23 thoughts on “Week 1 Assignment: What is Chicana/o?”

1. In the article titled “Chicano: What Does The Word Mean And Where Does It Come From?” by Roque Planas, he begins by explaining that although scholars have yet to pinpoint the origins of the word “Chicano” that some believe the word traces its way back to the Nahuatl term “Meshico”, which is known to be the indigenous word for the modern word “Mexico”. Others believe that the word comes from the Spanish term “mexicano”. He goes on to explain that Mexican-Americans have used the word “Chicano” in order to describe individuals with Mexican origins who live in the States. Planas explains that the term “Chicano” did not become popular until the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960’s.

   Citation: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/21/chicano_n_1990226.html
   Planas, Roque. “Chicano: What Does The Word Mean And Where Does It Come From?” Latino Voices. The Huffington Post. 2012. Web. 19 August. 2016

   Reply ↓

2. A Chicano/a is an individual with Mexican origin who lives in the United States. According to “The Meaning of Chicano” by Telodigo Sinmadera the term Chicano/a is mainly used by Mexican- Americans. Research that has been done on this term comes from the word “Mexicano” which is another word used to say “Mexican”. Sinmadera says that the term “Mexicano” had been used by an Aztec Indian tribe. At a certain point, a scholar named Manuel Gamino, had described that a Chicano after the Mexican Revolution was seen as a negative thing because of the chaos the Revolution had caused. Many Americans saw Mexicans as under qualified and less of a person which then created a bad image for Chicanos. For the Mexicans that were born in America saw the hatred towards the Chicanos and would try to not be associated with them. Eventually the term began to be used in a positive was and is defined as someone who has pride and dedication to their culture and its history.
   Sinmadera, Telodigo. “The Chicano Movement.” The History of California. Eytihia Arges. 2004-2005. Web. 20 Aug 2016.
   http://www.vividhues.com/BSS/chicanomovement.htm

   Reply ↓

3. A Chicana/o is an individual who identifies as a Mexican American or its culture in the U.S. In the article, “Why We Need a New Chicano Movement” Mike Leyba writes how “the Chicano identity was created by the people that felt too Mexican to be American, and too American to be Mexican.” Leyba discusses that the term Chicano is created a political term that comes from struggles because of discrimination and segregation that the culture has endorse here in the U.S. Although the term is believed to come from indigenous roots, Leyba claims that Chicano comes from the struggles that began when “imaginary borders were drawn” by the political powers that revolutionized and redefined our people by the U.S colonization. In the U.S, Chicanos are unrepresented, segregated, and “misfits.” However, Leyba explains that the term Chicano is self-identification because he beliefs that defines his roots and assertions as an individual in this society. A Chicana/o is an identity and self-defined right that expresses a culture, tradition, and pride of individual. The term shows the struggle of a culture fighting to overcome the discrimination and oppression.

   Leyba, Mike. “Why We Need a New Chicano Movement.” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 1 Sept. 2015. Web. 22 Aug. 2016.

   Reply ↓

   • http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-leyba/why-we-need-a-new-chicano_b_8056616.htm

     Reply ↓

     • http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-leyba/why-we-need-a-new-chicano_b_8056616.html

       Reply ↓

4. A Chicano is an individual who has an image of himself that differs that of an Anglo American. In his article “Who Is a Chicano? And What Is It the Chicanos Want?”, Ruben Salazar states that a Chicano is “a Mexican-American with a non-Anglo image of himself.” By this he means that a Chicano is a Mexican-American who understands the history of his people. Salazar goes on to explain in his article the way Chicanos view certain topics due to their knowledge of their history. Through comparison Salazar is able to show how the views are different. He speaks about Christopher Columbus by stating that a Chicano “resents being told Columbus “discovered” America when the Chicano’s ancestors, the Mayans and the Aztecs founded highly sophisticated civilizations before.” This shows how a Chicano’s views are different because Anglo Americans view Columbus as a hero while Chicanos do not. In conclusion, a Chicano, according to Ruben Salazar, is Mexican-American who understands the history of his people and has a much different way of viewing things than an Anglo American.

