Good morning. I’m high school senior and I have a question for you. I was at a party over the weekend and found out that this girl in my class got accepted to a competitive college. Honestly, I was kind of shocked because she’s not a particularly strong student. But then I found out that on her application she checked the box saying she’s Latina. I doubted that was the case so I looked into it. Turns out she has one grandparent who was born in Colombia. She doesn’t have a Latin name, doesn’t speak Spanish, and never even met her Colombian grandmother. When colleges ask about ethnicity they’re looking for people who have a lived experience other than the dominant culture, which in America is white. She looks completely white and has lived her life with the privilege that comes with it. Should I notify her college that she misrepresented her ethnicity? It’s not personal. I haven’t spent much time with this girl over the years and don’t care about her either way. I have no grudge against her. But she’s taking a spot that should go to a girl who lived a genuine Latina life. What do you think?
