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Being in college has really opened my mind to many different ideas. Before coming to UCSB I would always refer to myself as a Chicana, since I'm a second generation Mexican-American. However, taking Chicano Studies in college has made me change my views. I feel the term "chicano/a" refers to someone who can't identify as Mexican or American. As if they don't know where they belong. I personally don't like the term Chicano anymore. Maybe because I've learned the origins of the word or maybe because of its connotation. I've come to realize that words such as hispanic and chicano are American-based. So the way I would identify myself is as a Mexican-American because I have ties with Mexico and America. I can relate to both cultures respectively.

I am a product of a social system. A mere number, an insignificant entity. I have a name. Whether that name is Garcia, Gonzales, Ramirez, Rojas, or Lucero. I am a person. I am a person with the features of ancient civilization. The Maya, the Toltec, the Aztec, the Mixtec. I am a "MEXICANO", but to hell with the number, to hell with the degrading names tagged on me by a Racist Society. Names like wetback, spic, greaser, taco vendor, or Mexican american with a derogatory inflection. I am a "CHICANO". I am a CHICANO because it gives me identity & pride. It gives me pride because I gave myself that name & it gives me identity becauce it did not result from WASP origin. It comes from my people, the "MEXICANOS". "CHICANO" might sound bad to your canditioned ears. This is what the system has accomplished to do to some of you, but be proud. BE PROUD THAT IT IS A PRODUCT OF A FAST GROWING REVOLUTION OF IDEAS & A SINCERE CONVICTION THAT THE CHICANO MUST BETTER HIMSELF IN A SOCIETY THAT HAS SYRSTEMATICALLY MEGLECTED HIM

I think is funny that some people actually get offended sometimes for not being called in the right term. I am Salvadorean by birth. I am an adopted daughter of America and people can call me whatever they want. Hispanic, Latina, Salvadorean. Because my ex-husband is Mexican, born in Chihuaha, and my social circle includes more Mexicans than people of other cultures, I speak spanish with a mix of Salvadorean and Mexican accent. So...when people sometimes ask me what part of Mexico I'm from...I calmly explain that I was born in El Salvador. I love it because it gives me a chance to share my cultural background with others...after all "A Rose, by any other name, is still a Rose"

I also prefer Latina, but I am Mexican-American. My grandparents are from Mexico on my dad's side, both my parents are born and raised here in Bakersfield. My grandmother from my mom's side is Native-American, my mother always spoke highly of her Native American side. I am 3/16 Yokut Native-American and very proud. So I am very proud of both Mexican-American and Native-American.

I am from Mexico so I consider myself Mexican. My children were born in the United States however my husband and his family are Native American so I consider my children Mexican American. Now I do have a question what is Chicano? I understand the label Latin American because the migration from a Latin country. I can even understand Hispanic because of the orgin of Hispano which I believe means "my peeps" "my Kin folk". But I have yet to understand the Chicano meaning does anyone know what it is short for? Was it orginated by Mexicans that came from Chicago? I prefer Mexican or Mexican American even though my father always said "We are all American dumby the U.S. I just the Northern part".

How funny is that...a co worker asked me this very question yesterday... my reply...chicana. I define myself as a Chicana...3rd generation Mexican American...and very brown and proud!

I prefer Chicano. I am proud of my Mexican blood and heritage. I feel blessed that I come from such a beautiful culture and that it remains a strong influence in my family. There is also a proud military and patriotic tradition in my family dating back to WWII that also makes me proud of being an American. To me Chicano means being part of these two worlds and bringing them together to form one distinct world. A world with its own culture, art, style, language and identity. A world that couldn’t exist without the other two.

I much rather be called Latina, my second choice-Mexican American. Latina to me represents a culture/a way of living/your background and life style. Mexican American is more of a catagory, not so much a culture.It might be more politically correct but not exactly correct, at least not for me.

First of all, I'm a 3rd generation Mexican-American. But growing up I had always idenified myself as just Mexican.Up until a few years ago I've began idenifying myself Chicana.

