (31%) of Hispanic women say they have feared for their personal safety in the past year. The same share say a stranger made a comment about their appearance that made them feel uncomfortable during this time. By contrast, Hispanic men are less likelyto say these experiences have happened to them.

Overall, a majority of Hispanic women (62%) and about half of Hispanic men (52%) say at least one of these five negative experiences has happened to them in the past year.

By immigrant generation and age

Among Hispanic women, those who are second generation (71%) are more likely than immigrants (59%) to say they have had at least one of the five negative experiences happen to them.

Notable differences exist between the youngest and oldest age groups of Latinas:

• 50% of Latinas ages 18 to 29 say people have acted as if they were not smart in the past year, compared with 21% of those 65 and older.
• 43% of Latina adults under 30 say they have feared for their personal safety in the past year, versus 16% of those 65 and older.
• 42% of Latinas 18 to 29 say a stranger commented on their appearance and made them feel uncomfortable, compared with 12% of those in the oldest age group.

Overall, 72% of Latinas ages 18 to 29 say they havehad at least one of the survey’s five negative experiences happen to them in the past year, compared with 36% of those 65 and older.

• Asked only of those who say they can carry on a conversation in English at least “a little.” ↩
• Asked only of those who say they can carry on a conversation in Spanish at least “a little.” ↩

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