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'To say Fergie is claiming something she's not is an ignorant thought. She broke down her roots honestly and openly. I think its eye-opening when someone who doesn't traditionally look "hispanic" educates us all with the facts that they are. I am living proof of this stereotype. I am mexican, spanish, & italian and get all kinds of dumb comments about what others think I am. It can be very frustrating but in the end I believe in myself and am very proud of my multi-cultural background. There will always be issues of "latinidad" within our peeps as long as people remain close-minded and uneducated. There is always hope that with hispanics being the new majority that this perception could change... Vive los latinos todos!' bellamuchacha, July 22, 2008 - 8:16pm

'its' funny to see how defensive people become in justifying latina or non-latina roots in a DIFFERENT person other than themselves. Who ia anyone to say whether or not your latina? if Fergie claims to have Mexican descdants such as her grandmother than so be it. does it really bother people to know that perhaps just maybe a person is mixed with different cultures even if one culture appears more prominent than another? I can't belive what year we are in and to see such posts, i think its quite beautiful to have different cultures merge. I am of Puerto Rican descent and yet have cousins who are half scottish and Puerto rican, japenese and puerto rican and african american and puerto rican and the list goes on ... to have latina roots doesnt take away from any of your other roots it only adds to it and if people could open their eyes look past hair, eye and skin color etc. to see that ' jsanc341, July 17, 2008 - 10:36am

'For all u guys who obviously don't kno there is one race: the human race. There are African-American, Latino, Asian,etc. CULTURES. Race is a man-made concept based on physical characteristics and has NO biological basis whatsoever. There is no such thing as Mexican, African-America, Puerto Rican blood! If either culture is a part of someone's cultural heritage than they can claim that especially if the culture is prevalent in their life...Although she may not be "full-bred" she is still proud of her Mexican cultural roots and that means something to her. I'm of Creole heritage w/ French, Spanish, Cherokee, and Haitian roots adn I am proud of all culture and rep it 2 tha fullest even tho I "look" African-American...I am Creole and proud!!' creolesoul, June 30, 2008 - 11:25am

'Well, this is for Alandria, I'm sorrythat you feel that you got the "short end of the stick" because you look African American. I am part African American and part Puerto Rican. I look very much African American and I love the way that I look. I am proud of all of me and my heritage. What I think is sad is that in the Latina community the more European you look the more beautiful you are supposed to be. God made us all beautiful, he made us in many beautiful shades and hues, many different hair textures. Who are you to say which end of the stick is the short one?' Panthier, June 24, 2008 - 1:10pm

'Fergie is of Celtic descent. Just like Bono, Mariah Carey, and yes even Alicia Keys. Just like Bruce Springsteen and so many others. The only problem with this is that the media and yes even latinos and african americans refuse to accept the fact that there is much rythm, soul and mysticism around these artists. They should embrace their heritage with the same price and fierceness that other do. Let's all fess up to the fact that YES white people can dance, can sing, can compose and YES have all the rythm and soul that each of us embrace. Perhaps then Fergie and others would not have to justify their talent by claiming bogus ties to ethnicities that they are not a part of. Hey Fergie - embrace your Celtic roots - that's where the magic is!' Lindy, May 18, 2008 - 2:52pm

'I know this sounds harsh but, I hate it when white people say, oh my great grandmother was mexican so, I'm mexican. NO NOT REALLY! My dad was from Tamualipas, Mx, my mom, mexican, grandparents, mexican, great grandparents were mexican and apache indian. if i go back that far and all are still mexican...then duh, I'M MEXICAN. but, just b/c you have one relative that is partically mexican DOESN'T make you mexican. a previous poster momasita from StL,MO said we have a scarcity of hispanics...uh, where the heck do you live...I am in the heart of the Lou and am surrounded by my peeps. Try looking in South City on Cherokee St. hermana! We are everywhere and are coming to a town near you! If we don't already run it!' almadc2007, May 2, 2008 - 10:56am

'Just because u are born in a latin country dont make u latina. sorry Fergie ure dads great grandmother was born there, she isnt latina. my cousin was born in london ,she isnt english her blood is 100% colombian. People can be born any where, it doe'snt make it ure race. My prima did'nt automatically become white cause she was born in England.nether does she claim to have a white background because of it. lol!!! Latin roots.. what ever!!' la mona, May 2, 2008 - 3:27am

'Thank you so much alandrea for posting that. I can't agree with you more. Although I have a Hispanic last name, like you, I have always been putting up with people not believing me when I say I have Mexican background, because I don't look stereotypical. "No you're not" is the most common immediate response in unintelligent circles haha. Like we'd really bother lying about something like that all the time? I have no prupose whatsoever claiming an identity I don't belong to. While artists might be able to profit off of something like that, let's not accuse them of doing so the minute the idea of non-Anglo identity comes up. I do think it was a little weird of Fergie to say that's where she gets her fire, but it wou'dn't be weird if she felt her uncommon mix of heritage adds to her individual uniqueness.' Sudolee, April 30, 2008 - 6:49am

'Cabo is a popular vacation place - is that really representative of her heritage or just a coincidence? That's like calling Cancun part of one's homeland when people more or less mark Cancun as a complete tourist area. Anyway, why do people keep insisting on Latina 'Fire'? Isn't that just perpetuating the stereotype that our place of birth, language, or our ancestry is responsible whenever we lose our temper? ' jacaranda, April 24, 2008 - 11:50pm

'when i was younger i wasn't in touch with my latin roots because i was darker than the other girls. i was always the black girl and when i did tell people that wasnt all to me they woud always ask me to prove it. i've gotto nthe sort end of the stick; im very brown, i dont have a hispanin last name, and i wasnt raised knowing my hispanic family. (my grandfather was never around to raise my dad) so i found this: Bill of Rights for Racially Mixed People By Maria P.P. Root I HAVE THE RIGHT... -Not to justify my existence in this world. -Not to keep the races separate within me. -Not to be responsible for people's discomfort with my physical ambiguity. -Not to justify my ethnic legitimacy. I HAVE THE RIGHT... -To identify myself differently than strangers expect me to identify. -To identify myself differently from how my parents identify me. -To identify myself differently from my brothers and sisters. -To identify myself differently in different situations. I HAVE THE RIGHT... -To create a vocabulary to communicate about being multiracial. -To change my identity over my lifetime -- and more than once. -To have loyalties and identification with more than one group of people. -To freely choose whom I befriend and love Maria P. P. Root, PhD, is author of "The Multiracial Experience: Racial Borders as the New Frontier" ' alandrea, April 23, 2008 - 10:27am