As Hispanic Heritage Month began on September 15th, we would like to acknowledge the richness, diversity, and struggles that exist within the Hispanic communities, and thus, we will use ‘Hispanic/Latino/a/x communities’ throughout the Ally Tips today while also acknowledging the limit of such language. As we celebrate the culture and heritage of our fellow colleagues and students, we can all reflect on ourselves through the lens of Hispanic, Latina, and Chicana people in higher education and learn how we can be allies for them. In addition, make sure to visit La Casa’s website and Latino Faculty and Staff Council to learn about how our Latino faculty, staff, and students are striving to make our IUB campus more inclusive.
Origin and Tension - Hispanic Heritage Month
Recognizing the contributions and influence of Hispanic/Latino/a/x communities in the U.S., President Lyndon Johnson first launched Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968, which was then expanded to a month-long celebration between September 15 and October 15 in 1988 under President Ronald Reagan.1 The celebration spans from September 15 because five Latin American countries, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Guatemala, achieved independence from Spanish colonialization on this day. Mexico also gained independence on September 16, and Chile on September 18.2
As mentioned, Hispanic Heritage Month was established to recognize the contributions of Hispanic/Latin(x) communities in the U.S. However, the term “Hispanic” does not represent those communities. Yara Simón defines “Hispanic” as a federal category for people with language and culture descending from Spain; “Latino/a” recognizes heritage from Latin America and parts of the Caribbean, beyond the history of Spanish colonization. When looking at the origins of the Hispanic/Latino/a/x communities in the U.S., only 1.6% of them identify as being of Spanish origin or descent, and 98.4% come from Mexico, Central American, South American, and Caribbean countries.3 This brings up the question of dominance and power in imposing identities against which Latino/a/x communities have developed a historical sense of resistance. Moreover, as Mexican Americans account for 60% of Hispanic/Latino/a/x communities, Leo Guerra Tezcatlipoca, uses terms like Chicano/a to resist the homogenization of cultural diversity while also addressing the unique struggles of Mexican Americans. An important variation one might see is when an –x, -e, or -@ replaces the end letter, a move to be more inclusive of genders beyond the linguistic binary (e.g., Latinx, Latine, or Latin@). Allies must always respect how one identifies, so listen to the language those around you use (especially to others like you) and follow their lead.
Latina Experiences in Higher Education
At Indiana University Bloomington, we have about 6.8% Hispanic/Latino/a/x faculty in full-time tenure track positions4 and contribute to our institution in a variety of ways. For example, Latina faculty support Latinx students by serving as examples of success.5, 6 Cultural capital, personal motivation, and the presence of supportive people (like family) are integral to Latina undergraduate students’ success.7, 8Latina faculty supervivencia (survivance) contributes to promoting culturally competent mentoring for Latinx students and faculty, collaboration that keep them culturally connected, and community commitments.9 At the same time, we have to consider that an abundance of research indicates that Latina faculty are not always rewarded and given the resources to be successful.10 Tenure can be like a “moving target” for Latina faculty,11 where they feel pressured to be twice as productive as white faculty.12 Furthermore, Latinas often face persistent bias, including expectations for “fiery” personalities, fetishization, rampant cultural appropriation, care-taker stereotypes, and more.13, 14 Latina faculty and staff are often also tokenized by their institution, meaning they are asked to externally promote diversity while their institution does not provide support for the Latina faculty enough.15 This is particularly true in STEM, where Latina students struggle to belong, despite excelling academically and creating their own community.16, 17, 18
Action Tips for Allies
- Listen to their stories: As we talked about earlier, the diversity in Latin America is immense and cannot be encapsulated by a single term. As such, people with Latin heritage can feel tension with assimilating to the predominantly white culture and limiting demographic terminology forced upon them in the U.S., particularly those people with Indigenous and African/Black ancestry (e.g., Afro-Latinas).
- Proactive sharing information: Hispanic/Latino/a/x communities in the U.S. support one of the most disadvantaged college student populations such as undocumented students and students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status.19 Due to their vulnerable legal status, they undergo unique obstacles such as a continuous sense of uncertainty and a lack of channels from which to gather information on critical resources because they often do not share their legal status with others on campus.20 Thus, be acquainted with resources like the Higher Ed Immigration Portal offering lists of resources for these students and just share such information generally and publicly with your students because those who cannot share their legal status with others may benefit from it.
- Affirm the legitimacy of Latina academics: Research shows that academics who center marginalized identities rather than conform to dominant perspectives are frequently perceived as less legitimate scholars by their peers with privileged identities.21, 22 Lorgia García Peña, a Latinx Studies professor at Princeton University, has lived experience with this bias. She was denied tenure at Harvard in part because some were concerned her work was “not research, but activism.“ To legitimize identities like Garcia Pena’s, vocally support the importance of Latinx academics, particularly women, to your community, recognizing that activism cannot be separate from knowledge production process for the marginalized communities who face unjust realities. Learn more about Latinx academics in your field and question those who try to devalue Latinx work
- Promote Culturally-Competent Mentorship: Mentorship grounded in cultural recognition is one of the strongest factors in Latina students’ long-term career success.23, 24 Latina faculty also benefit from such mentorship, wherein they can acclimate to their professional communities without losing their identity.25 Reexamine and reinvigorate your mentorship practices to include cultural competency both in content and structure.26 An example considering the gendered and racial experiences of Latinas/Chicanas in higher education is Mujerista mentoring, which honors the mentee’s cultural and personal background rather than encouraging assimilation into the dominant culture.27
Weekly Resources
- Book: 20 Books from Latine Authors to Keep an Eye Out for in 2023 – This list of upcoming books from Latinx authors reflects the richness and diversity of those who fall under the Latino/a/x, Hispanic, and concurrent identities.
- Article: Afro-Latinx Students Navigate Racism and Erasure in the Classroom – This article highlights the experiences of students who identify themselves as Afro-Latinx at college and universities and what inclusive curricula look like for them.
- Latin American Women in Science and Technology – These inspiring women are leaders in their respective fields and showcase the importance of diversity in STEM.
- Podcast: La Brega: Stories of the Puerto Rican Experience – the podcast reflects on various aspects of life in Puerto Rico, covering its history and culture.