Listing Myself as Hispanic to Gain Advantage

I am a 2nd generation South-East Asian from Miami. My mother was born in Latin America, and speaks Spanish fluently but is Vietnamese. While the exact definition of what "Hispanic" means is often debated, the first few results on Google state, "Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino" according to the Huffington Post.

Would I be able to list myself as Hispanic on my applications and apply for diversity related organizations such as SEO and many banking programs? Ethnicity is distinct from race (of which I am Asian) so I figured that it would be fine.

My question to WSO is would the benefits of listing myself as Hispanic outweigh any negatives from organizations or people who doubt this claim? Obviously people expect someone that is Hispanic to be a certain race and I'm sure many people would either dismiss my claim or claim that I am a liar.

To be honest, I don't see myself as being part of that culture, but on paper do I seem fine? Being from a predominantly Latino area, and having a direct relative being born from Central America will hopefully help but my last name is Chinese (Wang/Li/Zhang) which may hurt. I want to boost my chances as much as possible, and I think that this would definitely help me out. I know that there are a bunch of Asians in Latin American countries like Brazil, but what are your thoughts?

For my essays, I'm thinking about addressing this issue directly and saying something along the lines of how I've been discriminated against in my culture from Asians who don't see me as really Asian and Hispanics who don't believe I'm one of them.

 

I could be wrong, but I would be willing to bet any employer would see right through this. The essay would be cringeworthy even if it were true. Victimizing yourself doesn't make you an attractive applicant.

Don't think about taking shortcuts or gaining an edge. It's one thing to spin your experiences, but it's another to lie outright about your identity.

 

I just want to say first, thank you for being civil and giving your honest opinion. I understand that some people get angry about those trying to take advantage of a system but I also want to legitimately know if I have access to any of these programs. I'm sure we both know people know Hispanic people who have very little ties to their culture. Maybe they're fully a Americanized 3rd generation person who doesn't even speak Spanish, or has never been to their home country but I'm sure if they applied for a diversity program they would get in.

I guess my question and why I created this post in the first place is why shouldn't I have access to the same resources that those who are more 'traditionally' Hispanic (i.e. they're race matches their ethnicity) even if they fail to identify with their culture? If I meet all the requirements, then shouldn't I be allowed to reap the same benefits? Also, in your opinion what are your thoughts of me meeting the requirements on paper?

 
Best Response

You clearly put quite a bit of thought into convincing yourself why this is ok, but obviously you don't feel that comfortable about doing it which is why you're asking in this forum. In my opinion, this is one of those things where if you have to go to the lengths you described above to explain the connection it's 1) BS and 2) a waste of everyone's time. You even said yourself you don't even identify with the culture and don't see yourself as that, so why lie?

Do you know why the program was founded? To give qualified, underrepresented students access to careers that traditionally didn't have them. From your question, it seems like you don't even understand the actual mission of the organization and any essay or justification would be seen through by an admissions committee.

You can apply to SEO as an Asian. They just target African-American, Hispanic, and Native American students. @iknowyourider is right. Spinning and using your resources is part of the game, but lying about your identity, (who you are as a person and the sum of your life experiences) to get an internship/job is ridiculous.

"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there" - Will Rogers
 

I understand why these programs were established but they're metrics for trying to help those less privileged seem racist themselves. Let's not kid ourselves and say that all of those who go through diversity problems need it; many have the means and money that are far beyond those who are White or Asian. Shouldn't a bigger factor be income level?

Regardless, it is a fact that it is harder to get into programs such as SEO as an Asian than those who are Black or Hispanic. I don't understand how I am lying if I clearly list my race and my ethnicity, especially given my claim. Isn't the whole point of ethnicity being separate from race so that you can be both. I don't understand why they have to be mutually exclusive. Based on the answers above it seems if I truly believed that I shared some Hispanic culture then I'd be fine. Hell, if Elizabeth Warren can claim she's 1/32 Native American, I think I have an equal, if not better, claim for my 'identity.' Would anyone call me a liar if I were black and said I were Hispanic, even if I did not share the culture 100%?

I created this post because this is a gray area, and I wanted clarification and people's opinions. Yes I know that this is trying to game a system but so what? I can say that I am also gay or bisexual to help me get into other programs as well but that's a much more clear cut issue of lying or not. People do it all the time and the fact is that even if I don't do it someone else will, so why not try to even the playing field?

 

Whether or not someone else exploits a loophole and gets away with it is irrelevant. As @OttoReadmore said, you obviously know this is deliberately misleading and on some level know it it's not the right thing to do. Anyone that has engaged in any kind of securities fraud began with the same rationalization as you - other people do it, if I don't do it someone else will, etc. The fact is that it is a dishonest way to gain an advantage.

No one here can stop you from doing this. But I can tell you with a high degree of certainty that you will find much more success seeing things through the right way. You're obviously ambitious and have a vision of where you want to be - continually show that in applications, interviews and networking and you will most likely get to where you want to go. The other way is a slippery slope.

 

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