Terms We Use at The Center

Language is always changing, especially depending on where, when and how it鈥檚 used. Communities use language to connect, support one another and express shared identity. There鈥檚 no single 鈥渞ight鈥 way to name ourselves.听

This page offers context for some of the terms used by The Center, including why we use them and where they come from. We鈥檙e often asked what certain acronyms mean or why specific words are chosen. Here, you鈥檒l find brief explanations to help make our language more transparent and accessible.听

Whenever possible, we encourage using the terms people choose for themselves.听

AAPI

AAPI stands for Asian American and Pacific Islander. It鈥檚 a broad, pan鈥慹thnic term used in the United States to describe people with roots in many different countries, cultures and histories across Asia and the Pacific Islands.听

The term Asian American was created in 1968 by student activists Emma Gee and Yuji Ichioka to bring together people of different Asian ethnicities under a shared political identity for advocacy and solidarity. Over time, Pacific Islanders were included to recognize their distinct histories and experiences. AAPI later became a U.S. Census category and a designated heritage month in the 1990s.听

Because AAPI includes people from many regions, cultures and backgrounds, it can sometimes flatten important differences鈥攕uch as ethnicity, language, migration history and lived experience.听听

For this reason, more specific terms are often used, including:听
  • AANHPI: Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander听
  • APIDA:听 Asian Pacific Islander Desi American听
  • APIMEDA:听 Asian Pacific Islander Middle Eastern Desi American听
  • SWANA: Southwest Asian and North African听

Many people don鈥檛 identify with any umbrella acronyms. When possible, it鈥檚 best to use specific identities, such as Samoan, Hmong or Pakistani, or hyphenated identities like Filipino/a/x American or Korean American. Using specific language shows respect and acknowledges the diversity within these communities.听

If you鈥檙e referring very broadly to many groups at once, AAPI is still a commonly used and recognizable term. There is no single 鈥渃orrect鈥 acronym, and language will continue to evolve as communities shape the terms that feel most affirming to them.听

For more in-depth information on the history of the label, read:听

Ho, Jennifer. (2025, May 20). How Asian American became a racial grouping. Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine.听听

尝补迟颈苍茅/尝补迟颈苍虫

Bones, Sonja. 麻豆免费版下载, Division of Student Affairs. (2025, August 26). Why Latine Statement. 麻豆免费版下载.听听

The language used to describe people with roots in Latin America and the Caribbean has been evolving for decades in the context of the United States. Terms like Hispanic, Latino, Latina, Latinx and Latine reflect different histories, politics and personal preferences.听

A Brief History

  • Hispanic was introduced by the U.S. government in the 1970s so data could be collected about people with ancestry from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central America and South America. Before this, many were categorized as 鈥渨hite,鈥 which did not reflect experiences of discrimination or exclusion.听
  • By the 1990s, many people rejected Hispanic because of its ties to Spain and colonialism. Latino was added to government use in the late 1990s and appeared on the U.S. Census in 2000.听
  • Latin@ emerged online in the late 1990s to be more gender鈥慽nclusive, but it wasn鈥檛 easily pronounceable.听
  • Latinx appeared in the early 2000s, especially within queer, feminist and Chicana/x communities, to move away from gendered language like Latino or Latina.听
  • Latine gained traction in the 2010s, particularly among Spanish speaking LGBTQ+ communities, because the 鈥渆鈥 is gender-neutral and easier to pronounce in Spanish.听

Why There鈥檚 No Single Right Term

Latinx and Latine both come from LGBTQ+ and feminist communities, and people use them differently鈥攐r not at all. Some people prefer Latino/a, Chicano/a/x, Hispanic or another term entirely. Others don鈥檛 speak Spanish at all and may use English, Indigenous languages, Portuguese or other languages.听

Some critiques of Latinx focus on pronunciation or its U.S.-centered origins. Others see it as part of a long history of resistance, identity鈥慴uilding and challenging colonial language norms.听

Language and identity are complex and personal. The conversation around these terms is ongoing, and that鈥檚 okay.听

No matter what term you use for yourself, you鈥檙e part of this broader story and community. We aim to honor the origins of these terms and respect how individuals choose to identify.听

  • Bishop, M., & Vargas, C. (2014, May 2). Latino USA.听
  • Schelenz, R., & Freeling, N. (2019, October 10). . University of California.听
  • Salinas, C., & Lozano, A. (2021). The history and evolution of the term Latinx. In E. G. Murillo Jr., D. Delgado Bernal, S. Morales, L. Urrieta Jr., E. Ruiz Bybee, J. S谩nchez Mu帽oz, V. B. Saenz, D. Villanueva, M. Machado-Casas, & K. Espinoza (Eds.), Handbook of Latinos and Education (2nd ed., pp. 249鈥263). Routledge.听
  • Brammer, J. P. (2019, May/June). Mother Jones.听
  • Garcia, T. (2022, October 12). . Teen Vogue.听
  • L贸pez, Q. (2022, October 10). 8 LGBTQ+ people on whether they prefer 鈥淟atinx,鈥 鈥淟atine,鈥 or neither. Them.听

LGBTQ+

LGBTQ+ is an umbrella acronym that includes lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and other identities that don鈥檛 fit within heterosexual or cisgender norms.听

There are longer versions of the acronym (such as 2SLGBTQIA+) that include additional identities like Two鈥慡pirit, intersex and asexual. We use LGBTQ+ for simplicity and readability, recognizing that language continues to change and grow over time.听

We also sometimes use QT or Queer and Trans to describe the larger umbrella acronym in a similar way as LGBTQ+. Trans is a shortened version of the word Transgender, which includes many gender identities when used as an umbrella term, like it is in this use case. Because queer was a derogatory term used in past decades, but has now been reclaimed, not everyone likes to use or be described by it. If you are unsure, defaulting to LGBTQ+ is generally safer.听

Blakemore, E. (2021, October 19). . National Geographic.听

Native and Indigenous

There are many valid ways people identify within Native and Indigenous communities, and individuals may use different terms depending on context.听听

  • American Indian and Native American generally refer to Indigenous peoples of the Americas. Native American became more widely used in the 1970s.听
  • Some people reject American Indian because it comes from a colonial error, while others鈥攅specially elders鈥攃ontinue to use or reclaim it. In legal contexts, American Indian is used because it reflects the language in U.S. law and policy.听
  • Native and Indigenous are widely used and accepted terms.听
  • First Nations refers specifically to Indigenous peoples of Canada.听

For many people, the most meaningful identifier is their specific tribal nation, such as Din茅, Lakota or Ute. Some nations are known by names given by colonial governments, while others use names from their own languages.听

The most respectful approach is to use the terms people choose for themselves. If someone corrects you, following their preference is always the right choice.听

. Native American Rights Fund. (2025, November 19).听听

. Native Knowledge 360掳. (n.d.).