Results of 'Generation YLA' study

The "GenYLA" study looks at the current state of Young Latino Americans (YLAS), ages 18-34, and one of the fastest growing and increasingly important segments of the population. The research was conducted by the Telemundo Communications Group.

Some of the study key findings include:

• YLAS are highly maintaining their culture and heritage while still embracing their American Lifestyle.
• YLAS love being bi-cultural. More than one third of YLAS self-identified themselves as both Hispanic and American, identifying with both cultures equally the same. At the other end of the spectrum, only 2 percent felt more American than Hispanic. YLAS are in the midst of a retro-acculturation explosion. Because of the YLAS strong pride in their homeland and country of origin, this generation is re-discovering their heritage and is experiencing a Latino re-awakening. YLAS are going from George…to Jorge.
• For YLAS it is easy to toggle in and out of both the Hispanic and American cultures.
• YLAS live in a cultural fluid environment. YLAS best describe their closest group of friends an EQUAL mix of Latino and American,
• YLAS have no language boundaries or barriers.
• YLAS language mobility greatly depends on the place or situation they are in - they are chameleons in their space - they control it and they like it! At home, where the TVs are on, and with family - a larger percent choose to speak Spanish (39 percent at home, 55 percent with family); while at work (74 percent) and school (79 percent) the preference was English. Last but not least, among their friends, YLAs practice a mix of ‘Spanglish’.
• YLAS are the always-connected generation.
• YLAS are multi-taskers. YLAS are always consuming high levels of anything technological: 94 percent have access to the Internet at home; 84 percent have high-speed internet; and 87 percent stream video content, with another 73 percent that listen to music on the internet. Laptop ownership has taken precedence over desktop, with 73 percent that own a PC or a Mac.
• With a huge strength in mobile usage, a high percent (87 percent) of YLAS cannot live without it. YLAS are great multi-taskers as many of the activities they focus on are also centered among an online environment.

Source: Portada, “Telemundo Study: More than a Third of Young Latinos Identify as both Hispanic and American,” February 15, 2011.