Sociology Chapter 11 - Hispanic Americans

Violence and the Zoot Suit Riot of 1943

- June 3, 1943, two events triggered the riots -some Mexican boys, returning home from a police-sponsored club meeting, were assaulted by a group of non-Mexican hoodlums from the neighborhood in LA -the same evening, 11 sailors on leave were attacked and 1 was badly hurt -- sailors said that their assailants were Mexican youths who outnumbered them 3 to 1; 200 sailors decided to settle the matter for themselves, beat every Mexican they found and police did nothing to stop them -this incident was the result of increasing societal tensions and prejudices against a minority that erupted into aggression far in excess of the incident

Interactionsi View

-Anglo-Hispanic relations often are strained by inaccurate perceptions -members of the dominant group tend to think that there is but one Spanish speaking public -too many Anglos view Hispanic ethnic subcommunity, parallel social institutions, and limited command of English as detrimental to the cohesiveness of US society -poverty invited outsiders to blame the victim or engage in culture-of-poverty thinking -there is often potential cultural misunderstanding -for Hispanics, clinging to the old country's culture and ethnic identity is a matter of pride and personal commitment to a rich heritage -even those who achieve economic mobility retain a strong ethnic identification -interactionists point to the resilience of an ethnic self-definition

MA and PR: A Comparison

-compared to MA, most PR are less likely to have arrived recently, are better educated, and speak better English -- employed PR each more than employed Mexicans -however, MA live in poverty and of those who do, fewer seek government assistance -many factors account for this pattern -- difference in the number of families headed by females

Conflict View

-Chicano activists found internal colonialism appealing because it coincided with the legacy of Anglo takeover and domination of the Southwest in 1848 and continued Anglo control of the barrios in the cities of the region since that ate -criticized the concentration of Mexican American working class in poor urban barrios and the exodus of the Anglo and Latino classes to the suburbian fringe -continued residential segregation of Hispanic Americans in ghetto areas of many cities is unlike the pattern experienced by European immigrants to the US -instead of seeing a gradual acculturation or structural assimilation process, these analysts see the persistence of subordination -economic exploitation is seen through Hispanic work as migrant farm laborers in many places under abysmal conditions for poor pay

Cuban Ethnic Communities

-Cubans often settled in blighted urban areas, but their motivation, education, and entrepreneurial skills enabled them to bring color, vitality, stability, and improvement to previously declining neighborhoods -Miami offered an ideal climate to Cubans, but increased fears of residents about having so large an ethnic group in their midst -in the 1960s, the Anglos realized that the Cubans had sparked a real-estate boom, even while others experienced a depressed housing market -in the early 1980s, a series of ethnic-related traumas occurred -Cubans responded to discrimination against them by forming their own economic enclave and entering local politics -- Cubans asserted themselves and then entered the societal mainstream

Current Patterns

-Hispanics are the largest ethnic group in the US and steadily are increasing in number -51 million in 2010, 17% of the US population -the nation's largest minority group -high birth rates and high immigration rates -English language mastery is a common goal of Hispanic parents for their children -cultural vitality is likely to remain -dynamics of cultural pluralism are fueled by the large Hispanic presence, current migration patterns, psychological ties to the homeland, rapid transportation, and communications, government policy, and social tolerance

Other Cultural Attributes

-Hispanics generally have a more casual attitude toward time than do others in the US, and they hold a negative attitude toward rushing, believing it robs one of dignity -to them, not looking directly into the eyes of an authority figure is an act of respect -regard physical proximity in conversation as a sign of friendliness

Current Patterns for Mexican Americans

-Illinois is now the third highest state of intended residence among new Mexican arrivals -- 2011, nearly 1.7 million lived in Illinois -Mexican immigration continues into both rural and urban areas -many central-city residents are of a low socioeconomic status in live with a high school dropout rate (45%)

The Cosmic Race

-La Raza Cosmica, the cosmic race, associated with older people -Jose Vasconcelos coined the term in 1925 to refer to the amalgamation of the white, black, and Indian races that he believed was occuring in Latin America -- evolved into a group categorization similar to recognition of a n interdependence of fate -suggests that all the Spanish-speaking peoples in the western hemisphere share a cultural bond and that God has planned for them a great density that yet has to be realized -activists sought to unify compatriots around a common political goal based on the nationalism of an imagined community -the realization of that common political goal occurred in the major role played by Hispanic voters in re-electing Obama

