race (n.)
Refers to the concept of dividing people into populations or groups on the basis of various sets of physical characteristics that result from genetic ancestry. Sociologists use the concept of race to describe how people think of and treat groups of people, as people very commonly classify each other according to race (e.g., as African-American […]
person of color/poc (n.)
Person/people of color. Used primarily in the United States to describe any person who is not white; the term is meant to be inclusive among non-white groups, emphasizing common experiences of racism.
multiethnic (adj.)
A person who identifies as multiethnic may identify with two or more ethnicities; a person whose biological parents are of two or more ethnicities.
multiracial (adj.)
A person who identifies as multiracial identifies with two or more races; a person whose biological parents are of two or more different races. “Multiracial” is sometimes used interchangeably with “biracial” and “mixed race.”
indigenous (adj.)
A person who identifies with those who inhabited or existed in a land from the earliest times or from before the arrival of people from different cultures or ethnic origins arrived with the intention to colonize. The new arrivals later became dominant through conquest, occupation, settlement or other means. Indigenous peoples hold their own diverse […]
First Nations people (adj.)
Individuals who identify as those who were the first people to live on the North and South American Continents; people also identified as Native Americans.
ethnicity (n.)
The culture of people in a given geographic region, including their language, heritage, religion and customs. Ethnicity is not the same as race or nationality.
biracial (adj.)
A biracial person identifies as coming from two races; a person whose biological parents are of two different races. A biracial person may identify more strongly with one race or culture over another, and their racial identity may change over time. A biracial person may also identify as being bicultural, meaning they may understand, feel […]
bipoc (adj.)
An acronym that stands for Black, Indigenous, People of Color. As an alternative to “POC” (People of Color), “BIPOC” is a more specific descriptor of the experiences of Black and Indigenous people. “POC” has been criticized for overgeneralizing the experiences of racial minorities, and “BIPOC” is a reaction to this criticism. However, “POC” does have […]