mexican heritage

[llbnyny]

I found out 10 years ago that my biological father is mexican-american. His grandparents were all born in Mexico. I assume that makes me 1/2 Mexican ethnicity, I certainly look it. Does this mean that my daughter can check the hispanic box on her college application? I assume that technically she is 1/4 Hispanic. She identifies herself as white, but she definitely has Mexican ancestry. Any input?

[Shrinkrap]

Hispanic/Latino defined - aka: AM I HISPANIC?

[glido]

She can check the Hispanic box if she associates herself with her Hispanic heritage. Being Hispanic is a question of self-identity. No one can answer the question for her.

[barrons]

For most unless there is something else that goes with it it is not a big boost anyway. No real advantage for upper-middleclass Hispanics at most schools.

[emeraldkity4]

Hispanic isn't a racial category, about half of those who consider themselves Hispanic or Latina, also consider themselves white.

[romanigypsyeyes]

If that's what she considers herself, then yes. It really doesn't make a difference most places.

I am a white Hispanic. My mother is from Spain but she has blonde hair and blue eyes. I have light brown hair and blue eyes.

[entomom]

Please take Shrinkwrap's advice and go to the Hispanic students forum where members have the most knowledge and experience with college admissions for Hispanic students.

1. Hispanic is an ethnicity, not a race; Hispanics can be and are of any race(s).

2. There are many factors within the Hispanic cohort that influence how much being Hispanic will affect college admissions, for instance, country of origin, SES, overcoming obstacles, first gen, association with the Hispanic community, etc.

3. The degree to which being Hispanic makes a difference depends on the factors in #2, the strength of the student's application, and the school. For instance, a Hispanic applying to a rural LAC may be looked at differently than to a school that gets many highly qualified URMs.

[mini]

The Republican Presidential candidate is a Mexican-American. His father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all born in Mexico. But I doubt he considers himself Hispanic. There are also Hasidic and orthodox Jews who have been living in Mexico for many generations, and who are Mexican citizens, but who likely don't consider themselves Hispanic.

I think it is simply a matter of what she considers herself.

[ChrisTKD]

According to the College Board your daughter qualifies as Hispanic for purposes of PSAT and SAT Hispanic honors. Minimum threshold is 1/4. Of course, once she identifies herself as Hispanic she will start to receive all of these invitations to Hispanic Clubs at various universities. It can be a bit awkward if she doesn't identify with any such heritage. But it's really no more awkward than the blond haired blue eyed Puerto Rican, Argentine or Spaniard.

[salander]

ChrisTKD It is not awkward at all for a blue eyed Argentinian, Puerto Rican, Mexican, Spaniard or whatever to be considered Hispanic. Hispanic IS NOT A RACE. It is about language and culture. People that come from Spanish speaking countries are Hispanic. It turns out many of those countries are as much of a melting pot as the US. They were colonized by Europeans just like the US. Just because someone doesn't look native American, you don't tell them is awkward to identify as American.Hispanics can be of ANY race. Your comment is actually offensive.

If the student does not CULTURALLY/LINGUISTICALLY identifies ad Hispanic, she should not. If she does, then she should.

[Lergnom]

My cousins used to joke about being African-American. They're Egyptian-Jewish and Egypt is in Africa. Since their ancestors were from Spain - Ladino and all that - they could be Jewish-Hispanic-Causian-African-Americans. With a twist of lime, of course, and served over ice.

I had relatives who escaped Stalin by going to China and escaped Mao by going to Cuba and escaped Fidel by coming to the US. Besides being really bad at picking places, they would be Jewish-Russian-Chinese-Hispanic-Caucasian-Americans.

I agree with the comments about self-identity but add that identity is what you make of it; it isn't fixed and you and your kid should be encouraged to understand your heritages and to make them part of your lives.

[barrons]

Chris's comment is not at all offensive. Many countries like Mexico and other colonial countries have long-lasting enclaves of an elite with direct connections back to the colonial days and their home country. Often they form the elite class in such countries and while they may speak perfect Spanish they are not what the affirmative-action folks had in mind to benefit from a boost in admissions. And they in fact might feel more comfortable with others of their upper class heritage than the children of peasants and farmworkers which they have nothing really in common with.

[salander]

As someone who was born and raised in Latin America (but had green eyes and brown hair) and Spanish is my first language, I was offended. I hear it all the time, and it is offensive to tell me it is awkward for me to say I am Hispanic because of the color of my eyes.

It's not an affirmative action thing. Affirmative action quotas only apply for citizens or permanent residents, so don't worry, those elites latinos are not benefiting from AA. And most Latin Americans are not peasants or farmworkers.

Sorry, it's a sensitive topic for me. But one's identity is important.

[ChrisTKD]

Salander you misunderstood my comment. Anyone who is blond haired and blue eyed or fair complexioned has experienced someone (including other Hispanics) wondering whether they are really Hispanic. It is awkward to have to explain that yes you are Hispanic. Not awkward to actually be Hispanic. BTW - I'm half Puerto Rican and spent a good portion of my life (before 18) there. So, yes I've had relatives tell me that it was awkward when so and so didn't believe that they were really Puerto Rican.

[Shrinkrap]

But it seems like people who are actually FROM Puerto Rico wouldn't think it "awkward". Surely there are "color" issues, like there are among all people of color. But where I grew up (NYC), you didn't question ANY color coming out of Puerto Rico. In Jamaica, W.I. there are whites, Chinese and Indians who identify first as Jamaican. MAYBE not what colleges had in mind. MAYBE. But it is what it is.