Current Patters

-Latinos are the highest ethnic group in the US and are steadily increasing in number all the time -- as of 2011, 51.9 million Latino Americans; over 17% of the total US population (up from 13% in 2000) -in 2010, California had the largest Latino population, New Mexico has the highest percentage (39%) -in 2013, Latinos have surpassed Anglo Americans in California (reconquista of the state) -continuing immigration and high birth rates will prevent any decline in population -despite nativist fears, English language mastery is a common goal of Latino parents for their children

Urban Life of Mexican Americans

-Mexican Americans often are better integrated into the mainstream of society than their compatriots elsewhere (LA, NM); higher intermarriage rates, nuclear instead of extended family residence patterns and less patriarchal male roles; enter more diverse occupations and many attain middle-class status and move to the suburbs and outskirts of the city -particularly in smaller cities and towns, MA reside in large ethnic enclaves, virtually isolated from participation in Anglo society -many live in crowded conditions -they experience many forms of discrimination in less desirable sections of town, with their children attending schools that warrant the same criticisms as inner-city schools in major cities -- increasingly segregated schools

Puerto Rican

-PR was annexed by the US in 1898 -the collapse of the PR sugar industry in the 1950s triggered the beginning of La Migracion, one of the most dramatic voluntary exoduses in history -for many years, the continuous shuttle migration prevented an organized community life from fully developing -of all the major racial or ethnic groups, PR have the highest poverty rates

Puerto Rican Socioeconomic Characteristics

-Puerto Ricans have a higher poverty rate than other Hispanic groups -helping to improve their economic standing is the increased educational attainment of Puerto Ricans -the same percen of Puerto Rican families live in poverty as African American families -female-headed households are more vulnerable to living in poverty, and this especially is true for minority women who often lack sufficien education and job skills

Dignidad

-the cultural value of dignidad is the basis of social interaction; assumes that the dignity of all humans entitles them to a measure of respect -everyone acknowledges each others in reciprocal behavior patterns

Cultural Differentiation

-the cultures of each people differs as well as value orientations, which differ by degree of urbanization and industrialization, amount of outside contact, and social class

Machismo

-a basic value governing various qualities of masculinity -male inner strength in the face of adversity, personal daring, bravado, leadership, and sexual prowess are measures of one's manhood -- role is to be a good provider for his family, to protect its honor at all times, and to be strong, reliable, and independent; avoid indebtedness, accepting charity, and any kind of relationships that would weaken his autonomy -the women's role is within the family and are to be guarded against any onslaught on their honor -machismo is the companion value, describing various qualities of femininity, particularly acceptance of male dominance, emphasis on family responsibility, and the nurturing role of women -these traditional gender role orientations are common throughout most developing countries -- African, Eastern, Middle Eastern, Western, or Pacific Island -the concept is not strictly Latin American -the result of these values can be in difficulty adjusting to US culture -women can also find employment, sometimes earning more money than the men of the family -more highly educated Cuban, Central American, and South American women participate in the labor force at rates similar to those of white women

Pentecostalism

-a form of evangelical Christianity, inspires a strong sense of belonging through openly excessive worship participation -largest Hispanic Protestant religious movement in Puerto Rico and the US mainland -15% of Latinos

Education in Assimilation

-a means of interpreting rapid assimilation -high -school age immigrant youths are more likely to dropout of school -nearly half of Mexican born 15-17 year olds are not in school -Central American youths have high dropout rates -national origin and age of entry are significant variables in the effectiveness of education as an agent of assimilation -an exception to this pattern occurs among groups concentrated in central cities and attending schools with a demoralized educational climate -- may lead to larger acculturation but not to better enrollments -many identify Puerto Ricans as colonial racialized subjects in the Euro-Americans mindset but Dominicans as transformed into colonial immigrants -- legacy of colonialism affects the social acceptance of racially distinct Latino Americans

