Who is Latino? Who counts as Native American? The debate over
who is considered a minority was brought to the spotlight by the
Senate race in Massachusetts. Democratic candidate Elizabeth
Warren claimed she had Native American heritage, but there's no
records to indicate that. Still, Warren insists that she learned
of her background through family stories and that she is proud
of her heritage. Today, The New York World ran a story that
talks about the real-world implications of these questions.
Essentially a New York City program that assists minority
business owners is asking Latinos to provide proof of their
ethnicity by showing a birth certificate and an affidavit
confirming their ethnic identity. The World reports: "'It's
ridiculous that I needed an additional document to prove that I
am eligible for the program as a Hispanic,' says Leon-Veras, who
employs 120 people in her janitorial services business based in
Washington Heights. "Like Leon-Veras, all Latinos who apply for
a certification under the city'