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The Daniels’ Revolution: Art, Politics, and Decoloniality in Latinx Literature
It’s the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month, and oh my, I have an essay series for you…
It’s the last day of , and I don’t know how I feel about the name itself.
In the U.S., Hispanic became a popular designation by the 1970s, thanks to the work of hundreds of activists who wanted more representation in the Census and state support for minority Spanish-speakers. Most leaders weren’t totally satisfied with it, as it doesn’t make sense to lump people from 20+ countries under one umbrella, but for political purposes, Hispanic worked.
Hispanic also caught in business and media, sometimes used in ways the originators couldn’t imagine. It’s a fascinating history you can check out in by
But along with its questionable origins, I view Hispanic as problematic because it applies a colonizer’s name on the colonized. Should I refer to my ancestors from Central Mexico, and myself, by the name of those who largely annihilated their culture?
In general, Latino refers to someone with ancestors from the Caribbean or the Americas. Hispanic refers to…