Early Puerto Rico American Reactions

-after the US annexed Puerto Rico in 1898 after the Spanish-American war, it attempted to force Americanization -authorities discouraged anything associated with the Spanish tradition and mandated the use of the English language -governors from the mainland ruled the territory -received US citizenship in 1917, but the land virtually remained ignored, undeveloped, poverty-stricken -citizenship brought open migration because it eliminated the need for passports, visas, quotas, but it did not give the people the right to vote or have a voting rep in congress -by 1930, 53,000 Puerto Ricans were living on the mainland -in the 1940s, Puerto Rico became a commonwealth, with people writing their own constitution and electing their own representatives; gained complete freedom in internal affairs -1945, the US government launched Operation Bootstrap in which US industries received tax advantages if they made capital investments in Puerto Rico -- 300 new factories by 1953, 48,000 new jobs; Puerto Rico became the most advanced, industrialized land in the Caribbean -by the 1980s, expiring tax exemptions prompted numerous industries to leave the island in search of cheap labor and tax exemptions elsewhere,thereby reducing available job opportunities -since then, Puerto Rican rate of unemployment has been 2x that of the mainland (13.7% in 2013)

Cuban Americans

-although the US granted Cuba independence after the 1898 war with Spain, it continued to exercise de facto control over the island -the US pressured Cuba to relinquish the large naval base it still operates at Guantanamo Bay, and through the Platt Amendment of 1902, it reserved the right to intervene in Cuba if necessary to protect US interests

refugee

-an alien outside the US who is unable or unwilling to return to his or her country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution

Puerto Rican Family

-an individuals identity, importance, and security depend on family membership -family approval is necessary because of the emphasis on marriage as a joining of two families, not only a commitment between two individuals -extended family resides either in the same house or in separate households with frequent visits and strong bonds

Cuban American Migration

-because the US government did not differentiate Cuban immigrants from others listed or originating in the West Indies until 1950, we do not know the exact numbers of Cuban immigrants prior to that time -between 1820-1950, 5000,000 people came to the US -since 1960, more than 1.1 million Cubans have entered the US -Cuban immigration surged in the first years of the Cuban revolution, then ebbed and flowed with shifts in both US and Cuban Government policies -in the 1960s-70s, the first waves of post-revolutionary refugees were well-educated middle and upper class professionals and businesspeople alienated by the new regime -- concentrated in major cities; xenophobia that they may overburden the educational, welfare, and social services systems quickly dissipated as the Cubans made rapid economic progress/became part of the community -the next influx of Cubans occurred in 1980 and was more controversial -- freedom flotilla of small boats arrived; most were urban working and lower class people -Castro also forced the departure of several thousand mental patients and prisoners among them, which triggered an unfavorable US response -called Marielitos because they left Cuba from the port of Mariel, the term became a stigma attached to all these refugees because of the dubious background of some or the limited education and job skills of many -at first, they had difficulty adjusting, partly due to their lack of familiarity with a less rigid society in which they must make their own way and find work -eventually acculturated

The Cuban Contemporary Scene

-by 2011, there were 1.9 million Cuban Americans -the ethnocultural identity of the first generation remains embedded in Cuban culture -the Americanized 2nd generation is bilingual but far less active in sociopolitical activity and is more interested in pop culture, sports, etc. -black Cuban Americans belong in two worlds, a successful immigrant group yet experiencing the hardships and discrimination of their race -Little Havana is 70% Hispanic

Religion

-catholicism typically means personal relationships with the saints and a community manifestation of faith, and less the individual actions and commitments expected in the US -widespread belief in spiritualism and superstition -for many people especially in the lowest socioeconomic class regardless of their racial or ethnic background, religion serves as an emotional escape from the harsh realities of everyday life -68% are Roman Lathnics

US Sanctuary Movement

-clergy defied the government, hiding Salvadoran refugees in churches and homes -provided food, shelter, clothing, and secretly helped the refugees get to safe locations

Puerto Rican Push Pull Factors

-despite the creation of thousands of factory jobs through Operation Bootstrap, the collapse of the Puerto Rican sugar industry in the 1950s triggered the beginning of La Migracion, one of the most dramatic voluntary exoduses in history -- 1 in 6 migrated to the mainland because of the island's stagnant agrarian economy and encouraged by inexpensive plan fares and free US entry -many were rural people who settled in metropolitan urban centers, drawn by the promise of jobs -1946-1964, 615,000 moved to the mainland -after 1964, a significant drop in Puerto Rican migration occurred, aided by a revived Puerto Rican sugar industry after a US boycott of all Cuban trade -the pull factor lost its potency, as NYC lost hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs and thus its promise of a job market -in the 1970s, migration dropped to 65,900 before rising dramatically to 333,000 in the 1980s -many return to their homeland to visit, and others to stay -for some, return migration stems from retirement or the desire for the more family-oriented society without discrimination and urban crime found more often on the mainland -researchers of the circular migration theory found that economic marginality is an important factor -- some fail to succeed exxonomically on the mainland and return to the island -the children of less successful migrants are more likely to be impoverished than the children of those who remained

