Why is latino an ethnicity and not a race

The US is becoming increasingly diverse, a fact illustrated through the self-identities of authors Jorge and Rob—from first and third generations of Mexican immigrants, respectively.

Jorge is Mexican; Rob is Chicano. But both of us are Latinx. October 15, Research Analyst. Robert Santos. Vice President and Chief Methodologist.

Why is detangling race from ethnicity difficult for Latinxs? Brazilians are Latino but not Hispanic. Spaniards are Hispanic but not Latino. Why is it important to be clear about our distinctions between race and ethnicity? Because in our efforts to prioritize racial diversity in our work and workplaces, we may end up accidentally using Hispanic or Latino as a racial category. In the U. In a Pew Research study conducted in , two-thirds of Hispanic adults attributed their racial background to their Hispanic background.

Within that statistic, 56 percent of Hispanic adults considered their Hispanic background as part of both their racial and ethnic background. Use this tool to compare the groups on some key topics and their demographics.

Pew Research Center now uses as the last birth year for Millennials in our work. President Michael Dimock explains why. About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research.

Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts.