Brown University

Framing Identity: Nonprofit Messaging and the Politics of Latinidad

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Abstract:
Latinos are now the largest minority group in the United States. As the population grows, it also continues to diversify along the lines of citizenship, nationality, politics, class, and education. In this thesis, I examine how and why advocacy nonprofits have shifted their messaging around Latino identity over time, and what their issue priorities reveal about their assumptions regarding Latino political preferences. Through a text analysis of Instagram posts from two organizations—the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) and Voto Latino—I find that MALDEF emphasizes the dangers and challenges facing Latinos in the US, while Voto Latino highlights the contributions of Latinos to the country through optimistic narratives about civic engagement. This study illuminates the broader process of ethnoracial identity construction in America and offers insights for advocacy nonprofits working to represent and mobilize Latinos in an increasingly polarized political landscape.
Notes:
Senior thesis (AB)--Brown University, 2025
Concentration: International and Public Affairs

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Citation

Roth-Shapiro, Lilly A., "Framing Identity: Nonprofit Messaging and the Politics of Latinidad" (2025). The Watson School of International and Public Affairs Theses and Dissertations, International and Public Affairs Theses and Dissertations. Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library. https://doi.org/10.26300/3kxt-y650

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