[sankofalist]What's in a Racial Identity? American Latinos All Over the Map,
Study Finds (LA Times article)
Michelle K. Massie
michelle@mwcreativegroup.com
Tue, 07 Dec 2004 13:08:50 -0500
> This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand
this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.
--B_3185269731_172817
Content-type: text/plain;
charset="ISO-8859-1"
Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable
By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar Times Staff Writer
WASHINGTON =8B Latinos who view themselves as white are more likely to be
better-educated, earn more, register to vote and vote Republican, according
to a national study to be released today on how Latinos identify racially.
The study by the Pew Hispanic Center also found some notable regional
differences not yet fully understood. For example, in California, 42% of
U.S.-born Mexican Americans identified themselves as white, compared with
63% of their ethnic counterparts in Texas.
The analysis of Census data and recent surveys is perhaps the most detaile=
d
in a relatively new field of research on how Latinos adapt to the rigid
racial categories they encounter in the United States. It is the first to
probe the differences between Latinos who consider themselves white and
those who say they are of some other race.
In many Latin American countries, race is a flexible concept and can chang=
e
with a person's status in society. Historical and contemporary evidence
shows that a Latin American strain of racism favors lighter-skinned over
darker-skinned people, but as an old Caribbean proverb says, "Money
bleaches."
In the United States, Latinos are an ethnic group made up of people of
different races, often mixed, and with a variety of ancestral homelands. In
the 2000 Census, they mainly selected two racial categories to describe
themselves. Forty-eight percent identified themselves as white, and 42%
chose "some other race."
Latinos who perceive themselves as white appear to feel that their place i=
n
American society is more secure, the report found.
"Latinos are taking a broader view of race =8B one that extends beyond
physical features and also encompasses degrees of achievement, belonging an=
d
inclusion," said demographer Sonya M. Tafoya, the report's author.
The Pew center is a nonpartisan research organization based in Washington
that studies the U.S. Latino population, focusing on public opinion as well
as social and economic issues.
The report reinforced earlier research that found surprising variations in
racial self-identification according to where Latinos lived in the United
States. Apart from the distinction between Mexican Americans in California
and Texas, regional variations prevail among other Latino groups as well.
For instance, 81% of Puerto Ricans living in the island commonwealth
identified themselves as white in the 2000 Census, while 46% of those livin=
g
on the U.S. mainland did so. And among Cubans, those living in Florida were
much more likely to say they were white than those living in California.
The Pew study found that Latinos who said they were white were more likely
to describe themselves as American than those who said they were of some
other race.
When given the choice of identifying themselves as American on the one han=
d
or Hispanic, Mexican or some other national origin identifier on the other,
55% of the Latinos who said they were white picked American. Among the rest=
,
36% did so, according to Pew survey results.
One-quarter of Latinos who said they were white cited discrimination as a
major problem, compared with one-third who said they were of some other
race. They were also less likely to be high school dropouts, live in povert=
y
and be unemployed.
Among U.S.-born Latinos, 85% of those who said they were white were
registered voters, compared with 67% of those who said they were of some
other race. And 22% of those who said they were white also said they were
Republicans, compared with 13% among Latinos of some other race.
"The growing Hispanic population may compel a reassessment of the common
view of a racial or ethnic group as a readily identifiable category of
people who share a common fate and a common identity," the report said.
Tafoya said it was not clear why Mexican Americans in Texas would be more
likely to identify themselves as white than those in California. One
possible explanation could be a defensive reaction by Latinos in Texas to
that state's history of Southern-style segregation, she said.
Another explanation could be that many Latinos in California see themselve=
s
as outsiders as a result of the divisive battle over Proposition 187, the
1994 ballot measure that sought to deny some public services to illegal
immigrants until the courts struck it down. Or perhaps California is more
tolerant of diversity and people are more comfortable about identifying
themselves as nonwhite.
"It is doubtful that skin color is the entire explanation," Tafoya said.
(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)
Latino divide
Latinos in the U.S. who consider themselves white are more likely to be
better-educated, have higher incomes and speak English only, compared with
those who consider themselves some other race. Here is a breakdown for
U.S.-born Mexican Americans in California:
Education
Less than high school
Say they are white: 26%
Say they are some other race: 30%
High school
Say they are white: 23%
Say they are some other race: 28%
Some college
Say they are white: 35%
Say they are some other race: 32%
Bachelor's degree plus
Say they are white:16%
Say they are some other race: 10%
**
Income (men only)
$35,000 or more
White: 31%
Some other race: 23%
**
Language spoken
English only
White: 40%
Some other race: 28%
Bilingual
White: 59%
Some other race: 71%
Remainder speak Spanish only
*
Source: Pew Hispanic Center
=20
--B_3185269731_172817
Content-type: text/html;
charset="ISO-8859-1"
Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>What's in a Racial Identity? American Latinos All Over the Map, Stud=
y Finds (LA Times article)</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FONT SIZE=3D"4"><FONT FACE=3D"Arial"><SPAN STYLE=3D'font-size:13.0px'><I>By Rica=
rdo Alonso-Zaldivar Times Staff Writer</I></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE=3D"A=
rial"><SPAN STYLE=3D'font-size:12.0px'> <BR>
<BR>
</SPAN><FONT SIZE=3D"4"><SPAN STYLE=3D'font-size:13.0px'> WASHINGTON — La=