MALDEF

-effectively uses its influence in the public arena to address bilingualism, school financing, segregation, employment practices, and immigration reform

Nicaraguan Americans

-entered the US as immigrants, refugees, asylees, and undocumented aliens -after the Sandinistas came to power in Nicaragua and the contras undertook a guerrilla war against the new government more than 46,000 middle-class refugees entered the US between 1980-1990 -79,000 streamed into Texas, and these were poor, unskilled, and illiterate compesinos from the countryside -most refugees chose one of two destinations: Miami and southern California -- most 13-15 year olds were illiterate and had to be taught basic reading and math -Little Managua was formed in Sweetwater, west of Miami -all refugees and asylees received permanent resident status (now 387,000 claim Nicaraguan ancestry)

Social Indicators of Hispanic Progress

-higher fertility, particularly among the foreign born, and the high percentage of young adult immigrants in their reproductive years to create a differential -Hispanic groups vary in their migration and fertility patterns -diversity manifests itself in education, income, occupation

Social Indicators of Latino Progress

-in 2002 from 26-50% of all Latinos ages 25 and older had not completed high school -in 2011, only 14% of 16-24 year olds dropped out of high school, improvement from 200 (28%) -despite this, education gap with non-Latinos continue; reasons for this include the limited formal education of parents, less preschool experience for Latino children, and cultural/linguistic differences encountered in school -US born Latinos in all ethnic groups are more likely than foreign born to have high percentages of high school and college graduates -more than 1 in 5 Latino families live in poverty -a higher percentage of Puerto Ricans live in poverty than any other group, whereas Cuban Americans are least likely to live in poverty -new entrants into the US labor force typically earn less than those with longer residence

Cuban Cultural Values

-in addition to sharing a commonality of values with other Latinos, Cubans share certain subcultural values that differ from those of the dominant US culture -- attitudes toward work, personal qualities, and the role of individuals in the society -US dom-group values stress hard work as a means of achieving material well-being, whereas the Cuban orientation is the material success should be pursued for personal freedom, not physical comfort -Cubans are fervent believers in collective generosity, in contrast to the old Anglo Puritan values of thrift and frugality -- share good fortune, maintain a warm open-house policy, reach out socially t others; do not be a cheapskate -individualism is a value best shown through national and persona pride, which Anglos often misperceived as haughtiness; express through attitudes and actions oriented toward a group -values personalized social interactions -lower fertility rate unemployment rate, higher median family income,greater education rate, greater middle class

Racial Attitudes

-in most Latin American countries, skin color is less important than social class as an indicator of social status -- racial line between whites and blacks is drawn sharply in the US, but less so in Latin America -color integration occurs in social interaction, intermarriage, and shared orientations to cultural values -- has increased as a result of social and economic changes from industrialization -color serves as an unexpected basis of discrimination for Latinos coming to the US -some adapt to prejudice and discrimination

Recruiting Mexicans

-in the 2nd half of the 19th century, Mexicans from south of the border helped fill US labor needs for the construction of railroad lines and the expansion of cotton, fruit, and veggie farms -the demand for labor increased and Mexicans left their poverty-stricken country for the economic opportunity in the US -it was easy for Mexicans to cross the largely unpatrolled border and enter the US illegally -- wetbacks crossed the Rio Grande into Texas -under the bracero program, Mexican aliens entered the US on temporary visas and then returned to Mexico after the harvest -- provided needed workers without incurring the expenses of educating their children and of extending welfare and other social services during the off-season -- lasted 1942-1964, when protests, labor shortages, and farm mechanization ended it