   Salazar, Ruben. “Who Is a Chicano? And What Is It the Chicanos Want?” Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 1970. Web. 23 Aug. 2016.
   http://www.latimes.com/la-oew-rubenremembered22apr22-story.html

   Reply ↓

5. A “Chicano/a” is a person with a Mexican origin and background living in the United States of America. In the article, “The Meaning of Chicano”, by Telodigo Sinmadera, he explains, “A Chicano is an individual (usually with a Spanish surname) of Mexican parentage or ancestry who lives in the United States. Chicano is often used synonymously with Mexican-American, although many Chicanos presently make an ideological distinction between the two terms”. He explains that the term Chicano has been used since the 1920s. This term has been used to identify US citizens who have Mexican descendants. Many Mexican-Americans accept this term because this is how they identify themselves. Sinmadera explains the term “Chicano” has gained negative connotations in the past for many reasons. He illustrates, “…the name Chicano thus became associated with persons who were poor, unskilled, uneducated, ignorant, and backward. Additionally, the U.S. newspapers popularized the notion that Chicanos or Mexicans came from a country where almost everyone was an unprincipled, immoral bandit”. However, many Chicano/a individuals are proud to have these roots and heritage and continue to identify themselves as Chicano/a’s.
   Citation: http://www.vividhues.com/BSS/chicanomovement.htm
   Sinmadera, Telodigo. “The Meaning of Chicano.” The Chicano Movement. Web.

   Reply ↓

6. A chicano/a is an individual of Mexican descent born in the United States. It is identifying yourself as both a Mexican and an American. It is said that the term comes from the indigenous tribes of Mesoamerican, Mexica. Some people claim that it was a derogatory term used for Mexican Americans before activists reappropriated it. Activists used this term to display their identities. This term meant you had pride in your Mexican heritage and, also, that you wanted the American government to acknowledge and address the inequalities that existed for Mexican Americans. They didn’t believe that it was mandatory to deny your heritage in order to be a real American.

   http://chicanas.com/intro.htm

   Chicanas.com is the personal and professional project of Susana L. Gallardo, and a small informal advisory board. Susana is currently an Instructor of Women’s Studies at San Jose State University in San Jose, California.

   Reply ↓

7. It has been difficult to define such a contested term as Chicana. In a work titled “Chicana Identity Construction: Pushing the Boundaries” authors Helen Vera and Esmeralda De Los Santos attempt to define what it means to be a Chicana. For authors Vera and De Los Santos one important aspect of what it means to be a Chicana is that choice, one self identifies as a Chicana, additionally they argue “a Chicana is keenly aware of the social, cultural, and political milieu that shapes her existence”. My own view is that to be Chicana is an awareness of how issues of gender, social norms, and race intersect with identity. For example, as a Chicana myself, I know that racism is institutionalized in the United States, I know that the odds are stacked against me. However, the hard part is pinpointing instances of institutionalized racism and attempting to change them. Regardless, I push on relying on family, awareness, and community to maneuver my way through life. Life is hard, I am used to it, being Chicana means I have to be extra resourceful.

   Vera, Helen, and Esmeralda De Los Santos. “Chicana Identity Construction: Pushing the Boundaries.” N.p., Apr. 2005. Web. 23 Aug. 2016.

   http://0-jhh.sagepub.com.torofind.csudh.edu/content/4/2/102

   Reply ↓

8. There are various ways in which people can define the term Chicano. A Chicano is defined as a Mexican-American, this term was created because they don’t belong as either Mexican or American. For the author Armando B. Rendon the definition of Chicano is more than just being a Mexican-American, to him it is a unique fusion of bloods, history, and in culture. He states in his book Chicano Manifesto “I am a Chicano in spite of the scorn or derision, in spite of opposition even from my own people, many whom do not understand and may never fathom what Chicano means”. Rendon states how he is a Chicano even if his own people cannot understand what it is meant to be a Chicano. Being able to understand the culture and the connection with others of the same culture and realize the unique ties is another way of defining a Chicano, someone who is proud of where she/he comes from.

