UCLA Report Advocates for 'Street Race' Inquiry to Enhance Latino Data Collection

A recent report from the Latino Policy and Politics Institute at UCLA suggests that asking Latinos about their “street race” could significantly improve the government's approach to collecting data on race and ethnicity. The report highlights that current methods, particularly those used by the U.S. Census Bureau, may not accurately capture the diverse experiences of Latinos, especially Black Latinos, who often face unique forms of discrimination. The authors argue that understanding how individuals are perceived racially by others can provide deeper insights into their lived experiences. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has recently modified its guidelines for federal data collection, allowing individuals to select "Hispanic" or "Latino" as a combined race/ethnicity category. This change follows findings from the 2020 census, which revealed that many Hispanics do not identify strictly as white, Black, or Asian, but rather as “some other race” or “two or more races.” While some scholars support this combined category as reflective of many people's identities, others express concern that it may obscure critical racial distinctions within the Latino community. Lopez emphasizes that “street race” encompasses more than just skin color, noting that individuals with diverse facial features may experience discrimination based on their appearance, regardless of their skin tone. This perspective underscores the complexity of racial identity among Latinos and the need for nuanced data collection methods that reflect these realities. The report calls for a more comprehensive approach to understanding Latino identities, advocating for the inclusion of questions that capture the multifaceted nature of race and ethnicity in federal data collection efforts.