Mexican Americans
Southwestern heritage community
Mexican Americans are people of Mexican descent who are citizens or residents of the United States.
The term encompasses both immigrants from Mexico and their American-born descendants, representing one of the largest ethnic groups in the U.S., particularly in the Southwest.
Mexican American identity often involves navigating both cultures, with varying degrees of connection to Mexican heritage, language, and traditions.
Mexican Americans have shaped American cuisine, music, and politics for generations.
Fifteenth birthday celebration
- Día de los MuertosMexican festival for ancestors
- mariachiMexican folk ensemble
- conjuntoRegional Mexican music group
- norteñoSpanish northern adjective
corridos · tamales · mole · pan dulce · Our Lady of Guadalupe · familia · carne asada · lowrider
Hybrid of two languages
- code-switchingAlternating between linguistic varieties
- SpanishLanguage of Iberia
- EnglishBritain's native tongue
- biculturalOf two cultural backgrounds
bilingual education · ESL · heritage speakers · language maintenance · Tex-Mex · translation · interpretation · accent
- Chicano MovementMexican American civil rights campaign
- labor rightsEmployees' legal workplace entitlements
- civil rightsGuaranteed individual legal protections
- voting rightsEntitlement to elect officials
Hispanic urban district
- coloniaLatin American residential district
- San AntonioSouth-central Texas city
- El PasoWest Texas border city
- South TexasSouthernmost Texas region
Rio Grande Valley · Pilsen · neighborhood · enclave · parish · mutual aid · community center · Spanish-language media
Mexican-American with activist heritage
- ChicanaMexican-American woman, culturally identified
- mestizoBiracial Latin American
- hyphenated identityCombined ancestry descriptor
- ethnic prideValuing one's heritage group
cultural pride · belonging · self-identification · dual identity · heritage · ancestry · generational identity · first-generation
Outer edge or limit
- crossingPoint where paths intersect
- migrationMovement to new territory
- naturalizationLegal path to belonging
- citizenshipStatus as state member
green card · undocumented · deportation · DACA · bracero · repatriation · family separation · visa
quinceañera
Fifteenth birthday celebration
- Día de los MuertosMexican festival for ancestors
- mariachiMexican folk ensemble
- conjuntoRegional Mexican music group
norteño · corridos · tamales · mole · pan dulce · Our Lady of Guadalupe · familia · carne asada · lowrider · murals
Spanglish
Hybrid of two languages
- code-switchingAlternating between linguistic varieties
- SpanishLanguage of Iberia
- EnglishBritain's native tongue
bicultural · bilingual education · ESL · heritage speakers · language maintenance · Tex-Mex · translation · interpretation · accent · fluency
Cesar Chavez
- Chicano MovementMexican American civil rights campaign
- labor rightsEmployees' legal workplace entitlements
- civil rightsGuaranteed individual legal protections
barrio
Hispanic urban district
- coloniaLatin American residential district
- San AntonioSouth-central Texas city
- El PasoWest Texas border city
South Texas · Rio Grande Valley · Pilsen · neighborhood · enclave · parish · mutual aid · community center · Spanish-language media · Telemundo
Chicano
Mexican-American with activist heritage
- ChicanaMexican-American woman, culturally identified
- mestizoBiracial Latin American
- hyphenated identityCombined ancestry descriptor
ethnic pride · cultural pride · belonging · self-identification · dual identity · heritage · ancestry · generational identity · first-generation · second-generation
border
Outer edge or limit
- crossingPoint where paths intersect
- migrationMovement to new territory
- naturalizationLegal path to belonging
citizenship · green card · undocumented · deportation · DACA · bracero · repatriation · family separation · visa · asylum
- Mexican Immigrationbraceros, Tejanos, migrants, undocumented, dreamers
- demographicspopulation density, population growth, age distribution, population, gender ratio
- diasporaAfrican diaspora, exiles, Irish diaspora, emigrants, Jewish diaspora
- ethnic groupsJews, Arabs, Chinese, Irish, Greeks
- WesternersArizonans, Californians, Coloradans, Nevadans, Utahns
Mexican AmericansAnglo-Americans
Americans from British stock
WASP · Anglos · European Americans · WASPs · gringos
Mexican Americansundocumented immigrants
Migrants without legal papers
Mexican AmericansNative Americans
Indigenous U.S. peoples