4/28/08-What makes you a Latino/Hispanic?  Is it the color of your skin? Is it your accent while speaking? Is it the way you dress? Perhaps the foods you eat? Or maybe you area Latino/Hispanic because you know how to dance Salsa and Merengue, you grew up eating Tacos made by your abuela, or you know that the Adobo is the best thing to cook and get that flavor of home cooked meals?  Perhaps is the fact that you knew more than your
classmates in Spanish class? Or is it a combination of
all of the above?

Hispanics/Latinos usually speak Spanish, but Italians,
Portuguese and Brazilians are also considered Latinos,
and technically French people should be considered
Latinos too, although they are “colder” on the
personal exchange.


As a Hispanic/Latino, you talk using your hands and gesturing,
the space between you and your Hispanic/Latino friends is
closer than with other people, and you feel free
giving hugs and kisses instead of shaking hands.
All of these things are only the tip of the iceberg.
Being a Latino/Hispanic, is much more than defining it
by race.


Have you ever filled up a survey or an application
where one of the questions is about your ethnicity?
For the multiple options about race there are
Caucasian/White, African American/Black, Asian, Native
American, and in many occasions, Latino/Hispanic is
included as a race.  So what race would you choose if
your skin is white, your mother is Mexican your father
is Puerto Rican, you grew up eating Tacos and Arroz
con Gandules, you spoke Spanish at home, you know how
to dance Salsa and like to listen to the Spanish
radio?  You can’t fit in just one box.

Being Latino or Hispanic is all of that and much more!
So, whatever your background, embrace it! That makes
you a unique person in a universe of diversity, and
that variety is what makes life more interesting!