Some one asked me once if Haitians were considered Latino. I'm...

Some one asked me once if Haitians were considered Latino.

I'm Haitian-American and I've always thought about whether or not I fit into that group of people.

I'm always hearing people say (mainly Dominicans and Puerto Ricans) that Haitians are not Latino because we're Black and we don't speak Spanish.

Then I think to myself, well, what's the difference between a Black Haitian woman who speaks French and a Black Cuban Celia Cruz who speaks Spanish?

Both are from Latin America and speak languages derived from Latin.

So do they mean to say Celia Cruz is Latino but the Haitian woman isn't?

I also hear them say that only people who speak Spanish are Latino without even giving thought to Brazilians who speak Latin derived Portuguese.

Hispanic is not synonymous with Latino.

Hispanics are people who speak Spanish and Latinos are people from Central and South-America who speak Languages derived from Latin, no matter the skin color or hair texture.

These languages include Portuguese, French, Spanish, Italian and Romanian.

Spanish is not the only language that cmes from Latin.

Even though a vast majority of Haitians Speak Haitian Creole; Over 90% of Haitian Creole is Latin derived French.

So I believe it's fair to say that Haitian people are indeed Latino.

I am Latino.