Assimilation in Family

-intermarriage patterns are important indicators of assimilation -high rates of intermarriage with non-Hispanics among Cubans, Mexicans, Central Americans, and South Americans -Puerto Ricans and Dominicans have exceptionally high rates of intermarriage with each other, but lower rates of intermarriage with other Hispanics and non-Hispanics -third generation Hispanics are increasingly marrying other third generation co-ethnics and whites -pan-ethnic identity of being Hispanic transcends different national origins -language acquisition is an obvious factor in the assimilation process -even as recently arrived adults have limited English proficiency, Hispanic children however learn the new language and assimilate more readily than their parents -cultural pluralism is an everyday reality among many Latinos and Latinas whose ethnic identity is a vibrant dynamic

Income

-the median family income for Latino families traditionally has been higher than for black families -income gap is growing -22% live in poverty -consistently have had a lower percentage of impoverished families than blacks -more Mexicans and Puerto Ricans live in poverty than other Hispanic groups -tend to take lower-skill jobs at entry-level salaries -economic survival is their immediate goal

Sociohistorical Perspective

-long before the English settled in the New World, Spanish explorers, missionaries, and adventurers roamed through much of the western hemisphere -in 1518, the Spanish established St. Augustine, Florida, Jamestown in 1609, and New Mexico -Spanish cultural influence was in language, values, customs, religion, an town planning -Mexicans and Puerto Ricans became involved with the US through 2 19th century was 50 years apart -for the Mexicans, the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War in 1848, brought Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California and gave US citizenship to 75,000 Mexican nationals still living there 1 year after the treaty -lost title to land because they could not prove ownership in the Anglo court system -by 1892, official policy toward Mexican Americans was so biased against them that federal gov. allowed anyone except them to get grazing privilege on public lands in the southwest (did not end violence) -some experts believe there were more killings of Mexican Americans than black Americans (1850-1930) -Mexican Americans proved a valuable labor pool and were incorporated within the white economy as lower-strata laborers -Puerto Ricans became US nationals when the Treaty of Paris in 1898 ended the Spanish American War and made their land US territory -until 1848, the island was a colony with appointed government and its legislative actions subject to annulment by Congress, which reserved the right to legislate for the island if it wished -- decreed all education be in English until 1991

Puerto Rican Communities

-more than half live in the northeast, and thirty percent in the south -live in all 50 states -for many years, the continuous shuttle migration prevented an organized community life from fully developing -homewon clubs provided a place to celebrate weddings, birthdays, first communions, and confirmations -- did not serve as community centers -the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade, begun in 1958, served to galvanize group identity -by the late 1970s, increased ethnic neighborhood organizations was evolving with the establishment of various social institutions -civic and social organizations are examples of community institutions

Mexican Americans (Tajuddin)

-most of the 25-27 million MA are concentrated in the southwestern states -- much diversity exists within this ethnic group in degree of assimilation and socioeconomic status -in the 2nd half of the 19th century, Mexicans helped fill labor needs in the US -Cowboy culture was originally MA and Native American culture -from 1942-1964, under the bracero program, Mexican aliens entered the US on temporary visas and then returned to Mexico after the harvest -between 1954-1959, government officials found and expelled 3.8 million Mexicans, many of which were US citizens -prejudices against MA has been prevalent and consistent throughout the years -negative stereotypes of MA persist in the US today -in the 1960s, the Chicano movement emerged to instill pride in groups mestizo heritage

Mexican Americans

-most of the 33.6 million live in the southwestern states (California, Texas, Arizona, Chicago, Colorado) -most Hispanics in New Mexico hold economically secure jobs and are heavily represented in civil service occupations -they retain a cultural heritage that includes their diet, child-rearing philosophy, emphasis on the family, and extended family contacts -second generation Mexican Americans live in large cities and typically display structural assimilation as evidenced by separate residences for nuclear families, English-language competence, fewer children, and comparable family values, jobs, and income than those living in border towns or agricultural regions -most lag behind the rest of the US population in education, income, and employment status

Assimilation

-must take into account the cultural diversity, length of residence, place of residence, social class, family structure, and education or parents -affect integration into the societal mainstream -social institutions of education and family provide valuable insights