tinos who view themselves as white are more likely to be better-educated, ea=
rn more, register to vote and vote Republican, according to a national study=
to be released today on how Latinos identify racially.</SPAN></FONT><SPAN S=
TYLE=3D'font-size:12.0px'> <BR>
<BR>
</SPAN><FONT SIZE=3D"4"><SPAN STYLE=3D'font-size:13.0px'> The study by the Pew =
Hispanic Center also found some notable regional differences not yet fully u=
nderstood. For example, in California, 42% of U.S.-born Mexican Americans id=
entified themselves as white, compared with 63% of their ethnic counterparts=
in Texas.<BR>
<BR>
The analysis of Census data and recent surveys is perhaps the most de=
tailed in a relatively new field of research on how Latinos adapt to the rig=
id racial categories they encounter in the United States. It is the first to=
probe the differences between Latinos who consider themselves white and tho=
se who say they are of some other race.<BR>
<BR>
In many Latin American countries, race is a flexible concept and can =
change with a person's status in society. Historical and contemporary eviden=
ce shows that a Latin American strain of racism favors lighter-skinned over =
darker-skinned people, but as an old Caribbean proverb says, "Money ble=
aches."<BR>
<BR>
In the United States, Latinos are an ethnic group made up of people o=
f different races, often mixed, and with a variety of ancestral homelands. I=
n the 2000 Census, they mainly selected two racial categories to describe th=
emselves. Forty-eight percent identified themselves as white, and 42% chose =
"some other race."<BR>
<BR>
Latinos who perceive themselves as white appear to feel that their pl=
ace in American society is more secure, the report found.<BR>
<BR>
"Latinos are taking a broader view of race — one that exte=
nds beyond physical features and also encompasses degrees of achievement, be=
longing and inclusion," said demographer Sonya M. Tafoya, the report's =
author.<BR>
<BR>
The Pew center is a nonpartisan research organization based in Washin=
gton that studies the U.S. Latino population, focusing on public opinion as =
well as social and economic issues.<BR>
<BR>
The report reinforced earlier research that found surprising variatio=
ns in racial self-identification according to where Latinos lived in the Uni=
ted States. Apart from the distinction between Mexican Americans in Californ=
ia and Texas, regional variations prevail among other Latino groups as well.=
<BR>
<BR>
For instance, 81% of Puerto Ricans living in the island commonwealth =
identified themselves as white in the 2000 Census, while 46% of those living=
on the U.S. mainland did so. And among Cubans, those living in Florida were=
much more likely to say they were white than those living in California.<BR=
>
<BR>
The Pew study found that Latinos who said they were white were more l=
ikely to describe themselves as American than those who said they were of so=
me other race.<BR>
<BR>
When given the choice of identifying themselves as American on the on=
e hand or Hispanic, Mexican or some other national origin identifier on the =
other, 55% of the Latinos who said they were white picked American. Among th=
e rest, 36% did so, according to Pew survey results.<BR>
<BR>
One-quarter of Latinos who said they were white cited discrimination =
as a major problem, compared with one-third who said they were of some other=
race. They were also less likely to be high school dropouts, live in povert=
y and be unemployed.<BR>
<BR>
Among U.S.-born Latinos, 85% of those who said they were white were r=
egistered voters, compared with 67% of those who said they were of some othe=
r race. And 22% of those who said they were white also said they were Republ=
icans, compared with 13% among Latinos of some other race.<BR>
<BR>
"The growing Hispanic population may compel a reassessment of th=
e common view of a racial or ethnic group as a readily identifiable category=
of people who share a common fate and a common identity," the report s=
aid.<BR>
<BR>
Tafoya said it was not clear why Mexican Americans in Texas would be =
more likely to identify themselves as white than those in California. One po=
ssible explanation could be a defensive reaction by Latinos in Texas to that=
state's history of Southern-style segregation, she said.<BR>
<BR>
Another explanation could be that many Latinos in California see them=
selves as outsiders as a result of the divisive battle over Proposition 187,=
the 1994 ballot measure that sought to deny some public services to illegal=
immigrants until the courts struck it down. Or perhaps California is more t=
olerant of diversity and people are more comfortable about identifying thems=
elves as nonwhite.<BR>
</SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE=3D'font-size:12.0px'><BR>
</SPAN><FONT SIZE=3D"4"><SPAN STYLE=3D'font-size:13.0px'> "It is doubtful =
that skin color is the entire explanation," Tafoya said.<BR>
<BR>
(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)<BR>
<BR>
Latino divide<BR>
<BR>
Latinos in the U.S. who consider themselves white are more likely to =
be better-educated, have higher incomes and speak English only, compared wit=
h those who consider themselves some other race. Here is a breakdown for U.S=
.-born Mexican Americans in California:<BR>
<BR>
Education<BR>
<BR>
Less than high school<BR>
<BR>
Say they are white: 26%<BR>
<BR>
Say they are some other race: 30%<BR>
<BR>
High school<BR>
<BR>
Say they are white: 23%<BR>
<BR>
Say they are some other race: 28%<BR>
<BR>
Some college<BR>
<BR>
Say they are white: 35%<BR>
<BR>
Say they are some other race: 32%<BR>
<BR>
Bachelor's degree plus<BR>
<BR>
Say they are white:16%<BR>
<BR>
Say they are some other race: 10%<BR>
<BR>
**<BR>
<BR>
Income (men only)<BR>
<BR>
$35,000 or more<BR>
<BR>
White: 31%<BR>
<BR>
Some other race: 23%<BR>
<BR>
**<BR>
<BR>
Language spoken<BR>
<BR>
English only<BR>
<BR>
White: 40%<BR>
<BR>
Some other race: 28%<BR>
<BR>
Bilingual<BR>
<BR>
White: 59%<BR>
<BR>
Some other race: 71%<BR>
<BR>
Remainder speak Spanish only<BR>
<BR>
*<BR>
<BR>
Source: Pew Hispanic Center<BR>
<BR>
</SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE=3D'font-size:12.0px'> </SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE=3D'fo=
nt-size:12.0px'><FONT FACE=3D"Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><BR>
</FONT></SPAN>
</BODY>
</HTML>
--B_3185269731_172817--