Neither Here Nor There: Negotiating Hybridity in Second Generation Latinx Canadian Identities

This study examines the diverse ways second generation Latinx Canadians form and negotiate hybrid identities. The forthcoming analysis relies on a literature review and other secondary research sources, namely blog entries and social media accounts such as Instagram. The question that guides this study is: How do second generation Latinx Canadians express and assert multiple cultural identifications (ie: being Canadian and being Latinx)? Other areas that are explored include comparisons to the first generation, pressures from society to identify a certain way, how their sense of belonging is impacted, and if age and race is a factor in influencing identity formation. The study finds that the employment of a hyphenated identity is the principal means by which the second generation in the Latinx Canadian community express their hybrid identity. The role of technology also proves to be significant as well as the ability to acquire and command the Spanish language.

Key Words: second generation, Latinx, Canadian, identity, identity formation