Discussion Explores Latinx Identity and Norms

The "Many Caras (Faces) of Manhood" panelists (from left to right): Angel Hernandez, Pedro Santana, Israel Laguer, Alexis Delgado, Luis Garcia, Michael Rodriguez and Arnaldo Cordero-Roman.
Galloway, N.J. - What makes up a Latino man? Is it the way he talks? Where he comes from? How about the house he owns, the job he works or how many women he鈥檚 slept with in his lifetime? These were the questions at the center of the panel discussion, 鈥淭he Many Caras (Faces) of Manhood: Perspectives on Latino Identity and Norms,鈥 on Feb. 11.
Moderator Angel Hernandez, associate director of EOF at 番茄社区app, opened the evening with an anecdote about his own experiences and questions growing up in Elizabeth, N.J. as a gay Cuban man, hitting at the heart of the night鈥檚 conversation: 鈥淎m I American enough? Latino enough?鈥
The six panelists explored the complex and dynamic factors that influence Latino ethnic identity for men, including race, gender, language, culture, socioeconomic status, sexuality and religion.
鈥淚s masculinity an essence, embedded in us, immutable, or is it socially constructed, fluid?鈥 asked Michael Rodriguez, associate professor of Political Science, before explaining how cultural stereotypes and racism influence the Latino male identity, discussing the idea of the 鈥渆xceptional other.鈥
When asked what it means to be a bicultural man, Arnaldo Cordero-Roman, associate professor of Spanish, celebrated assimilating into American culture and its impact on his Latino identity: 鈥淚 have two souls, I have two cultures, I am two people in one.鈥
The panel broke down how socioeconomic status, race and masculinity intersect to shape Latino male identities from a young age. Pedro Santana, assistant vice president for Student Affairs, talked about the pressures of living in a collectivistic, patriarchal culture: 鈥淢any times, you don鈥檛 have a choice. It鈥檚 either you take that responsibility on, or, you know, the family falters. There鈥檚 a degree of responsibility that is entrusted to any young man if the father dies. We have to figure it out and make tough choices.鈥
Speakers also touched on the difficulties of unlearning toxic gender norms carried over from the previous generation. 鈥淢y parents emigrated from Peru. We lived like my Dad was a king 鈥 he was served hand and foot. As the oldest son, I reaped those benefits. I never had to serve food, or clean up the dishes鈥n college, I quickly learned that those same home behaviors were not going to exist as I was becoming more educated and partnering up with someone who was more educated,鈥 explained Alexis Delgado, director of EOF at Middlesex County College.
Israel Laguer, assistant director of ASCEND/EOF at Rowan University, had to re-examine his Latino identity after a friend questioned his race, ultimately embracing his African roots, too: 鈥淎fro-Latino has been rewarding for me, I love it, I express it all the time. It鈥檚 in my music, it鈥檚 in the way I express myself. It鈥檚 even influenced what fraternity I chose to join.鈥
In wrapping up the night鈥檚 discussion, Luis Garcia, assistant professor of health sciences at Stockton, responded to an audience member鈥檚 question regarding sexual identity and machismoism: 鈥淚 knew I didn鈥檛 want any of that. I wasn鈥檛 interested in pursuing a lot of women. Because of my sexual identity, that mold didn鈥檛 fit me. I think I had a lot of leverage to re-think what masculinity meant to me personally, more than a heterosexual Puerto Rican man that feels all these pressures and travels in that lane. That wasn鈥檛 my lane.鈥
The panel discussion was hosted by Unidos, in conjunction with the School of Arts and Humanities, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Provost鈥檚 Office and the Office of Student Development. To learn more about Unidos at Stockton, visit .
Reported by Eliza Hunt