Mestizos: What race to report? Forum

[futurelawstudent1]

My parents are from Brazil, which is one of the most racially mixed countries in the world. They are both mestizos -- part European and part Native American.

On the LSAC registration form, I've already checked South American under Hispanic/Latino, but I am not sure what else to check. I'd like to check both European and American Indian, but I've heard that only people who are registered with tribes are supposed to check American Indian. Is there any truth to this statement? Would I get in trouble for checking American Indian without any documents to back up my claim?

I'd appreciate any advice.

[Mick Haller]

just go with Hispanic probably.

[geoduck]

Hispanic/South American only. Caucasian too if you feel like it. On US apps, Native American means tribal affiliation within the borders of the US and maybe Canada with documentation. The displaced natives of spanish (or I guess in this case Portugese) nations are basically not considered. Unless you're Mexican or Puerto Rican, in which case they just kinda assume you're aztec or taino.

[Horchata]

Hispanic/Latino

[Ikki]

Hispanic/South American only. Caucasian too if you feel like it. On US apps, Native American means tribal affiliation within the borders of the US and maybe Canada with documentation. The displaced natives of spanish (or I guess in this case Portugese) nations are basically not considered. Unless you're Mexican or Puerto Rican, in which case they just kinda assume you're aztec or taino.

hahahahhaahha

[Horchata]

Hispanic/South American only. Caucasian too if you feel like it. On US apps, Native American means tribal affiliation within the borders of the US and maybe Canada with documentation. The displaced natives of spanish (or I guess in this case Portugese) nations are basically not considered. Unless you're Mexican or Puerto Rican, in which case they just kinda assume you're aztec or taino.

hahahahhaahha

wtf no mms "Ikki" I'm soooo Aztec....estoy tan mamado y moreno..Y...estudie a donde???......SDSU...y sooooomos...Azzzzzztecs

[geoduck]

Hispanic/South American only. Caucasian too if you feel like it. On US apps, Native American means tribal affiliation within the borders of the US and maybe Canada with documentation. The displaced natives of spanish (or I guess in this case Portugese) nations are basically not considered. Unless you're Mexican or Puerto Rican, in which case they just kinda assume you're aztec or taino.

hahahahhaahha

The average Amurican probably thinks that a Zapotec is a pokemon and that the Maya are extinct, so I went with the stereotype/terrible chain restaurant

[Ikki]

Hispanic/South American only. Caucasian too if you feel like it. On US apps, Native American means tribal affiliation within the borders of the US and maybe Canada with documentation. The displaced natives of spanish (or I guess in this case Portugese) nations are basically not considered. Unless you're Mexican or Puerto Rican, in which case they just kinda assume you're aztec or taino.

hahahahhaahha

The average Amurican probably thinks that a Zapotec is a pokemon and that the Maya are extinct, so I went with the stereotype/terrible chain restaurant

But it IS a pokemon

--ImageRemoved--

[DreamsInDigital]

I think the best answer to this is to respond with how you self identify, within the confines of the specific question. It sounds like racially I self-identify the same way you do. some application do specify tribal membership within north america. On those, I just checked latino or mexican american and left the race question blank. On the applications that just ask for self identification I responded with white and native american.

People may disagree with me on this, but all those questions are arbitrary anyway. As long as you're not lying and actually identify with what you select, no one had the right to tell you otherwise.

[lisjjen]

Your question is a significant one, and exhibits why the Diversity Statement is so important. I got the impressiont that in addition to telling adcomms how youre race has affected your upbringing, a DS also serves as a stamp of authenticity to show that you aren't just "checking the box," that you really are a diverse candidate. That may just be me talking out my ass. If you really do have strong indigenous roots and you choose to check the box, than the DS may be a good place to explain that you are Indian, but not a North American Indian.

[geoduck]

I think the best answer to this is to respond with how you self identify, within the confines of the specific question. It sounds like racially I self-identify the same way you do. some application do specify tribal membership within north america. On those, I just checked latino or mexican american and left the race question blank. On the applications that just ask for self identification I responded with white and native american.

People may disagree with me on this, but all those questions are arbitrary anyway. As long as you're not lying and actually identify with what you select, no one had the right to tell you otherwise.

While my response earlier was a little tongue in cheek, I think it's pretty important to point out that the US can be a little weird about Native American status because of all of the tribal relations. The majority of the time, it truly does mean that you are claiming affiliation/membership in a recognized tribe located north of the Mexican border. If Evo Morales quit tomorrow, moved to the U.S., and applied to law school, he would check South American. If there was an "other" field, he could put in Aymara.

I would strongly caution OP against checking "American Indian" on a form and to input "Indigenous Brazilian" or the like when given the ability. Especially as a mestizo, you're just inviting all sorts of confusion that is not going to help you. I'm not saying it's going to get you in trouble, but I don't know that it won't lead to something awkward in which you look like you were trying to game the system.

