Mestiza is a term used to describe a person of mixed racial or ethnic ancestry, particularly in Latin America and the Philippines. The term comes from the Spanish word "mestizo," which means "mixed". Historically, mestizos were typically the result of Spanish colonization as interracial relationships became more prominent through the colonization of other countries. The term "mestizaje" is a term for racial mixing that did not come into usage until the twentieth century.

The meaning of mestiza has evolved over time and has been used to describe different groups of people. For example, in the Philippines, mestizos were born from Spanish-Filipino relationships. In the United States, the term "mestiza" has been used to describe a specific hybrid race of someone whose parentage consists of a white American man and a Filipina.

The history of mestiza is rooted in oppression and colonization, but to be mestiza also comes with privileges that cannot be ignored, especially if one has light or fair skin. Some mestizas identify as "brown," some as mixed, and some as Indigenous, while others dont even consider themselves women of color but dont identify as white either. The term "mestiza" seems obsolete and outdated considering that people of mixed race are typically referred to as "mixed".