The latest government census form is fairly straightforward, but question No. 9 has proved troubling for some Hispanics.
Valenzuela, like a lot of people, isn't quite sure where she fits in.
"Obviously, I'm not white," said Valenzuela, 37. "I would consider myself Hispanic or Mexican-American, but definitely not white. The form doesn't really leave you with another option, though."
In Monterey County, the distinction could prove important to many residents because there is a large population of people who are both Hispanic and American Indian, including Triqui and Mixtec residents.
"I think the question gets to the subgroups," said Monterey County Supervisor Simón Salinas.
Currently, there aren't clear numbers on the population of Hispanics in the area who are also members of indigenous communities.
But the question of race — which comes after people answer "yes" to being of Hispanic origin — will face an estimated one out of every two Monterey County residents. According the American Community Survey, 53 percent of the county's population, or about 217,007 people, is Hispanic or Latino.
It can be confusing because Hispanic, under the Census definition, can include people of any race and from anywhere in the world.
The issue is not a new one, said David Swanson, a professor of sociology at the University of California-Riverside, and chairman of the Census Advisory Committee of Professional Associations.
"They've been trying to play catch-up for several years," Swanson said. "This issue has never been an easy one."
One reason it's so thorny? People's thoughts on the subject change throughout the years. In the 1930 census, for example, "Mexican" was considered a race all to itself.
It also indicates how society's view of Americans of Mexican descent has evolved through the years. Many were taught in schools they belonged to the white race. Others, looking at the indigenous roots of many Mexicans and other Latin Americans, disagreed with the label.
"It's been confusing for everybody ever since," Swanson said. "The census is always trying to keep up with changes in American culture, yet it needs to retain some consistency."
The first attempt to comprehensively tabulate people who are Hispanic didn't happen until 1970. Since then, an increasing number of Hispanics have marked "some other race." In the 2000 census, 48 percent of
Hispanics described themselves as white while 42 percent chose "some other race."
"In this century, some people feel comfortable calling themselves Latinos, because it's all-encompassing," said Leo Cardenas, a manager for the Census Bureau. "Other people want to be Chicano, others want to be Hispanic. ... If you're looking at the form and you're thinking, 'That's not who I am,' that's your chance to identify yourself and state how you view yourself. It's self-identification, and you will be counted."
And, Salinas said, the most important thing is that every Monterey County resident is counted.
The decennial count is used to divvy up federal money and create political districts. An estimated $526 million that came to Monterey County in 2008 was distributed based on census data. For every one person that sits out, the county could lose about $1,288 each year that could have been spent on education, health care and road improvements, according to a study by the Brookings Institute.
Those that struggle with Question 9 — race — after answering "yes" on Question 8 — Hispanic origin — should try to quickly find an answer, even though there may be no easy one.
In fact, Swanson said, there is no wrong response to the question.
"There is no set definition as to what race and ethnicity is," he said. "There's social categories, social constructs, self-identification, maybe some voting-rights acts, but there's no hard-and-set definition as to race and ethnicity."
Some people think of leaving the question blank, which doesn't solve the problem, either. An accurate count helps determine which communities receive funding and helps determine congressional districting.
"I think the key is to get counted," Salinas said. "This is significant."
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