"Proving" race

[cicatrez879]

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Hi,
This question goes out to any URM's that have interviewed, already matriculated, etc. etc.

After you declared URM status and applied, did anyone along the way make you "prove" your identity?

I myself (a pinche guey) qualify for mexican URM status, but I look pretty white....light skin, blue eyes, dark hair. I was born in the US, but lived in Mexico for several years with the rest of my family, and eventually came back to the US. My extended family members (grandparents, aunt) were all born in Mexico and live in Mexico, and we're essentially as first generation as they come.

Nonetheless, I really don't have a mexican accent whatsoever, and the only way you'd be able to tell I was mexican was by my name, which is a stereotypical mexican name like "rodriguez" or "pinto" (hehe).

I'm just scared that when I step into the interview, the interviewers will start cracking up, or even worse yet, straight up call me a liar.

If you claimed you were Mexican, have you ever had an interviewer ask you questions in Spanish? Spanish was my first language, but it's literally been years since I routinely spoke it. It would indeed be a horror story if they started asking me interview questions in spanish.

What would you do in my shoes?

 

[mybubbles14]

Hi,
This question goes out to any URM's that have interviewed, already matriculated, etc. etc.

After you declared URM status and applied, did anyone along the way make you "prove" your identity?

I myself (a pinche guey) qualify for mexican URM status, but I look pretty white....light skin, blue eyes, dark hair. I was born in the US, but lived in Mexico for several years with the rest of my family, and eventually came back to the US. My extended family members (grandparents, aunt) were all born in Mexico and live in Mexico, and we're essentially as first generation as they come.

Nonetheless, I really don't have a mexican accent whatsoever, and the only way you'd be able to tell I was mexican was by my name, which is a stereotypical mexican name like "rodriguez" or "pinto" (hehe).

I'm just scared that when I step into the interview, the interviewers will start cracking up, or even worse yet, straight up call me a liar.

If you claimed you were Mexican, have you ever had an interviewer ask you questions in Spanish? Spanish was my first language, but it's literally been years since I routinely spoke it. It would indeed be a horror story if they started asking me interview questions in spanish.

What would you do in my shoes?

Personally I wouldn't do anything other than be the strongest applicant that you can be and apply broadly. There is no need for you to prove yourself. Not everyone looks like what most would stereotypically expect. If you are Mexican then check Mexican. There isn't a "urm" box to check and I doubt they would try to make you prove anything. I had an interviewer ask me if I was black (which was fairly obvious once and I think a little inappropriate), but I think I was getting a "stress" interview and he was just trying to see how I responded to a very stressful line of questioning and conversation (he was also like 85 so possibly out of touch). However, I think by and far this is an exception and something that you shouldn't worry about. The only proof that I have ever seen asked of on applications is for Native American, where they might ask you for some proof of tribal affiliation (such as Howard). I went to school with someone who was half Mexican and you would've never known it if he didn't tell you...fair skin, freckles and red hair (he was fluent in Spanish but again nothing you would've known if he didn't tell you). Anyways, I wouldn't worry about it. It's a self-description and it's not really anyone elses place to judge your identity (even those individuals who seek to abuse the self-designation option...) Besides, with the great diversity in applicants I doubt that you will be the first pinche guey that they will have encountered...and I hope they are informed enough to know that you can be Mexican with blue eyes.

 

[njbmd]

You don't have to prove anything. You are not trying to run for president of Mexico. Present a strong application and the rest will take care of itself.

 

[Dr Lyss]

Like everyone else said, you can't "prove" your ethnicity. There is no scale of Mexican-ness or anything like that that you need to live up to. I will warn you that if you don't feel comfortable speaking Spanish or don't want to be asked questions in Spanish, do NOT put that you are fluent in Spanish on your application. They will ask you about it and they can give you a Spanish speaking interviewer that can ask you questions in Spanish.

Good luck

 

[Tinkerbell22]

Don't worry... I'm Spanish and Portuguese and I don't look overly Latin either. I have green eyes and no one has ever questioned my heritage. Like you I also have a very hispanic name and my mother's maiden name is also. My Spanish is not very good... I can assure you that it is probably worse than yours so I definitely wouldn't be worried.

 

[delsilencio85]

If you claimed you were Mexican, have you ever had an interviewer ask you questions in Spanish? Spanish was my first language, but it's literally been years since I routinely spoke it. It would indeed be a horror story if they started asking me interview questions in spanish.

What would you do in my shoes?

Que onda paisano! I claim to be Mexican and have not been asked any questions in Spanish. I wish they did! You should start practicing Spanish anyway because you'll need it as a physician. Suerte! Let me know if you have any specific questions.

 

[FriendlyFace]

Hi,
This question goes out to any URM's that have interviewed, already matriculated, etc. etc.

After you declared URM status and applied, did anyone along the way make you "prove" your identity?

I myself (a pinche guey) qualify for mexican URM status, but I look pretty white....light skin, blue eyes, dark hair. I was born in the US, but lived in Mexico for several years with the rest of my family, and eventually came back to the US. My extended family members (grandparents, aunt) were all born in Mexico and live in Mexico, and we're essentially as first generation as they come.

Nonetheless, I really don't have a mexican accent whatsoever, and the only way you'd be able to tell I was mexican was by my name, which is a stereotypical mexican name like "rodriguez" or "pinto" (hehe).

I'm just scared that when I step into the interview, the interviewers will start cracking up, or even worse yet, straight up call me a liar.

If you claimed you were Mexican, have you ever had an interviewer ask you questions in Spanish? Spanish was my first language, but it's literally been years since I routinely spoke it. It would indeed be a horror story if they started asking me interview questions in spanish.

What would you do in my shoes?

just because you came from mexico doesnt make you a urm/latino. there are white mexicans out there as well. If you have to "prove" that you are a urm then you probably are not a urm. or better yet, if you are capable of creating babies with blondie hair/blue eyes then you definitely are not a urm.

 

[Fondue]

just because you came from mexico doesnt make you a urm/latino. there are white mexicans out there as well. If you have to "prove" that you are a urm then you probably are not a urm. or better yet, if you are capable of creating babies with blondie hair/blue eyes then you definitely are not a urm.

You should look up what it means to be hispanic. It's cultural, not racial. I find it very ignorant to think because someone may not be a dark-skinned hispanic, it makes them "less hispanic."