racial categories

When is it Our Turn?

2022-04-03T22:38:35+00:00April 3rd, 2022|

In another case of irony, the White House declared April as Arab American Heritage month. Last week, our president made it clear via tweets, press releases, speeches, dinners, etc.  that even though the Arab American Community is not officially recognized by the US Government, they are being welcomed, as they should be. We just don't see the same kind of movement for the Multiracial community. We have watched the Arab American population fight for over 40 years for a MENA (Middle Eastern - North African) category on the US Census, just [...]

New York Times Q & A

2017-05-03T05:53:11+00:00May 3rd, 2017|

This "The Ethicist" column appeared in the Sunday New York Times. My mother is from Central America. She came to the United States for college and met my American father. I am, therefore, 50 percent Latino genetically, but I don’t identify as Latino. There were (to my regret) no Central American influences in my upbringing — no Spanish language, no Latino relatives, no foods from “the old country.” There was also no discrimination directed at me or my mother (we look “white”). Is it ethical to identify as Latino in [...]

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