IDEAS Data: Latino/Hispanic Outdoor Consumers Thought Leader Luis Benitez keyed us into this research on what the Latino/Hispanic community means to the outdoor industry. HISPANIC OR LATINO? The terms Hispanic and Latino do not refer to race but ETHNICITY. What's the difference? Race is connected to biology; ethnicity to geography or a shared cultural identity. LATINO refers to someone from or with cultural roots in Latin America (Brazilians don't speak Spanish but they are Latino). It's a distinction of geography. People who claim HISPANIC ethnicity, have cultural roots in places that speak Spanish (they could come from Guatemala or Spain or New Mexico). It is a distinction of language. We focus on Hispanics, but look at both groups here. RESEARCH THEYARE RISING. Hispanics made up 3.5 PERCENT of the U.S. population in 1960. By 1980, they were 8.8 PERCENT. In 2014, they jumped to 17.3 PERCENT, according to the Pew Research Center. Hispanics will soon be controlling a buying power of up to $1.5-$1.7 TRILLION ANNUALLY, according to Carlos Santiago, president and chief strategist of Santiago Solutions Group. The share of the Hispanic population THAT IS FOREIGN HAS BEEN DECLINING SINCE 2000. In 2014, the share of Hispanics who are foreign born dropped to 34.9 PERCENT, according to the Pew Research Center. THEY CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT. A whopping 86 PERCENT of Hispanic voters report that THEYWOULD PREFER THE U.S. TO INVESThttp://www.2ndwind.com http://www.hickorybrands.com http://www.hickorybrands.com http://www.2ndwind.com