Dominican Americans

-nearly 1 mil have left their Caribbean homeland for the US since 1980 \-2 in 3 of 1.6 million live in NY -more likely to live and interact within their own ethnic neighborhoods than to integrate into mixed Hispanic neighborhoods -- coexist alongside Puerto Ricans -most are those who have fled poverty -- high unemployment rates and often live in poor urban neighborhoods, suffering the deprivation and family disruption so common among people with low levels of education and job skills -second generation tends to be more educated , employed in skilled or professional occupations, and earn higher incomes

Hispanic Americans

-no ethnic group attracts more public attention these days than do the Hispanic people -their large numbers, residential clustering, and bilingual programs and signs associated with them make them a recognizable ethnic group -most live in the societal mainstream as members of the working or middle class

Puerto Rican Americans

-originally inhabited by the Arawak and Caribe indigenous tribes, Puerto Rico came under Spanish domination in 1493; remaining for 400 years -Spaniards replaced the native population with slaves -miscegenation was common, resulting in a society that de-emphasized race -- moreno, mulatto, pardo, trigueno -today, structural assimilation in the island's multiracial society extends to housing, social institutions, gov. policy, and cultural identity -many regarded themselves as Afro-Latinos or white Hispanics, black, white, or Indian -Latinx view of race differs within Latin American countries, social classes, and families -factors that led to more tolerant racial attitudes include Moors marrying white women; in the wards of Christians v. Moors/Saracens, captured whites also became slaves; upper-class men in these colonies recognized their illegitimate children by women of color , frequently freeing the babies at baptism; through compadrazgo (ritual kinship), leading white members became godparents of colored children

Occupation

-provides an important basis for personal esteem, and the occupational distribution of an entire ethnic group serves as a comparative measure of its status within the larger society -most Hispanic males are heavily underrepresented in managerial and professional occupations --unskilled and blue-collar occupations -Hispanic females tend to be just as likely to work in sales and administrative support positions as non-Hispanic females -- service occupations and unskilled blue-collar positions as operators, in transportation, and as laborers

Puerto Rican Family Institute

-provides professional social services to Puerto Rican families

Salvadoran Americans

-push factors include agricultural modernization, expansion of property holdings by the landowning oligarchy displaced tens of thousands of rural peasants -relocating to such urban centers, many of these dispossessed poor could not find work despite growing industrialization -the Salvadoran government responded to protests and demonstrations with severe repression -- death squads targeted peasant leaders, union militants, and political activists; guerrilla offenses in the 1980s prompted escalating violence by the security and military forces and death squads (massacres of villages resulting in in 20-30% fleeing) -immigration agents sought to apprehend and return Salvadors (undocumented), denying them refugee status -Reagan-era State Department argued that those who left could not prove that they specially had been singled out for persecution and therefore did not qualify for political amnesty -through chain migration, other relatives and friends join them, continuing a steady migration flow

Caribbean, Central, and South Americans

-push factors that triggered a significant increase in emigration from several Latin American countries -- overpopulation, acute shortage of farmland, economic hardship, political turmoil -Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Colombia, Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua -- 2000, there were 678,000 from Central America and 1 million from South America

Americans from the Caribbean, Central, South American

-push factors triggered a significant increase in emigration from several Latino American countries in recent decades -- overpopulation, acute shortage of farmland, economic hardship, and political turmoil; Dominicans, Salvadorans, Nicaraguans, and Colombians

Functionalist View

-rapid population growth has been a mixed blessing for newcomers -develop supportive ethnic subcommunities, providing social institutions and an interactive network that ease adjustment to the new country -Cuban settlement brought interethnic assistance to other Hispanic groups and revitalized those areas -increasingly moving to rural areas, attracted by the low cost of living outside metropolitan areas, and so are helping offset population losses in those communities and transforming the social and economic fabric of many small towns -concern exists that their numbers and common language may be dysfunction, delaying assimilation -lower levels of educational attainment often fill the needs of industries including garment factories, restaurants, and hotels -Latin American immigrants have become the highest earners as they fill manual labor jobs -rapid social change is the key to functional analysis of existing problems -rapid influx of large numbers of immigrants and the changing occupational structure of US society have prevented the social system from absorbing low-skilled workers -laissez-faire allows the process of time to produce acculturation and economic, or we can seek resolution

asylee

-similar to a refugee but physically is in the US or one of its embassies, or at a port of entry when requesting refuge

