Ethnicity, Race, and Nationality

People of Color

The term “people of color” and its initialism “POC” are generally acceptable when referring to people who identify with racial or ethnic groups other than white in the United States. The acronym “BIPOC” refers to Black, Indigenous, and people of color. This recent term acknowledges the unique relationship and history that Black and Indigenous people have had with white supremacy in the U.S. It may be more appropriate to use than “POC,” depending on the context.

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

“Asian American” is used generally to describe some Americans of Asian descent. “Pacific Islander” describes people with roots to the Indigenous people of the Pacific Islands. Using the initialism “AAPI” to refer to these two groups may be appropriate, depending on the context. However, try to avoid generalizations whenever possible. Try and use the same language that a person or group uses to self-identify, which may be more specific (e.g., Filipino American, Korean American).

Black vs. African American

Although “Black” and “African American” are often used interchangeably to describe most people of African descent in the U.S., current best practice is to use “Black” rather than “African American” whenever identity preferences are unknown. As always, follow a person’s preference in how they want to be identified. For example: Black, African American, Afro-Latino, Caribbean American. Use Black as an adjective in a racial, ethnic, or cultural sense (e.g., “Black authors”). Never use it as a standalone noun (e.g., “a Black”). Capitalize the “b” in “Black.” This is a recent change among many news organizations, such as The Associated Press and The New York Times. This is a change that many people have sought for years to better represent a shared culture rather than just a skin tone.⁴

Indigenous Americans

Whenever possible, use the specific names of the Indigenous groups you are talking to or about. If the specific nations or tribes cannot be named, use “Indigenous.” Note that some Indigenous people prefer “Indigenous American,” “American Indian,” or “Native American.” Some prefer “nation” or “tribe.” It is always best to check the preferred terminology, if possible. “Native-led” is accepted if an organization uses that modifier to describe itself.

Latino/a, Latine, Latinx, and Hispanic Americans

“Latinx” has recently emerged as a gender-neutral alternative to the gendered terms “Latino” and “Latina.” In the U.S., the first uses of “Latinx” appeared more than a decade ago, and “Latinx” was added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary in 2018.⁵ While usage of this term may be growing, only a very small percentage of respondents in a 2020 Pew Research Center poll said they used the term to describe themselves.⁶ “Latine” is a slightly older gender-neutral term created by LGBTQ+ Spanish speakers. Use “Latine” or “Latinx” if a person or organization self-identifies that way. Otherwise, use “Latino/a” and “Latinos/as” (e.g., “Latino/a populations,” “Latinos/as in the United States”). “Hispanic” refers to people with roots from Spanish-speaking countries, while “Latino,” “Latina,” “Latine,” and “Latinx” refer to people with roots in Latin America. These terms should not be used interchangeably, though they are often mistakenly used that way. Instead of generalizations, use more specific identifications when possible (e.g., Puerto Rican, Brazilian, Mexican American, Cuban).

Middle Eastern or North African American

The Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) region broadly represents people and communities with heritages and cultural roots between the Persian Gulf, Mediterranean Sea, and North Africa.⁷ Overall, the MENA region includes more than a dozen countries, including Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, and Morocco.⁸ In 2020, the U.S. Census, introduced MENA examples in a write-in response area. About 3.5 million people identified as MENA.⁹ As of 2019, there were over 1.3 million immigrants¹⁰ in the U.S. that come from the region. Generally speaking, there is no broad term that encompasses individuals from MENA, and it is advised that you refer to the ethnicity and country of origin when speaking to or about someone from the MENA region (e.g., Yemeni for someone from Yemen or Iranian for a person from Iran).

Multiracial and Biracial

A 2020 U.S. Census report shows the number of people identifying themselves with two or more races increased by 276% from 2010-2020.¹¹ When referring to people with more than one racial heritage, “biracial” and “multiracial” are generally acceptable. Avoid the term “mixed race.”