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Abstract
How do skin color and racial appearance affect Latinas' well-being and life chances? The author reviews the treatment of racially and ethnically different people in colonial Mexico to better understand the identity dilemmas facing contemporary Latinas in race-conscious U.S. society. The literature indicates that skin color preference and prejudice impact the life chances and mental health of Hispanic Americans. A sample of critical incidents collected from field interviews conducted by students under the author's supervision illustrate their effect on childhood socialization, adult acculturation, and intergroup relations. The author calls for researchers and practitioners to assess the pernicious role that phenotype plays in the life paths of Hispanic peoples and to design effective interventive strategies to combat its effects.
