Latino Culture Research Paper

Latino/Hispanic Americans cover a much wider demographic then believed. Latino/Hispanic Americans consist of; Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Guatemalan American to name a few. Latino/Hispanic Americans are the largest ethnic group in the United States. The Latino/Hispanic culture is very different than ours. Their culture differs in economics, politics, family traditions, family structure, religion, education, language, fashion, art, music, dancing, and food. As natural born Americans in the United States it is important for us to learn about the different cultures migrating into the United States. Many United States citizens have a hard time understanding other cultures; being culturally insensitive is a common theme in the United

Mexican Americans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans and El Salvadorians are just to name few who are parts of the Hispanic group. Each and every one of these groups shares many part of their Hispanic culture with one another but also vary in distinct ways. They all share the Spanish language, though each has a different dialect and some words spelled and pronounced the

| Family ties among Hispanics are very strong, and this is what I mostly admire about their race. Hispanic families often come together for different occasions (birthdays, holidays, baptisms, etc.) and they teach their children the importance of good manners, and respect for their elders. A good quality to have today.

Hispanics or Latinos are defined as a people of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, South or Central American, or other Spanish speaking culture. This term “Hispanics” was created by the U.S. federal government in the early 1970’s to refer to Americans born in a Spanish speaking nation or with ancestry to Spanish territories. Hispanics people are vibrant, socializing, and fun loving people. Among various facts associated to this culture is that they have a deep sense of involvement in their family traditions and cultures.

Latin American culture is very different from the culture of the United States. Latinos have very strong morals and remain close to their family members. They believe religion, family, and fútbol are the most important things in life. With that being said, Latinos are very passionate in everything that they do and believe in. When it comes to celebrations, Latinos take this very seriously and they make sure that everything is done with respect. La Fiesta de la Vendimia involves the praising to God for blessing them with a good harvest, celebrating with family, and competition almost as competitive as fútbol.

Many Latinos in the U.S. are descendants of Mexican people who lived in the Southwest when it was taken as plunders of war or acquired in a series of land sales. In many cases, their ancestors became Americans not by their own choice. Almost all other American Latinos or their ancestors migrated here from Latin America in search of a better life and opportunities. As a group, Latinos represent a combination of several ethnic backgrounds, including European,

Being Latina does not mean that you are Mexican or that you speak Spanish. A Latina/o who was born in the United States and speaks Spanish, but come from the Hispanic origin, but their “native” language is English. For me what it means to be Latina is to put on your batteries and take care of your siblings, love and to not belittle yourself, and never be ashamed of where you come from. What being Latina has taught me it’s not to give up and keep trying to do the best we can in order to be accepted.

“Wow...there is no way you’re Latino. You’re way too white!” was the ignorant remark made by a one of my peers during my school’s annual Latin-American Fest. Initially, hearing this claim made me look into the mirror. I began to stroke my face and examine my physical features. Was this true? Was I not Latino enough? Did the amount of melanin or lack thereof deem me as Latino?

This paper will be addressing the differences between American and Latino culture. American culture is an individualistic culture in which everyone tries to be unique from one another and more successful. Success in the American culture typically means being wealthy. Americans make decisions based off of their own personal needs unlike Latino culture. Latino culture is based off of collectivism where the family is the most important aspect in their lives. Latinos are more likely to make decisions based off of the best interest of their families not necessarily themselves. The primary language Americans speak is English whereas Latino Americans typically speak Spanish. One thing that both cultures share is the importance of a good education.

Hispanics tend to have very close family ties. In times of trouble they turn to family members for support. They more often than not make decisions as a family and not as an individual. Family

My cultural interview was with a coworker, 28 years of age and of Hispanic descent. While conducting the interview I learned a lot about the Hispanic culture. Many Hispanics like to be called Latino (a). Some do not like to be referred to as Mexican when they are from other countries other than Mexico. Hispanics also use slang within their culture just like African Americans. Within the culture the male is the dominant figure in the household. All the decisions that affect the family go through the father. If there is no father in the house, the oldest son fulfills that role. The older son may drop out of school so that they may assist the mother at the house in the absence of the father. Many Hispanics

This paper is made to explore and compare the differences between the gender roles in the Latino community and the U.S. It is found that in the Latino community women are expected to stay at home and the man to provide income to the house, women and man in the Latino community are expected to act a certain way according to their beliefs, and to their sexual orientation, and gender roles stereotypes.

Historians are still unclear on when the first Latinos appeared in North America. The most prevalent theory is that they were nomadic hunters who came from the Asia mainland and across the then frozen Bering Straight into Alaska. Regardless of their origins their main region is now the Americas, both North and South and it is expected that the Latino population in the United States will increase by 40% in the next ten years (US Census 2010). Their culture and society is steeped in tradition and understanding and appreciating their culture is imperative for any person working in the social services field.

Throughout the years, Latinos have migrated to the United States in pursue of a better life. While leaving their hometowns and everything behind, Latinos had to have courage. Their courage was supported by their spirituality. Like the indigenous people, most Latinos praise their main creator but they also praise other significant people. For instance, in the Mexican culture the Virgin of Guadalupe is their patron saint. Even though their migration can lead to some hardships, their spirituality has led Latinos to find areas in which they can adapt to and create a better future for themselves. The Mexican and Latino heritage might be influenced by the Europeans, like in their religion; however, Latinos still contain indigenous characteristics in their

When it comes to identifying the Latino’s population by a type of skin color most would consider themselves as Caucasian while a few identify themselves as Black. Many others associate themselves with indigenous race while others are increasingly identifying themselves as “other”. Their origins range from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba and Guatemala. Notable differences among the Latino groups center on the aspects of language refinement, educational status, cultural values and attitudes toward mental health treatment (Brice, 2001).