<p>Latino/as are the largest and fastest growing ethnic group in the U.S. Yet, they may constantly face overt and covert racist incidents. Discrimination and racism have been shown to be chronic life stressors associated with negative mental health outcomes for Latino/as in the U.S.  Nonetheless, mental health professionals are often ill-equipped to assess and integrate these issues into treatment.  This article examines the current state of racism in the U.S. and suggests that this issue can be conceptualized as a traumatic event, with dynamics that mimic those demonstrated in conjunction with other types of trauma, such as some forms of interpersonal violence.</p>