2: Racial and Ethnic Identity of Latinas/ os

Latinas/ os in the United States have had a long history with racial categories and have not easily fit either of the labels developed for them or the ovals they are required to fill on surveys. Marin and Marin (1991) explain that terms like Hispanic and Latino are fairly new labels. As the population of Latinas/os increases, a proper understanding of labels and their racial and ethnic identity development is critical to families, schools, and business organizations across the country. Delgado and Stefancic (1998, 2000, 2001) argue that if race is socially constructed and not a biological reality, then the construction of the Latina/ o has been most harmful. The most damaging manifestation of this social construction concerns the media’s depiction of “Latinas/os as lazy, criminal, dirty, happy-go-lucky, and uninterested in assuming the role of informed citizenship” (1998, p. 207). Recently, the media has depicted Latinas/os as undocumented, illegal, and being in the United States for government support.