   http://www.historymuse.net/readings/RendonCHICANOMANIFESTO.htm
   Rendon, Armando. Chicano Manifesto, New York: Macmillan Co., 1971

   Reply ↓

9. According to Maria Cotera, a Chicano, or specifically, a Chicana, is a female (or male) who of Mexican descent who is born and raised in the United States. “La Chicana ‘has minority status in her own land even though she is, in part, indigenous to the Americas and a member of one of the largest (majority) ethnic groups in the United States.'” She furthers describes the Chicana as a woman who embraces her Mexican culture and heritage, even though she acknowledges the fact that she is an American.

   The word Chicano/a is a word not as familiar to people outside of the Latino community as is Caucasian or African American because Chicano/a is more of a self-selected term within the Mexican-American culture. Though, I am not Mexican-American, I am familiar with this term because I am Latina myself. The term seems to have been coined during acts of political, cultural, and social activities among the Mexican-American community. This term was formed by this community as a means to establish identities for themselves in the United States where Mexicans were viewed negatively in a stereotypical manner. In other words, the term Chicano/a usually applies to Mexican-Americans who recognize a history of discrimination and neglect in the United States.

   Citation: http://www.umich.edu/~ac213/student_projects07/latfem/latfem/whatisit.html
   Cotera, Maria. “Exploring the Chicana Feminist Movement.” What Is the Chicana Movement? University of Michigan. Web. 16 Jan. 2014.

   Reply ↓

10. According to Maria Cotera, a Chicano, or specifically, a Chicana, is a female (or male) who of Mexican descent who is born and raised in the United States. “La Chicana ‘has minority status in her own land even though she is, in part, indigenous to the Americas and a member of one of the largest (majority) ethnic groups in the United States.'” She furthers describes the Chicana as a woman who embraces her Mexican culture and heritage, even though she acknowledges the fact that she is an American.

    The word Chicana/o is a word not as familiar to people outside of the Latino community as is Caucasian or African American because Chicana/o is more of a self-selected term within the Mexican-American culture. Though, I am not Mexican-American, I am familiar with this term because I am Latina myself. The term seems to have been coined during acts of political, cultural, and social activities among the Mexican-American community. This term was formed by this community as a means to establish identities for themselves in the United States where Mexicans were viewed negatively in a stereotypical manner. In other words, the term Chicana/o usually applies to Mexican-Americans who recognize a history of discrimination and neglect in the United States.

    Citation: http://www.umich.edu/~ac213/student_projects07/latfem/latfem/whatisit.html
    Cotera, Maria. “Exploring the Chicana Feminist Movement.” What Is the Chicana Movement? University of Michigan. Web. 16 Jan. 2014.

    Reply ↓

11. When I hear Chicano I make the connection with the Chicano Movement, along with other movements occurring at that time. Chicano/a’s are Mexican American’s, they have the perfect blend of their roots and where they live. I image a young person in the 60’s trying to get be accepted in their country. I connect Chicana’s with Gloria E. Anzaldúa, who was a Feminist and a Chicana. Her book like This Bridge called my back, helped me understand what she felt as a Chicana. “We oppress each other trying to out-Chicano each other, vying to be “real” Chicanas, to speak like Chicanos. There is no one Chicano language just as there is no one Chicano experience.” Her point of view is there isn’t just one Chicano/a, that not one person can share the same thought or life as another person. I understand her emphasis in equality even being considered a Chicana.

    “Gloria E. Anzaldúa Quotes (Author of This Bridge Called My Back).” Gloria E. Anzaldúa Quotes (Author of This Bridge Called My Back). N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2016.

