The View From Here: Mexican American Culture
¡Hola! Writer peeps. In honor of the Mexican American holiday, Cinco de Mayo, or fifth of May, which celebrates the the Mexican army’s win over the French army at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, The View From Here will be looking at La Vida Latino, Life Latino, this week. Why should you as a writer care about Latino readers? America is undergoing what demographers call “Latin Americanization.”
A Rose by Any Other Name
Before we get too far into this discussion, let’s clear up a few things. First, the term Hispanic previously referred to Spanish-speaking Americans, Americans with Spanish surnames, or Spanish Americans. Even so, a large majority of Spanish-speaking people are not of Spanish descent. Although the terms Hispanic and Latino are often used interchangeably, the two terms do not necessarily mean the same thing. Hispanic refers to a broader range of people and nationalities, with the main focus being language. Latino cannot be used to refer to Spain or Spanish culture. Therefore, a native of Spain, residing in the U.S. would be Hispanic, not Latino. Neither term refers to race, as a person of Hispanic or Latino heritage can be black, white, Asian, or any other race.
Hispanic Identity
According to studies by the Pew Center, more Hispanics self-identify as Mexican, than any other ethnic group. Nevertheless, the term Hispanic encompasses more than just people of Mexican heritage. Other groups categorized as Hispanic by the U.S. government include, in order of population:
1. Mexican
2. Puerto Rican
3. Cuban
4. Salvadoran
5. Dominican
6. Guatemalan
7. Colombian
8. Honduran
9. Ecuadorian
10. Peruvian
Source: http://pewhispanic.org/
Demographic Information
1. 1 in 5 schoolchildren is Hispanic.
2. 1 in 4 newborns is Hispanic.
3. 2/3 of Latinos are not immigrants. Many are third generation, their parents began immigrating to the U.S. in 1965
4. More likely to drop out of school and become young parents than any other ethnic group.
5. According research from the Pew Center (based on interviews with 2,012 persons of Hispanic heritage), Latinos place a high value on education, hard work, and career success.
Reading List
Mexican WhiteBoy by Max de la Pena
Accidental Love by Gary Soto
Amor and Summer Secrets by Diana Rodriguez Wallach
Tortilla Sun by Jennifer Cervantes
Drift by Manuel Luis Martinez
Graffiti Girls by Kelly Para
Honey Blonde Chica by Michele Serros
Intersect : Writing Culture 