By Jamie Iglesias

Daily Titan Staff Writer

The growth of the Latino population in the United States is a source of great pride for all Latinos. However, it is also a source of strife when a community so diverse is categorized by one label.

Despite the achievements of Latinos and Hispanics, there are some who choose to refer to our entire community as “Mexican,” leaving out the fact that Latinos and Hispanics come from many other countries.

This is a reality for many other minority groups.

Minorities must face the ignorance that is often presented by people who do not take into consideration the variations between nationalities. It isn’t that these assumptions are hurtful, it’s that they occur constantly and without consideration for the truth.

Latinos and Hispanics are the fastest-growing minority population. As a result, a lot of people assume the largest Hispanic group is the Mexican American population.

This fact is what leads many to assume that all Latinos are Mexican, or not care what their actual ethnicity is.

For those who are not Mexican, it becomes a constant reminder that our country of origin and our culture is ignored.

On Tuesday, while waiting for the shuttle that transports students to the Meridian Sports Club parking lot, I had a great conversation with someone who asked what my nationality is.

I was surprised by the question. Many people just choose to make an assumption based on what they see, but there is rarely any effort made to ask about my nationality.

It was almost remarkable when I was asked. I felt respected and acknowledged based on my personal qualities and not initial assumptions.

I grew up and went to school in a neighborhood where the majority of my neighbors and friends were Mexican. My younger sister and I were among the few people who were Central American.

When people assume that all Latinos are from one country, they basically state that we are all the same to them.

In the Latino and Hispanic community, there is an understanding of the diversity that exists within our countries, and we see these differences in our traditions, characteristics and, more significantly, in the way that most of us speak Spanish.

We celebrate many of the same holidays, but our customs and traditions, while they may appear similar, are unique.

People have come to this country from all over the world.

Labeling people based on their appearance shows how ignorant many can be.

It only takes a simple inquiry to get beyond assumptions and actually learn about what comprises the Latino and Hispanic cultures.

We should be more conscious of the way we refer to people because even though it may seem like a simple mistake to label others without regard to their culture, it really shuns the truth.