By now, the courting of the Latino vote this election year is pretty well documented. It’s also raised the specter of a long-standing issue within our community: what constitutes a real Latino? Romney’s gaffes about his ties to Mexico (his pops was born there) have been fodder for late night comedians. However, issues regarding authentic Latino identity have come to plague future Latino political stars such as Julian Castro and Ted Cruz. Issues about language fluency and native descent have become measuring sticks of their ethnicity. I’d argue that neither are sole qualifiers and the real measuring sticks should be an actual connection to, understanding of, and acknowledgement of one’s background whether or not it’s popular, convenient or beneficial.
What Qualifies?
It raises the big question, what makes one person of Latino ethnicity more Latino or “real” when compared with another. Is it place of birth? The ease with which he rolls his r’s? Blasting salsa or indulging in tamales? Maybe it’s pidiendo “la bendicion” every time he greets and departs from an elder.
While it may be just getting mainstream press, the issue isn’t new to the Latino community. The concept of what a “real” Latino was first came into my consciousness as a pre-teen. During a family reunion in Puerto Rico I overheard my uncle – an island native–comparing his children to those of my father. While talking with a family friend he was trying to make the point that his children were “real Puerto Ricans” because they were born there, whereas my dad’s spawn — i.e., my brother, sister and I — not so much. Up until that point I never had an issue with ethnicity or culture. If anything, although I’d been born in New York, my parents had always instilled a sense of pride about my Puerto Rican heritage and Latino culture. That moment was an awakening. Not only did I learn that I was considered a Nuyorican, but more importantly, not everyone who shares my Latino ethnicity felt the same pride as I, nor did they particularly care for the fact that I had it in spades. What do I mean exactly?
The Tide Goes Out
During those teen years, I can recall a few instances where kids who were clearly Latino (if you’re mistaken for a member of Menudo for instance) distanced themselves or denied the culture. For instance, a talented varsity baseball player I went to school with insisted on being called “Ray,” although his name was “Rafael.”
Another classmate who was Harvard bound with the surname Martinez, insisted his last name be pronounced Martiness (if that’s even possible). At the time I found it odd and confusing. Why hide? Why divorce yourself from a fact that was as plain as the nose on your face? I’m brown, have a common Latin apellido and couldn’t assimilate if my life depended on it. Even if I could, I wouldn’t want to.
As an adult, with the benefit of hindsight and maturity, I now see that those teens were struggling with self-discovery (as most teens do) at that particular point in time. It was—ok, I’m going to date myself here—the 80’s when Latinos were not even on the radar, Jenny was still living on a block in the Bronx and novelas were only watched inside the confines of your abuela’s living room. So I get why a 14-year-old kid simply wants to do their best to fit in with whatever the mainstream or accepted norm is.
And Comes Back In
Flash forward 25 years or so. There has definitely been progress, but as with anything in life, some bad comes with the good. These days, it’s either en vogue to be Latino or just makes good business sense to identify or align with the culture. In Corporate America it falls under the buzzword “diversity.”
Don’t get me wrong, I applaud it and am happy to see businesses, schools, organizations and companies paying attention and taking action. The issue is when it’s done irresponsibly, mostly in the form of inauthentic use of this culture or ethnicity for business and/or personal gain. I have personally witnessed the guy who’s gunning for partner and has always identified himself as Italian, suddenly reveal he is 1/4 Cuban so he can check the box labeled “Hispanic/Latino” to improve his chances at scoring that promotion; essentially he’s using “diversity” as an added form of leverage. I’ve also seen senior managers bringing the junior associate (who happens to be Latino) to the Banco Popular client pitch, even though that young associate will never touch the account. Two words for that type of conduct: no bueno.
A Resolution?
I don’t believe one commentary about social observations can resolve the bigger issue at hand. But, I would tend to subscribe to the following approach: be honest about who you are even if it’s not the accepted or desired option. If you authentically connect with or identify with the culture or have a personal desire to do so, kudos to you. But don’t try to fake it to make it. Trust me, people will know and the ultimate embarrassment of being called out or checked about your identity issues just isn’t worth it.
If you liked this article. Check this one out: Culture Clash: Latino Rivalries