Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month – But Getting the Term Right

In 1985, Frank del Olmo of the LA Times wrote an article that forever changed the way many of us refer to the diverse group of Americans often called “Hispanic.” He argued that there is no ethnic group that refers to itself as Hispanic; rather it was a bureaucratic misnomer used to lump together people descending from many countries and cultures across Latin America.

“Corporations and the media picked it up,” wrote del Olmo. “But beyond language and religion–and especially in politics–there is little commonality among U.S. Latinos. When they vote as a bloc, it is in local elections as a Chicano bloc, a Cuban bloc or a Puerto Rican bloc. They have never done it as a ‘Hispanic’ bloc in a national vote.”

This month as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, I can’t help but think that Frank del Olmo wouldn’t be satisfied with the name. It also got me wondering if sentiments have changed since the seminal article first debuted 30 years ago. We asked some of our esteemed colleagues at nonprofits and foundations across Los Angeles what they think about the term and heard the following responses:

“I am pleased to see the term Latino gaining popularity across the U.S. Even as recent as 10 years ago the more conservative government-created word Hispanic was the go-to in business, especially on the East Coast. While it’s impossible to classify such a diverse group of people from a variety of origins, I’m thrilled the term Latino represents a source of pride in a common heritage.” – Valarie de la Garza, Director of Marketing & Communications at The California Community Foundation

“I do not like Hispanic at all, but I know colleagues of mine use it a ton on the East Coast. I can live with Latino, though it also doesn’t capture my identity. The ‘Latino’ community is extremely diverse. But both of these terms have a Euro-centric definition of people that does not recognize the indigenous ancestry many of us have. I prefer Chicano or Mexican-American.” – Rudy Espinoza, Executive Director at Leadership for Urban Renewal Network

At a time when communities across the country are being questioned about their nationality, identity and loyalty to the U.S., we pay special homage to our compatriots originally from Mexico, Central and South America, Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Los Angeles, the City of Angels, would not be as beautiful and rich in culture and ideas without you.