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Know Your Users or Visitors

As a whole, Latinxs reflect some of the rich cultural and ethnic diversity in the United States. Among Latinxs themselves, however, one can find a wide range of dialects, religions, practices, and food cultures. Even the terms community members use to identify themselves will vary. Not all Latinxs use the term used in this toolkit. The term “Latinx” is a gender-neutral alternative to the more commonly used term, “Latino.” Use of “Latinx” varies based on language preference and generation.

It is important to be aware of some of these differences and to know the characteristics of Latinxs in your state or local area. Be aware that language preferences may vary from person to person. You cannot assume that one group will speak only Spanish or only English because language proficiency and literacy fall on a spectrum. By gathering demographic and geographic data on the Latinxs you hope to engage with, you can have a clear picture of who your users or visitors are and avoid making assumptions or generalizations that do not apply to all Latinxs.

What is the average age of the community? Where are they coming from? Where do they reside? It can be valuable to consider your visitorship as it currently exists—are you working to reach out to new audiences or to engage a new audience that you already have?

The most recent data for Maryland Latinxs is from 2014. It found that:

  • Latinxs make up 9% of Maryland’s total population.
  • In and around Baltimore, Latinxs are 5% of Baltimore city’s population, 5% of Baltimore County’s, 3% of Carroll County’s, and 6% of Howard County’s. Notably, Latinxs are 19% of Montgomery County’s population and 17% of Prince George’s County’s population, the highest percentages in the state.
  • 50% of Maryland Latinxs were born outside the United States and 50% were born in the United States.
  • Maryland Latinxs are relatively young. Their median age is 28 years old, compared to 43 years old for non-Hispanic whites and 35 years old for non-Hispanic blacks.

How does this data affect your understanding of the Latinx community? Can you identify any misconceptions? What can you do to address those misconceptions and ensure you correct them?

Related resources and materials:

Know Your Users or Visitors