    Reply ↓

12. Chicana/o is a term used by individuals who identify with Mexican culture and people. Although these people were not born in Mexico, they still feel a connection to its history and their ancestors. The word Chicana/o was developed in the mid twentieth century during a social movement led by Mexican people living in the United States who felt marginalized by those who considered themselves superior. Author Sarah Deutsch further extends her definition of the word Chicana/o by explaining how intersectionality must be acknowledged when trying to explain and understand it. Although new terminology and movements are important for underrepresented communities, they could unintentionally exclude certain groups, one of them being women. Deutsch continues to state, “In discussions such as the growth of ethnic consciousness, such gender distinctions must be attended to, and their meaning for the group as a whole sought. The fundamental differences in social location within their own group and between groups of women and men critically affected their definition of their interests, their strategies and their agendas.” In other words, if the community wants to make their identities stronger, both women and men should be mindful of their positions and keep each other as involved as possible. Acknowledging how gender, ethnicity, and class intersect within an identity allows people to understand the power and meaning of a movement.

    Deutsch, S. (1994). Gender, labor history, and chicano/a ethnic identity. Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies, 14(2), 1-22.

    Reply ↓

13. One theory of the origin Chicano, according to Edward A Stephenson, is that it may be rooted in Nahuatl associated with the word Mexicano (Me-shi-ca-noh). He proclaims that over time syllables changed from “…soft /si/ to hard /ci/ and the word as it is known became commonly used in speech by Mexican Americans within the barrios” (225-226). In short, it is a word that some Mexican Americans could “ethnically identify” with-especially those from “lower socioeconomic status more connected to their indigenous roots/native culture” (Stephenson 226). All in all, most people would suggest that a Chicana/o is someone with Mexican Ancestry born in the United States.

    Citation:
    Simmen, Edward R., and Bauerle Richard F. “Chicano: Origin and Meaning.” American Speech 44.3 (1969): 225-30. Web.

    Reply ↓

14. According to Paul Brians in his book Common Errors in English Usage “Chicano means “Mexican-American,” and not all the people denoted by this term like it. When speaking of people living in the US from various other Spanish-speaking countries, “Chicano” is an error for “Latino” or “Hispanic.” Only “Hispanic” can include people with a Spanish as well as with a Latin American heritage; and some people of Latin American heritage object to it as ignoring the Native American element in that population. Only “Latino” could logically include Portuguese-speaking Brazilians, though that is rarely done.” A do not agree with this definition. Chicano is defined as a person of Mexican origin who live in the United States. A Chicano is an identity that combines literature, art, culture traditions, material and behaviors.

    Brians, Paul Common Errors in English Usage. William James & Co. 2003

    Reply ↓

15. According to Tatum, the term Chicano/a derived from the “Meshicas” Indians (Aztecs). He explained that before the fifteen century the term was used derogatory by Mexican Americans to described immigrants who recently arrived from Mexico. He continue saying that the Chicano/a term had a racial overtones because categorized new immigrants based on their education, economic status, skin color and language. Tatum talked about how Mexican Americans considered themselves superior to those who barely arrived to the United States, and since they wanted to “ maintain their status as equals or closer to the Anglos,” he concluded that by disassociated themselves from the new Mexican Americans immigrants was one way to do it since the “Anglos were the larger society”. As for myself I can related to this, I am a Mexican immigrant woman who is stuck in between two countries and understands the frustration of assimilating into the American life.
    Citation:
    Tatum M, Charles. Chicano and Chicana Literature otra voz del pueblo.Tucson:
    The University of Arizona Press, 2006. Print.

    Reply ↓

16. In “Yo Soy Chicana” by Chrissie Castro, she states something very powerful, ” Chicana’ doesn’t simply mean that you are a certain ethnicity. No, it means that you are aware that there’s a struggle going down with your people and that you will make sure you’ll stand up and do something about it”. I agree, identifying as Chicano goes beyond your ethnic label and goes beyond being “Mexican American.” She goes on to say, whether you are mixed as in my case or if you’re family roots go back to Mexico, the Caribbean, Central or South America.” In my case, I too am mixed with Mexican roots and Central American and I am still a proud Chicana. Perhaps, a concrete definition for Chicano will forever remain ambiguous. However, that is not a problem because being a Chicano is more then just word. It’s a movement of power and representation.

    http://www.colorado.edu/StudentGroups/MEChA/soychicana.html

    Reply ↓

17. “La raza!
    Méjicano!
    Español!
    Latino!
    Chicano!
    Or whatever I call myself,
    I look the same
    I feel the same
    I cry
    And
    Sing the same.
    I am the masses of my people and
    I refuse to be absorbed.
    I am Joaquín.”