[AreJay711]

Your question is a significant one, and exhibits why the Diversity Statement is so important. I got the impressiont that in addition to telling adcomms how youre race has affected your upbringing, a DS also serves as a stamp of authenticity to show that you aren't just "checking the box," that you really are a diverse candidate. That may just be me talking out my ass. If you really do have strong indigenous roots and you choose to check the box, than the DS may be a good place to explain that you are Indian, but not a North American Indian.

This. You have a chance to explain so use it and check as whatever you think you are.

[Ikki]

Hispanic/South American only. Caucasian too if you feel like it. On US apps, Native American means tribal affiliation within the borders of the US and maybe Canada with documentation. The displaced natives of spanish (or I guess in this case Portugese) nations are basically not considered. Unless you're Mexican or Puerto Rican, in which case they just kinda assume you're aztec or taino.

hahahahhaahha

wtf no mms "Ikki" I'm soooo Aztec....estoy tan mamado y moreno..Y...estudie a donde???......SDSU...y sooooomos...Azzzzzztecs

hahahahaha
You had to put in the quotation marks? A ver pinche La...
A verdad puto!

[DreamsInDigital]

I think the best answer to this is to respond with how you self identify, within the confines of the specific question. It sounds like racially I self-identify the same way you do. some application do...

While my response earlier was a little tongue in cheek, I think it's pretty important to point out that the US can be a little weird about Native American status because of all of the tribal relations...

I think you have a point that a lot of times stuff in the US has a pretty narrow view of what Native American is and that you should be careful that you don't claim something that isn't true (which is why I advised the OP that he/she should read the questions carefully).

Thinking back about my applications, I would say a little over half of them specified either that they only meant North American Indian or that they require some sort of tribal affiliation/membership if you answer yes.

The rest of them didn't specify what they meant by the term, and the only metric they used is how you self identify, so I answered truthfully (which is Indigenous and White).

[geoduck]

I think the best answer to this is to respond with how you self identify, within the confines of the specific question. It sounds like racially I self-identify the same way you do. some application do...

While my response earlier was a little tongue in cheek, I think it's pretty important to point out that the US can be a little weird about Native American status because of all of the tribal relations...

I think you have a point that a lot of times stuff in the US has a pretty narrow view of what Native American is and that you should be careful that you don't claim something that isn't true (which is why I advised the OP that he/she should read the questions carefully).

Thinking back about my applications, I would say a little over half of them specified either that they only meant North American Indian or that they require some sort of tribal affiliation/membership if you answer yes.

The rest of them didn't specify what they meant by the term, and the only metric they used is how you self identify, so I answered truthfully (which is Indigenous and White).

Fair enough. I only have a tiny bit of true indigenous in me and that bit is Nahua and I'm unsure of exactly what group, so I steered clear of "American Indian" whether it specified tribal affiliation or not. I got a surprise scholarship as an undergrad related to my Mexican heritage and I didn't want to run the risk of finding myself with an "American Indian" scholarship and being asked what tribe I'm from...

[DreamsInDigital]

...

...

....

Fair enough. I only have a tiny bit of true indigenous in me and that bit is Nahua and I'm unsure of exactly what group, so I steered clear of "American Indian" whether it specified tribal affiliation or not. I got a surprise scholarship as an undergrad related to my Mexican heritage and I didn't want to run the risk of finding myself with an "American Indian" scholarship and being asked what tribe I'm from...

Haha, I never even thought about that. It might be a little awkward...but just start talking about white colonization and how that has robbed us of the opportunity to officially connect with the indigenous communities we come from, and people would let you slide.

[SupraVln180]

I think the best answer to this is to respond with how you self identify, within the confines of the specific question. It sounds like racially I self-identify the same way you do. some application do specify tribal membership within north america. On those, I just checked latino or mexican american and left the race question blank. On the applications that just ask for self identification I responded with white and native american.

People may disagree with me on this, but all those questions are arbitrary anyway. As long as you're not lying and actually identify with what you select, no one had the right to tell you otherwise.

I disagree. Do not check Native American on some apps and not check it on one's that ask for a tribe card. Your applications will be throughly reviewed for the C&F portion of the bar once you graduate and if you have discrepancies in your apps, there may be problems. Personally, I would just check the other hispanic box.

[mrwarre85]

Off topic, but what if the person had tribal membership but had a CDIB card and was like 1/114423 of native blood? Would C&F have issues with this? I'm not sure if I would feel about that, but in a few hundred years that will be the reality. You can't lose your tribal membership for a lot of tribes, and many partial natives continue to marry whites and further dilute the line.

[geoduck]

Off topic, but what if the person had tribal membership but had a CDIB card and was like 1/114423 of native blood? Would C&F have issues with this? I'm not sure if I would feel about that, but in a few hundred years that will be the reality. You can't lose your tribal membership for a lot of tribes, and many partial natives continue to marry whites and further dilute the line.

Well given that the tribes are similar to strict jus sanguinis nations and that a member of a jus sanguinis nation generally passes on their citizenship status to their child regardless of the status of their spouse... it would seem fair to stay that as long as the line is unbroken, that person is still a certified Native American. Jews are a great example of this. As long as the mother is Jewish, the child is Jewish. Sure some branches are now more European in blood than Judean, but they all qualify for Israeli citizenship.