Political, social, and historical factors have played a significant role in developing “Asian American” and “Hispanic” identities in the United States. The identities also developed due to a protracted history of immigration and settlement by people from different Asian nations. This identity was created in response to the unfair rules and practices Asian immigrants in the United States had to endure. It is important to note that these identities are fluid and dynamic, continually changing in reaction to societal shifts and the experiences of those who adhere to them (Zhou, 2004). Additionally, creating these identities was only sometimes a straightforward or uncontested process. Some individuals and communities may have preferred to retain their specific cultural or national identity rather than embrace a broader pan-ethnic one.
Various variables have influenced the idea of Asian American identity, making it a complicated and highly controversial subject. While some Americans of Asian origin may identify as Asian Americans, others might not agree that this description adequately captures their experiences or cultural heritage. This is especially true for Laotian immigrants, who may have distinct cultural traditions and experiences from other Asian American groups. According to the New York Times article “The Myth of Asian American Identity,” the notion of a single, unified Asian American identity is untrue. Instead, the experiences of people of Asian origin in the country are extremely varied and cannot be reduced to a cohesive identity (Kang, 2021). This is especially true of immigrants from Laos, who may not feel a strong sense of belonging to the greater Asian American group because they come from different cultural and historical backgrounds.
El Salvador has a unique language, food, and cultural traditions that distinguish it from other Latin American nations; hence an immigrant from El Salvador might not identify as Latino. El Salvadorans may feel that the term “Latino,” frequently used to describe people from Spanish-speaking nations in Central and South America, does not appropriately describe their cultural background. Additionally, immigrants from El Salvador may have had very different experiences in the United States from other Latino communities since they may have faced challenges specific to their immigration history and cultural background. The term “Latine” may occasionally be used to unite various populations of Latin American ancestry and give them a unified voice in political and social issues. However, for some immigrants from El Salvador, the label may also be associated with negative stereotypes or be seen as a way to homogenize their diverse cultural experiences.
It would be a mistake to consider Asian American or Latina to be fixed and unchanging categories because these identities are shaped by various factors and can change over time and across different contexts. This is particularly true for second-generation immigrants, who may have a unique set of experiences and cultural traditions that set them apart from their parents and other members of their community. In the article by Anthony, he argues that the experiences of second-generation immigrants can be complex and challenging as they navigate the intersections of their cultural heritage and the cultural norms of the larger society (Ocampo, 2014). In conclusion, it would be incorrect to view Latino or Asian Americans as fixed, unchanging categories, especially for second-generation immigrants with special experiences and cultural traditions that influence their sense of identity and how they interact with others in their community.
References
Kang, J. C. (2021). The myth of Asian American identity. The New York Times Magazine., 1–17.
Ocampo, A. C. (2014). Are second-generation Filipinos ‘becoming’ Asian American or Latino? Historical Colonialism, Culture and Panethnicity, Ethnic and Racial Studies, 37, 425–445.
Zhou, M. (2004). Are Asian Americans becoming ”white?”. Contexts, 3(1), 29–37.