Maria Canabal is a name that rings a bell. She was born in Belize, and according to records has lived in the U.S. since the age of twenty-one. Height and nationality are common first names; Maria stands at the top of the list in the American Nationality category. Does this mean that Maria is a taller than the average woman? Is she a national or ethnic citizen of the United States? The short answer to these questions is “not necessarily.”
The United States has indeed become a melting pot of sorts, with different races mixing together and forming various cultural cliques. Some of these cliques heighten our sense of personal identity and some are simply the result of a group’s urge to stick together in a common cause. In terms of race, there is nothing specific to American racial demographics that would qualify Canabal as an out-and-out racist. She probably just means that her parents were both of Hispanic decent, and that her nationality has always been a factor in her personal life; if her parents were not of Hispanic decent, then she would be an American by default.
Height and nationality do play into the mix of personal characteristics that make someone desirable to prospective employers, though they do not define the qualities inherent in an individual. Employers have the discretion to choose from a pool of applicants to fill positions that require a certain level of education, experience, skill set or perhaps even a particular kind of occupational specialty. These employers often prefer candidates with a mix of nationalities and are willing to overlook minor differences like heritage, language or even a common name. Maria Canabal fits into this category, and she is free to pursue whatever career she chooses, knowing that her personal and professional accomplishments will not be seconded by her employer.