Quote:La Raza translates to "The Race"...

 

While that's technically true, the literal meaning is in fact "the race", but when translating from Spanish to English, you can't always do so literally.  Trust me I know as a Hispanic of Mexican descent that grew up bilingual in the southwestern U.S. (New Mexico to be exact).  As an example, the phrase "Senor Smith tiene ojos verde" translates literally as "Mr. Smith has eyes green", but what is meant in the English translation is "Mr. Smith has green eyes".

 

As it relates to La Raza the organization, perhaps read the FAQ on their website for their explanation.

Quote: 

 

What does the term “La Raza” mean?
The term “La Raza” has its origins in early 20th century Latin American literature and translates into English most closely as “the people” or, according to some scholars, “the Hispanic people of the New World.”  The term was coined by Mexican scholar José Vasconcelos to reflect the fact that the people of Latin America are a mixture of many of the world’s races, cultures, and religions.  Some people have mistranslated “La Raza” to mean “the race,” implying that it is a term meant to exclude others.  In fact, the full term coined by Vasconcelos, “la raza cósmica,” meaning “the cosmic people,” was developed to reflect not purity but the mixture inherent in the Hispanic people.  This is an inclusive concept, meaning that Hispanics share with all other peoples of the world a common heritage and destiny.

 

Now I know this to be true only because I have read a lot of Latin American or more specifically Chicano literature.

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