So recently I found out that my grandfather was Brazilian, which means that I’m technically Latina. As it is the summer between my junior and senior year, I worry that once I start checking that box on my applications, it may raise some red flags, as I’ve never done so before (for the record, I’m retaking the ACT, SAT, and taking the SAT subject tests in the fall, and I’ll check the box there as well). I have documentation to prove I’m not fibbing to beef up my application, however it doesn’t seem that they ask for verification on the Common App.
My question is this; how do I prove that I’m not a liar? And if they just take my word for it when I check that box, will they look back at my previous tests and see that I said I was white before? Should I just keep saying I’m white, and forget the whole thing?
Thank you!!!
You are white. Hispanic is an ethnicity and race is different. In other words, your race is white and your ethnicity is Hispanic. How is it that you just found this out? We see these threads on CC a lot. Rising seniors discovering that they are in a minority group and wanting to check the box. Technically, I suppose you could mark the box now, qualifying as Hispanic because you are 1/4 Hispanic ( using National Hispanic Recognition Program qualifier). But would it be disingenuous? Only you can answer that. Good luck.
If you have never self-identified as a Hispanic/Latina (which it appears you have not), it seems a little dishonest to attempt to do so in order to garner a (very small, IMHO) advantage in the college admissions process.
My opinion, you can consult your own conscience.
I just found out as my family and I were looking back on our records (I’m a first generation American; my parents are from Italy) and found that when my mother’s father came into the country, he got in when the borders were closed to Italians because he was born in Brazil. My grandfather died when I was young, so I didn’t really know him, and as far as my mother knew, he was just Italian.
Both of you brought up that it seems dishonest to begin identifying as Hispanic now, and I think I agree. I know almost nothing of the culture and I’ve identified as Italian for most of my life. I’ll avoid checking that box on my applications. Thank you!
I think you listened to your conscience. Bodes well for you. Buena suerte!
1/4 of something does not give you any advantage in admissions process unless we are talking American Indians.
Check the boxes Hispanic, White. That is not dishonest nor disingenuous if that is what you ARE regardless of when you found out. The second part of that question section will ask how you identify yourself, which is white. Do not feel guilty about answering it correctly. It may be an advantage at some schools and not at others. Different schools are looking for different types of diversity (not always ethnicity or race). They just ask the questions on the common app, they don’t qualify the question, so don’t feel guilty for answering it correctly.
The question is two part:
- Are you Hispanic/Latino? The answer is yes, because you are part Brazilian. (Similar to the US Census definitions for identification.)
- Regardless of how you answer to the prior question, how do you identify yourself. The answer is white.
On another note, what an interesting thing to learn. Hopefully it inspires you to learn more about the Brazilian culture and side of your ancestry!
Technically Brazil is not hispanic. It’s Portuguese in origin. And certainly just discovering your Brazilian lineage means you don’t celebrate it nor is it part of what shaped you.
I would check Hispanic, White. If a Mexican child is adopted by whites who don’t celebrate or acknowledge his culture is he not Mexican? OP IS part Brazilian. The US Cesus states that
“Origin can be viewed as the heritage, nationality group, lineage, or country of birth of the person or the person’s parents or ancestors before their arrival in the United States.”
The question then becomes what does Hispanic/Latino mean? The Common App doesn’t qualify or define. US Census discusses spanish speaking countries of south and central americas while College Board specifically cites Brazil and 1/4 heritage as counting as Hispanic/Latino.
“According to college board it is for the National Hispanic Recognition Program.
NHRP’s Definition of Hispanic/Latino
To qualify for this program, students must be at least one-quarter Hispanic/Latino. Hispanic/Latino is an ethnic category, not a racial category; students may be of any race. For purposes of the NHRP, students must be from a family whose ancestors came from at least one of these countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Spain, Uruguay, or Venezuela.”
For reference, Brazilians are Latin@ but not Hispanic (part of Latin America, but not Spanish-speaking).
Re the OP, I think that if you have no personal connection to Brazilian culture, then you shouldn’t label yourself as Latin@
I would click hispanic/latino and white. As long as u click the white box, too, you’re fine.
There are people of Italian heritage in Brazil and Argentina.
Hispanic/Latino is a totally arbitrary category. If your grandfather was a Brazilian citizen, he’s Latino. Hispanic/Latino can be ANY race, so it doesn’t matter that he’s of European stock.
It sounds as if, while grandpa was apparently born in Brazil, that was such an unknown bit of trivia about him that as far as OP ever knew, he was Italian. John McCain was born in the Panama Canal Zone. That doesn’t make his granddaughter Hispanic. If I found out tomorrow that my grandfather was born in South Africa, that wouldn’t make me African. Sounds like Grandpa was an Italian guy born in Brazil. Either way, the purpose of racial/ethnic check boxes isn’t to let people cash in on genealogical trivia in order to get a boost that is meant to be applied in other ways.
John McCain was born in a naval hospital as a “navy brat” expat. He didn’t get Panamanian citizenship. If OP’s grandpa was a Brazilian citizen, then he can legitimately claim to be hispanic/latino. His race is irrelevant. Hispanic/latino is the only category that enjoys arbitrariness on the basis of GEOGRAPHY. Being born in an African country doesn’t confer “blackness” in the same way.
The colleges just want numbers. They will welcome the opportunity to add another number to their URM head count-- look at how Harvard touted having a 1/16th Native American faculty member. So if u have a legitimate reason to stoke your hispanic/latino creds, then go for it; you’re doing the college a favor. In any case, there’s no “hispanic police” to challenge u.
Not sure we know that Grandpa being born in Brazil is any different than the above. Not unless more is known about Grandpa. Maybe his mom was on holiday. Maybe the record that says “born in Brazil” continues with “at the expat hospital.” Anyway, OP only said that Grandpa was able to claim “Brazilian” by virtue of being born in Brazil, which apparently surprised all and sundry, because as far as the old gentleman’s daughter had known, he was plain old Italian and never said anything different. But it seems he got into the US by using that as a technicality. Heck, maybe it wasn’t even true. It wouldn’t be the first time someone fudged records to get a visa. But I guess in that case claiming “Hispanic/Latina” could be following in a family tradition.
It is 100% about the diversity quota and making the PC police happy. This just happened to a friend who found out her grandfather was Native American, but was placed in a reservation school orphanage and never told anyone. Turned out she is 1/4 Native.
He was born in Brazil as his mother was full Brazilian and his father was born in Italy but had lived in Brazil for who knows how many years. After my grandfather was born, they moved to Italy and rejoined my great-grandfathers family. I have my grandfather’s birth certificate, so I know it’s true that he was born in Brazil. Beyond that, my family filled in the rest, so it may not be accurate.
I honestly can’t believe that some of the people in this thread are giving such unethical advice to a young person.
And those of you who have come in here to grind your anti-diversity / anti-affirmative action axes should give it a rest.
Ugh, I need to go wash my brain.
Glad to hear you listened to your conscience. Too many people here get swayed by the perceived affirmative action boost. I think you did the right thing.