Whiteness Matters for Health: Measuring Racialization Among Latinas and Latinos Using Street Race

• In Event: 404 - Regular Session. Latino/as 2

Abstract

Against the backdrop of debates about whether Hispanics are a racial or ethnic group, we focus our attention on how health status may differ according to how Latinos and Latinas believe others see their race in the U.S. context. Drawing on critical race theory, racial formation theory, theories of structural and systemic racism as well as interesectionality, this research aims to test a new measure of race, “street race” or how you believe other Americans see your race if you were walking down the street. Using the 2015 Latino National Health and Immigration survey (N= 1,493) we examine how the health status of Latinos who report their race as “White” compare to those who report their race as “non-White.” Results show “Whiteness” in health status held for all measures of race. Future research should expand the measurement of race and racialization to include “street race” in order to advance our understanding of the heterogeneity of the Latino experience in the U.S.

Key words: Latinos/Latinas; racialization; street-race; gender; intersectionality; health

Authors

• Nancy Lopez, University of New Mexico

• Edward D. Vargas, University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Lisa Cacari-Stone, University of New Mexico

• Melina Juarez, University of New Mexico

• Sonia Patricia Bettez, University of New Mxico