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Considerations on Latino / Hispanic
Identity: A Virtual Roundtable
Introduction and Participants
Conducted by Carol Amoruso, Hispanic
American Village Editor
Introduction
We come to the end of Latino/Hispanic Heritage Month by revisiting the thorny
issue of identity. Following are observations by a group of impressive folks who
more or less consider themselves Latinos--or Hispanics--on identity and, where
appropriate, the immigrant experience. Is it by accident that what was intended
to be a random sampling of friends and associates of Hispanic culture
backgrounds turned up a preponderance of musicians?
Issues of identity aside, what is clear from the immigrants who’ve shared
their experiences is that this country will always offer them a home away from a
home that, to them, is no longer home.
The Participants
- Henry Fiol—Italian-American/Puerto Rican musician, bandleader,
painter, writer
- Enrique Fernandez—Nicaraguan/Dominican-American jazz, big
band, and Afro-Cuban reed player
- Leonora Galvez—Colombian nurse-midwife, currently a home
attendant, studying to practice midwifery here
- Celina Guibaud—born in Argentina, living in the States over 40
years; masseuse, former chef, domestic, jewelry shop and hotel owner
- Mario Murillo—Colombian/Puerto Rican broadcast journalist and
assistant professor of communications at Hofstra University
- O.M.—born in Argentina, veterinarian, trumpet player, here about
20 years. (At his request, we are not using his full name.)
- Oscar Paredes—Ecuadorian, musician and activist, founder and
director of the Latino Worker’s Project living in the States almost 20 years
- Hilario Soto—Bolivian musician, teacher, here over 20 years
- Luis Vanegas—Colombian-American, born here, freelance workers’
rights monitor, former Regional Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and
Hour Division
Before hearing from our own respondents, we offer a favorite tidbit on the
issue from Mexican-born performance artist, painter and writer, Guillermo
Gomez-Pena:
The new Latino boom is only a marketing strategy. All they are doing is
adding a little spice and salsa to the great corporate multicultural deli of
the 21st century.
But what do you think?
TO THE ROUNDTABLE -- Latino
vs. Hispanic | Difference | Lost and Gained >>>
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Carol Amoruso
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 Carol
Amoruso has had several vocational callings over the years. She's
taught young children, run volunteer programs for seniors, had a
catering business, designed clothes. Ultimately, she found that
nothing engaged and challenged her the way writing has. She's
written every day since childhood, professionally since 1990. Her
involvement in the arts, society and politics of Africa, the
Caribbean, and the Latin World have been the most inspiring and her
work concentrates on those areas. She travels extensively but lives
in New York City.
IMDiversity.com is committed to presenting diverse points of view.
However, the viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of
the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or
employees at IMD.
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