Are You Hispanic? Yes? No? Why Do You Ask? And What Does It Mean to be Hispanic or Latino?
- Tanner Farley (Iowa State University)
- Desirae Hodges (Iowa State University)
- Kaozong Lee (Iowa State University)
- Ragan Ross (Iowa State University)
Abstract
Every time you fill out a job or college application, you are asked to identify your race and/or ethnicity. But why is their often a special section asking whether someone is Hispanic or not? By educating ourselves about the construction of race and ethnicity in the United States we will explore the reasons why businesses and universities ask specific questions racial or ethnic backgrounds of people. Our main purpose is to debunk the significance of having a section designated to question whether a person is Hispanic or non-Hispanic. Furthermore, we will expose the common legal practice of using the term Hispanic or Latino and explore what it means to be a 21st century Hispanic or Latino living in the United States by illustrating demographic changes.