Many parents teach their children about their cultural heritage and encourage cultural pride. In a diverse American society, parents are also charged with socializing their children to respond to potential discrimination. A research study by Deborah Rivas-Drake shows that Latinos develop ethnic identities directly from family socialization and messages about future discrimination. Research Questions: How do the warn- ings issued by parents about discrimina- tion influence the expectations of young adults? Rivas-Drake researched Latino families to understand how young adults perceive the likelihood of anti-Latino bias and how that influences their ethnic identity. She also examined how cultural socialization regarding ethnic identity influenced psychological adjustments as an adult, such as depression and self-esteem. Rivas-Drake developed a research project to examine Latino young adults who are pursuing higher education and how their ethnic socialization influ- ences their development. Research Method: Rivas-Drake sampled 227 Latino students from one university who were eighteen years of age or older. The mean age among the sample was about nineteen years old, and 65 percent of the sample were women. Seventy-two percent of the sample had one parent who was born in another country. She administered an online survey in 2008 that asked a series of questions that mea- sured how parents socialized their children with regard to ethnicity and whether they informed them about perceived barriers to opportunities and ethnic bias. Research Results: Overall, students had more socialization from parents regard- ing culture than they did about expecta- tions for future bias. Most students in the sample did agree that discrimination did exist and that Latinos had fewer resources and opportunities than White students. Latino students who reported greater cultural socialization from par- ents had stronger ethnic identity. Those students who reported receiving greater preparation for racial barriers to oppor- tunity reported less ethnic identity but greater understanding of the status of their ethnic group. Latino students who were prepared by their parents to expect ethnic bias were more aware of barriers to opportunity, and consequently the students experienced lower self-esteem and depression. Conclusions and Implications: This research highlights how parents socialize their children and the consequences of that socialization for Latino young adults. The college students in this sam- ple revealed that, if they were socialized to have strong ethnic identities, their Latino status was more central to their identity. They were then better adjusted as young adults in college. Latinos who reported having parents who prepared them for bias and barriers to opportu- nity were more likely to understand the status of Latino groups relative to other American groups. These students faced greater challenges in their overall well- being as young adults. Questions to Consider 1. What is your earliest memory of a cultural lesson about ethnicity from your family? Do you remember a time when you thought your family traditions were different from other traditions? 2. How did your upbringing prepare you for college life? Did your parents have specific expectations for you regarding education? What about other expectations?