Will Latinos Transform the Way Americans look at Race and Culture?

One of the key themes in our class is identity. Sure, I thought when I started planning this class, identity is an important theme--we'll introduce our various points of view, talk about the various words for Latinos, and then move on. I had no idea then how complex the topic of identity is in Latino literature and culture--it's at the heart of everything we're reading and discussing, whether it's a 16th century exploration narrative turned spiritual pilgrimage or a late 20th century hybrid genre experiment in philosophy and poetry. Because, you see, it's not just about who you are--its about how the very categories of identity are constructed. This is illustrated by an article in The New York Times this week (13 January 2012). In "For Many Latinos, Racial Identity is More Culture than Color," Mireya Navarro writes about the dilemma "Hispanics" face when filling out the census forms. "People of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin may be of any race" the census form reads. So what race(s) do Latinos choose? More than one-third by passed the option of "mixed race" (pick two) and marked "other." The article argues that Latinos have a very different view of race--and that the issues most central to Latino life, such as language and immigration, have nothing to do with race. I wonder whether this attitude will eventually change the way all of America views race.