Hispanic Origin

[Anonymous]

We are starting the process of college visits, and have realized in the process that our DS is officially of Hispanic origin based on the fact his Grandmother was born and raised in a Latino country and immigrated here as an adult. We do not speak Spanish in the household. The only things Hispanic he is exposed to are my late mother's recipes for various dishes from her country of origin and his Spanish class in high school. Initially our thought was to not identify as Hispanic, but every person I talk to says we are crazy not to. Even the other day, I had a conversation with a perfect stranger at a gathering who is in a similar situation, where one grandparent was from a country in South America. Even though they raised their children predominantly with American (and Jewish) culture, they are claiming Hispanic descent on college applications. She also told me that we are just hurting ourselves by not doing so.

Now I am having second thoughts about this. If everyone else is doing this, then are we potentially giving up a spot by not checking that box?

I think the whole definition should change so that an applicant must have at least one half Hispanic origin or that the parent of the applicant must have been born in a Hispanic country. I am so torn, but I don't want to hurt my DS's chances of getting into his dream school.

Anyone else in this situation? What did you do?

[Anonymous]

My ex is Hispanic so I will definitely so my DD will be checking the "Hispanic/Latina" box. Your child would qualify under the rules for the National Hispanic Recognition Program so I would definitely check the box.


https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt-psat-10/scholarships-and-recognition/national-hispanic-recognition-program

[Anonymous]

Affirmative action breeds the sort of cringe inducing cynicism on display here. In my case, some of my relatives can be traced to Spain. My kid is in an immersion school. We are not Hispanic.

[Anonymous]

I remember when Congressman Solarz, running against Hispanic opponents, joked that he could trace his ancestry to the Iberian Peninsula. He was laughed at. This is just an aside, but I’m not sure how one can be a Sephardic Jew with Spanish ancestry and qualify as Hispanic for a racial preference. Makes no sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Affirmative action breeds the sort of cringe inducing cynicism on display here. In my case, some of my relatives can be traced to Spain. My kid is in an immersion school. We are not Hispanic.

That's right, you're not. You're Spanish. Hispanic and Spanish are different. Much like English and American are different, even though we both speak the same language.

[Anonymous]

My mom is Puerto Rican and I grew up quasi-immersed in the culture: food, music, the language.

My kids are a quarter Puerto Rican and are growing up with far less of the culture than I did. I use only a few phrases in Spanish, make the most basic Puerto Rican dishes every few weeks, and play the music once in a while. They're extremely fair, my son has blue eyes. They will NOT suffer from any sort of institutionalized racism - why should I enable them to enjoy the fruits of programs *intended* to empower and advance oppressed people?

[Anonymous]

I think admissions preferences based on someone’s heritage are pretty racist: Larlo Lopez clearly can’t compete with Biff Biffington III because his skin is darker and his father spoke Spanish (in addition to English), therefore he must be less intelligent or motivated, so let’s get him a third of the way to the finish line so he can compete with Biff.

Nevermind about Braedon Ryan who was raised by a single mother with a revolving door of boyfriends who worked two jobs, and still couldn’t afford to pay for Braedon to play little league or be in the Boy Scouts, or have the internet at home. Braedon changed schools every other year—sometimes mid year because his mom had to find cheaper housing or another job—things Braedon is ashamed to admit to an admissions committee. But because Braedon and Biff both have blue eyes, they are judged through the same lens.

But until the elite realize how awful this practice is and abandon it, I would take advantage of it. You know Biff’s parents are buying every possible shortcut to Yale admission. Larlo’s parents should do the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think admissions preferences based on someone’s heritage are pretty racist: Larlo Lopez clearly can’t compete with Biff Biffington III because his skin is darker and his father spoke Spanish (in addition to English), therefore he must be less intelligent or motivated, so let’s get him a third of the way to the finish line so he can compete with Biff.

Nevermind about Braedon Ryan who was raised by a single mother with a revolving door of boyfriends who worked two jobs, and still couldn’t afford to pay for Braedon to play little league or be in the Boy Scouts, or have the internet at home. Braedon changed schools every other year—sometimes mid year because his mom had to find cheaper housing or another job—things Braedon is ashamed to admit to an admissions committee. But because Braedon and Biff both have blue eyes, they are judged through the same lens.

But until the elite realize how awful this practice is and abandon it, I would take advantage of it. You know Biff’s parents are buying every possible shortcut to Yale admission. Larlo’s parents should do the same.

+ 1. Or never mind Anish Patel whose parents came here with no more than a few dollars. Saved every penny while they worked because who knows they might never get their green cards but paid Social security for Larlo's, Biff's and braedon's grandparents. Never mind that Anish is shades darker than everyone else. Just because too many of his kind save and do the right thing Anish does not stand a chance in getting into a school that Larlo or DeShawn can waltz into just for being who they are.

