Chicano or
Chicana (also spelled
Xicano or
Xicana) is a chosen identity of some
Mexican Americans in the United States. The term
Chicano is sometimes used interchangeably with
Mexican[-]American. Both names are chosen identities within the Mexican-American community in the United States. However, these terms have a wide range of meanings in various parts of the
Southwest. The term became widely used during the
Chicano Movement, mainly among Mexican Americans within the city of
Chicago who wanted to express an identity, of cultural, ethnic and community pride, similarly to the
Chicago Polonia.