Being Latinx, Being Mestizo & Being Seen
- Christine Baker
- Dec 3, 2025
- 1 min read
“There are several stereotypes about Latinx writing and story telling that are very wrong.”
“Two thirds of Latinx people in the US were born here… This attention also erases the people who are already in this country and marginalizes the experiences of US-based Latinos.”
“There is tremendous diversity among Latinx people… More Latinx people don’t speak Spanish than don’t speak English.”
“Spanish is not something dropped in from outer space. It is the way many characters think and talk… Be true to your characters… do not italicize their Spanish.”
“Coming up with a name for those of us who trace our ancestry to Latin America has been tricky… For the magazine, I use Latine. It’s gender neutral and it can be properly pronounced in Spanish.”
“I am a mestizo.”
“I hate being stereotyped, so I try not to fall into stereotyping myself… I let my characters live their reality. I just chase after them to write it all down.”
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