OP: Until this gets fixed (When? When China beats the crap out of us because their smart kids are treated with respect and we are scrambling to respond), you are fool to not claim Hispanic Heritage. In this country you are f**ked if you are white, Asian or Jewish (unless you find loopholes).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think admissions preferences based on someone’s heritage are pretty racist: Larlo Lopez clearly can’t compete with Biff Biffington III because his skin is darker and his father spoke Spanish (in addition to English), therefore he must be less intelligent or motivated, so let’s get him a third of the way to the finish line so he can compete with Biff.

Nevermind about Braedon Ryan who was raised by a single mother with a revolving door of boyfriends who worked two jobs, and still couldn’t afford to pay for Braedon to play little league or be in the Boy Scouts, or have the internet at home. Braedon changed schools every other year—sometimes mid year because his mom had to find cheaper housing or another job—things Braedon is ashamed to admit to an admissions committee. But because Braedon and Biff both have blue eyes, they are judged through the same lens.

But until the elite realize how awful this practice is and abandon it, I would take advantage of it. You know Biff’s parents are buying every possible shortcut to Yale admission. Larlo’s parents should do the same.

+ 1. Or never mind Anish Patel whose parents came here with no more than a few dollars. Saved every penny while they worked because who knows they might never get their green cards but paid Social security for Larlo's, Biff's and braedon's grandparents. Never mind that Anish is shades darker than everyone else. Just because too many of his kind save and do the right thing Anish does not stand a chance in getting into a school that Larlo or DeShawn can waltz into just for being who they are.

OP: Until this gets fixed (When? When China beats the crap out of us because their smart kids are treated with respect and we are scrambling to respond), you are fool to not claim Hispanic Heritage. In this country you are f**ked if you are white, Asian or Jewish (unless you find loopholes).

Yeah, all those whites, Asians, and Jews living in poverty, experiencing police violence and having no chance for advancement in the workplace. How will they ever survive?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think admissions preferences based on someone’s heritage are pretty racist: Larlo Lopez clearly can’t compete with Biff Biffington III because his skin is darker and his father spoke Spanish (in addition to English), therefore he must be less intelligent or motivated, so let’s get him a third of the way to the finish line so he can compete with Biff.

Nevermind about Braedon Ryan who was raised by a single mother with a revolving door of boyfriends who worked two jobs, and still couldn’t afford to pay for Braedon to play little league or be in the Boy Scouts, or have the internet at home. Braedon changed schools every other year—sometimes mid year because his mom had to find cheaper housing or another job—things Braedon is ashamed to admit to an admissions committee. But because Braedon and Biff both have blue eyes, they are judged through the same lens.

But until the elite realize how awful this practice is and abandon it, I would take advantage of it. You know Biff’s parents are buying every possible shortcut to Yale admission. Larlo’s parents should do the same.

Braedon, if he was smart, would rap about how his mom was a thot and post the songs on soundcloud at age 16.

He'd get a record deal by 17 and if his grades were at a passing level, Brown would accept him if he wanted to go to college.

[Anonymous]

If your kid isn’t Hispanic enough to have realized it before now, he’s not Hispanic.

And if your school registration paperwork says he’s white, and you try to change it now- huge red flag.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your kid isn’t Hispanic enough to have realized it before now, he’s not Hispanic.

And if your school registration paperwork says he’s white, and you try to change it now- huge red flag.

If the school paperwork says "male" and you try to change it - it isn't a red flag - it is celebrated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your kid isn’t Hispanic enough to have realized it before now, he’s not Hispanic.

And if your school registration paperwork says he’s white, and you try to change it now- huge red flag.

If the school paperwork says "male" and you try to change it - it isn't a red flag - it is celebrated.

Might as well change that while you’re in there too, if you’re just looking for a leg up in life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your kid isn’t Hispanic enough to have realized it before now, he’s not Hispanic.

And if your school registration paperwork says he’s white, and you try to change it now- huge red flag.

OP here. I don't believe I ever filled out any paperwork that asked if he was Hispanic. Of course I would have checked if he was white, because he is. The thing is, you can be Hispanic AND white. So there's that. And even if we didn't check that box in the past, there is no reason why we cannot now. It is true he is Hispanic by definition. So I don't see how there is a red flag. I can easily prove it by presenting my brith certificate, which shows my mother's birth place. I also have my mother's passport from her country of origin which shows the date that she came to the US. Not worried about red flags here.

The thing is, the more I think about it, the more I want to check that box. That's because there are so many other people like me doing the same thing, and legitimately. The system is obviously broken, and as a PP said, until they fix it, I will be checking the Hispanic box.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Affirmative action breeds the sort of cringe inducing cynicism on display here. In my case, some of my relatives can be traced to Spain. My kid is in an immersion school. We are not Hispanic.

That's right, you're not. You're Spanish. Hispanic and Spanish are different. Much like English and American are different, even though we both speak the same language.

Hispanic refers to people who speak Spanish, that includes Spain and the Latin countries but not Brazil. Latinos refer to people of geography. That includes the Southern and Latin continents, including Brazil but not Spain.