    I find it hard to define what a chicano is and I believe that this poem states it beautifully. There is multiple factors and history that make up an individual. The journey of Mexicans has not been an easy one especially in the territory that we find ourselves in. To define what chicano is we must include the struggles, dreams, challenges, hopes, sweat, tears and blood of our ancestors and thier ancestors. It must be clear that those who came before us paved a road that would be less harsh for us to travel on. A chicano is not merely defined by his culture and heritage, but also the oppresion that others had to endure in the past. We are our people and we cannot be defined by a single factor you must include all the history.

    http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/latinos/joaquin.htm

    Reply ↓

18. Chicano/a is a term that identified Mexicans living in the United States who were intertwined between two different cultures. Being Chicano can we viewed differently based on family structure or by generations. Myself being a third generation Mexican-American on my mother’s side and first generation on my father sides clearly shows a variety of what being a Chicano means. During the 1990s, singer Selena Quintanilla was a person who gave representation, not just to the Latino community, but she was a Chicana. Selena was my first example of relating and identifying myself with someone in mainstream culture, she was proud of being Mexican-American. “In, Why Do Latinos Still Love Selena More Than 20 Years After Her Death?” by Matthew Rodriguez explains the significance of Selena’s career and role in the Latino community. It continues to flourish twenty years after her passing, “Her whole story, with her family and like, you know, how they kind of made it from nowhere. It’s like an American dream, Chicano style,” and as an example of the American dream, she is held in a special place within that community. Selena was not raised speaking Spanish in the household, something that I too experienced growing up on the third generation side. One of the clips in the article shows a conversation of the Quintanilla family, Abraham stated, “Being Mexican-American is tough. Anglos jump on you for not speaking English perfectly, Mexicans jump all on you if you don’t speak Spanish perfectly. We got to be twice as perfect as everyone else,” and that identified as both/neither, being the ‘in-between.’

    Reply ↓

    • Mic. “More Than 20 Years After Her Death, Selena Is More Relevant Now Than Ever.” Mic, October 29, 2015. https://mic.com/articles/127313/why-do-latinos-still-love-selena-20-years-after-her-death.

      Reply ↓

19. The term Chicana/o has a long history, one which has varied depending on the time on history and by who was using the term. Initially, the term was used in a condescending and derogatory manner. During the 1960’s, many Mexican-American youth who felt marginalized, began to use the term in a different manner- one that represented their socio-political and socioeconomic struggle. This was done out of a sense of pride, and almost an act of rebellion; like flipping the proverbial bird at someone.

    Today, many Mexican-Americans continue to identify with the term Chicana/o. For many (myself included) it still represents that same sentiment. To me, being Chicana/o represents a certain struggle, a certain plight; the struggle of oppression. I would compare it to being somewhat conscious of the struggles and plight of one’s people. It also represents the fight for equality in all aspects of life for those very same people.

    Reply ↓

20. The term Chicana/o has a long history, one which has varied depending on the time on history and by who was using the term. Initially, the term was used in a condescending and derogatory manner. During the 1960’s, many Mexican-American youth who felt marginalized, began to use the term in a different manner- one that represented their socio-political and socioeconomic struggle. This was done out of a sense of pride, and almost an act of rebellion; like flipping the proverbial bird at someone.

    Today, many Mexican-Americans continue to identify with the term Chicana/o. For many (myself included) it still represents that same sentiment. To me, being Chicana/o represents a certain struggle, a certain plight; the struggle of oppression. I would compare it to being somewhat conscious of the struggles and plight of one’s people. It also represents the fight for equality in all aspects of life for those very same people.

    http://umich.edu/~ac213/student_projects06/student_projects/ca/background.htm

    Reply ↓