Since we're on this topic, and after reading the following information, I know what I am, but recognizing my heritage, I am satisfied being called Latino, Hispanic, Mexican, American and Mexican-American. My wife calls me "Gringo" so I'm probably that too!! As we all know that the people in Northern, Central and South America are all Americans. I believe the terms are to distinguish between the people of different countries. The following information was taken from the Chicano-Latino Network (CLNET) accessible through the University of California - Los Angeles. I hope you don't mind me providing this so that we can understand the terms used. The intent is not to offend anyone because we are who we are and we can be called whatever we want to be called...as long as we're not offended. Here it goes...... HISPANICS This term is often used to refer collectively to all Spanish-speakers. However, it specifically connotes a lineage or cultural heritage related to Spain. As many millions of people who speak Spanish are not of true Spanish descent (e.g., native Americans), and millions more live in Latin America (cf., "Latino" below) yet do not speak Spanish or claim Spanish heritage (e.g., Brazilians) this term is incorrect as a collective name for all Spanish-speakers, and may actually be cause for offense. LATINO This term is used to refer to people originating from, or having a heritage related to, Latin America, in recognition of the fact that this set of people is actually a superset of many nationalities. Since the term "Latin" comes into use as the least common denominator for all peoples of Latin America in recognition of the fact that some romance language (Spanish, Portuguese, French) is the native tongue of the majority of Latin Americans, this term is widely accepted by most. However, the term is not appropriate for the millions of native Americans who inhabit the region. MEXICAN Specifically, the nationality of the inhabitants of Mexico. Therefore, the term is used appropriately for Mexican citizens who visit or work in the United States, but it is insufficient to designate those people who are citizens of the United States (they were born in the US or are naturalized citizens of the US) who are of Mexican ancestry. The various terms used to properly designate such people are described below, however, it is important to explain why these people feel it is important to make such a distinction. US citizens who are troubled by this often point out that most immigrants do not distinguish themselves by point of origin first, (i.e., German-American), but simply as "Americans" (another troublesome term, but we won't get detoured by that here). Here are some reasons why many US citizens of Mexican extraction feel that it is important to make the distinction: *Not "Americans" by choice A scant 150 years ago, approximately 50% of what was then Mexico was appropriated by the US as spoils of war, and in a series of land "sales" that were coerced capitalizing on the US victory in that war and Mexico's weak political and economic status. A sizable number of Mexican citizens became citizens of the United States from one day to the next as a result, and the treaty declaring the peace between the two countries recognized the rights of such people to their private properties (as deeded by Mexican or Spanish colonial authorities), their own religion (Roman Catholicism) and the right to speak and receive education in their own tongue (for the majority, Spanish. Therefore, the descendants of this population continue to press for such rights, and many hold that theirs is a colonized land and people in view of the fact that their territory and population was taken over by military force. *Mexicans first, "Americans" second? Another and more numerous class of US citizens of Mexican extraction are either descendants of, or are themselves, people who conceive of themselves as temporarily displaced from Mexico by economic circumstances. As opposed to the waves of European migrants who willingly left their countries due to class and religious discrimination, and sought to make their lives anew in the "new world" and never to return to the "old land," these displaced Mexicans typically maintain strong family ties in Mexico (by visiting periodically, and by investing their incomes in homes or kin in Mexico), and usually intend to return to Mexico provided they can become economically secure. Therefore these people maintain and nurture their children in their language, religion and customs. However, There is great tension within this population between those of Mexican birth who conceive of themselves as temporary guests in the US, and their descendants who are born in the US, are acculturated with the norms of broader US society in public schools, and are not motivated by the same ties that bind a migrant generation of Mexicans. This creates a classic "niche" of descendants of immigrants who are full-fledged US citizens, but who typically do not have access to all the rights and privileges of citizenship because of the strong cultural identity imbued in them by their upbringing and the discriminatory reaction of the majority population against a non-assimilated and easily identified subclass. This group of people feels a great need to distinguish itself from both its US milieu and its Mexican "Mother Culture," which does not typically welcome or accept "prodigals." This is truly a unique set of people, therefore, in that it endures both strong ties and strong discrimination from both US and Mexican mainstream parent cultures. The result has been the creation of a remarkable new culture that needs its own name and identity. MEXICAN-AMERICAN This term is commonly used to recognize US citizens who are descendants of Mexicans, following the pattern sometimes used to identify the extraction of other ethnic Americans (e.g., "African-American). This term is acceptable to many Mexican descendants, but for those who do not identify with a Mexican heritage, but rather with a Spanish heritage, it is unacceptable (cf., "Hispano," below). Also, for those who do not view themselves as "Americans" by choice, this term is problematic, and for others the implication that the identity of the bearer is unresolved, or in limbo, between two antipodal influences, belies their self-concept as a blend that supersedes its origins and is stronger, richer and more dynamic than either of its cultural roots. HISPANO This term is preferred by that subpopulation, located primarily in the US southwest, who identify with the Spanish settlers of the area, and not with the Mexican settlers (specifically, the Creole Spanish-Native American race). There is in fact an important number of these people located along the Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico and in the northern Sangre de Cristo mountain range of the same state. This group has been traditionally a very closed and conservative one, and recent evidence provides important explanations for this: they seem to be descendants of persecuted Jews who fled Spain during the 16th and 17th centuries and sought refuge in what were then the farthest reaches of the known world. They survived by minimizing their contact with outsiders and by hiding or disguising their religious and cultural identities as much as possible. Historical researchers call them "cryptic Jews." CHICANO A relatively recent term that has been appropriated by many Mexican descendants as unique and therefore reflective of their unique culture, though its first usage seems to have been discriminatory. The most likely source of the word is traced to the 1930 and 40s period, when poor, rural Mexicans, often native Americans, were imported to the US to provide cheap field labor, under an agreement of the governments of both countries. The term seems to have come into first use in the fields of California in derision of the inability of native Nahuatl speakers from Morelos state to refer to themselves as "Mexicanos," and instead spoke of themselves as "Mesheecanos," in accordance with the pronunciation rules of their language (for additional details, refer to the file MEXICO on this same subdirectory). An equivocal factor is that in vulgar Spanish it is common for Mexicans to use the "CH" conjunction in place of certain consonants in order to create a term of endearment. Whatever its origin, it was at first insulting to be identified by this name. The term was appropriated by Mexican-American activists who took part in the Brown Power movement of the 60s and 70s in the US southwest, and has now come into widespread usage. Among more "assimilated" Mexican-Americans, the term still retains an unsavory connotation, particularly because it is preferred by political activists and by those who seek to create a new and fresh identity for their culture rather than to subsume it blandly under the guise of any mainstream culture. Okay, so no-one stopped me so I went on and on. Sorry! Anyway, Hope this helps!

My ancestors homesteaded across the Rio Grande,and fought for their land with other Tejanos and also fought the Indians in what was then The Territory of New Mexico. My ancestors and family have always been proud of being called Mexican and of course American after the Statehood of Texas and New Mexico. My point is why would I want to be called anything other than what I am? A very proud Mexican American.