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Meaning
La Raza means literally in Spanish the race. Broadly it is used to denote the people of Mexico and other peoples of Latin America, including those of such origins in the United States. Sometimes it is used to denote the mixture of those who are variously descended from the indigenous people of the Americas, the Spanish and other Europeans, Arabs, and Africans. In this later sense it is derived from the phrase La Raza Cósmica. In many cases it is an emotionally charged phrase; consequently its meaning in a particular case may be hotly debated.
In Latin America, the term is used generally to refer to all the people of the Spanish language Sprachraum.
Politics
In political movements in the United States, the term "La Raza" was adopted and continues to be used to encourage solidarity in favor of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement, labor rights, and the human rights of immigrants. In New Mexico is also refers to movements that encourage Hispanic culture and civil rights, including non-Mexicans and non-immigrants, more in keeping with the Latin American usage.
Business and organization names
Several businesses and organizations use "La Raza" as part of their name:
- National Council of La Raza -political advocacy group
- The Campus Alliance of La Raza * -a college political advocacy organization affiliated with the National Council of La Raza
- Galería de la Raza -San Francisco Bay Area art gallery
- La Raza Silkscreen Center, later renamed La Raza Graphics -San Francisco Mission District art collective and print shop
- Centro Cultural de la Raza -San Diego, California cultural center
- Plaza de la Raza -East Los Angeles, California cultural center
- Casa de la Raza -Santa Barbara, California cultural center
- La Raza, a Spanish language radio network with stations in Los Angeles (97.9 FM, KLAX-FM) and San Francisco (93.3 FM, KRZZ)
- Laraza.com, an Internet news service
- Centro de la Raza, a Seattle community center
- La Raza Centro Legal, a San Francisco Bay Area legal services agency
- Católicos por la Raza, a Chicano Movement Catholic organization
- Partido de la Raza Unida or Raza Unida Party, a United States political party
Miscellaneous
- Kid Frost's first album is titled La Raza
- Raza Odiada, an album by Mexican metal group Brujería
- Día de la Raza is celebrated on October 12 throughout Latin America in lieu of Columbus Day
- Raza, a 1942 Spanish film
- Los Siete de la Raza -a group of seven political prisoners
- "Viva la Raza" is a slogan
See also
- Chicano
- Mexican American
- Latino
- Hispanic
- Hispanic nationalism
- Race (United States Census)
- Ethnicity (United States Census)
- Volk
Spanish language | Politics and race | Latin American culture
"La Raza"