08/12/2025
The U.S. Census Bureau's definition of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity: "a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race."
"Hispanic" and "Latino" are not identities we chose for ourselves.
Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, Salvadorenos, Brazilians, Cubanos, Mexicanos, Peruanos, Dominicanos, etc. are all distinct from each other. We may all share a language, surnames, and some physical features, but, we each have our own story of origin, history, and heritage. We cannot be lumped together into one like group. Our common language, Spanish, is not a characteristic of a common ethnicity, but as a direct result of colonization. Our people speak Spanish not from choice. It is not the language of our Indigenous ancestors.
Chicanos are not Hispanic or Latino. Those of us with Native ancestry are Indigenous to this land. Our people have existed since before those labels were placed on us by foreign usurpers intent on the oppression of our individual culture, history, and identity. We will not be melted down, diluted into a mythical "melting pot."
As US born of Mexican roots, my racial identity is Native and my ethnicity and/or culture is Chicano.
We are Indigenous, Natives of this land. 🦅🪶☀️