Colombian Americans

-supplies the most immigrants to the US more than 280,000 since 2000 -push factors include population pressures, the promise of better economic opportunities abroad chain migration networking -of 995,000 Colombian Americans residing in the US, 64% are foreign born -mixture of educated professionals and low-skilled peasants seeking a better life -- 13% poverty rate and 31% hold bachelor's degrees -most live in urban neighborhoods near other Hispanics, they form their own social clubs, institutions, and celebrations, attempting to preserve first-gen culture -some are involved in the cocaine trade and in drug related war killings -nearly all are decent, law-abiding people who work hard to make a life for themselves -ancestry is a mix of European and indigenous , Spanish, Afro-Colombian, indigenous, Syrian, or Lebanese

Puerto Rican Religion

-the Catholic Church, traditionally played an important role with immigrant groups -several factors contributed to Puerto Rico's departure from the pattern of catholicism -because the island was a colony for so long, first Spanish and US priests predominated within the church hierarchy on the island -the distant and alien nature of the church in Puerto Rico caused them to internalize the sense of their Catholic identity without formally attending mass and receiving Sacraments -baptisms, weddings, and funerals all became important as social occassions -the movement of white Catholic ethnics out of the cities left behind clusters of old national churches with few parishioners -- church buildings used to accomodate these newcomers -as the integrated parishes became more Hispanic throughout the years, the NY archdiocese added more SPanish-speaking priests -religious/civic organizations, further unifying the Puerto Rican community

Structural Conditions

-the Hispanic American experience varies greatly, depending on the particular ethnic group, area of the country, and period involved -Southwest agricultural needs and the presence of Central and Mexican Americans are crucial factors in dominant-minority relations -Eastern industrial employment, urban problems, and the presence of Cubans or Puerto Ricans provide the focal points of attitudes and actions -in the past, low-skilled immigrant groups typically obtained jobs such as unskilled factory work that had low status, low pay, and little mobility -- achieve some degree of economic security -today's Hispanic immigrants enter a post-industrial society where fewer unskilled factory jobs are available -- physical labor fields such as agriculture, construction, home improvement, food service, and landscaping -push factors into the US include overpopulation throughout Latin America -pull factors high birth rates, improved sanitation, reduction of child mortality, and negative cultural and religious attitudes toward birth control have led to population booms in countries whose resources and land cannot support so many people -- 285 million in 1970, 599 million in 2012 -push factors include poor living conditions, limited job opportunities, inadequate schools, and economic hardship -US gov agents have been apprehending more than 640,000 illegal aliens annually -- many make substantial economic contributions as consumers and as low-skilled workers

Socioeconomic Perspective

-the Latino American experience varies greatly depending on the particular ethnic group, area of the country and period involved -Latinos have been among the earliest settlers in the US, especially in the southwest and Texas -percentage of US born and foreign born in 2011 was 64% to 36% -today, overpopulation throughout Latin America is a significant factor in the continued migration (both legal and illegal) of Latinos to the US -- suffering from poor living condition, inadequate schools, limited job opportunities, and economic hardship, many Latinos seek a better life in the US

Education

-the most important indicator of societal mainstreaming because it provides the means for greater job opportunities -more Latinos ages 25 or older never finished high school compared to the total population (37 to 14%) -all Hispanic groups lag behind the non-Hispanic population in producing high school graduates -reasons for the education gap include limited formal education of parents, less preschool experience for Hispanic children compared to whites/blacks, and cultural/linguistic differences encountered in school -few educational differences exist between males and females -US born Hispanics in all ethnic groups are more likely than the foreign born to have higher percentages of high school and college graduates

Cuban Americans (Tajuddin)

-the single largest influx of Cubans occurred in late 1980 (1960s too, Cuban Revolution) -about 52% of all CA live in the Miami-Dade county -- the ethnocultural identity of first-gen remains embedded in Cuban culture -Americanized 2ng generation is bilingual, but is far less action in sociopolitical activity and more interested in pop culture -black Cuban Americans live in 2 worlds

Aspira, 1961

-through guidance, encouragement, and fincancial assistance, it seeks to develop cultural pride and self confidence in youths and to encourage them to further their education and enter the professions, technical fields, and the arts -- achieved national fame and expanded to other cities

Stereotyping of Mexican Americans

-two of MA most common stereotypes are they are all undocumented aliens or youth gang members -in poor urban areas, youth gangs are an integral subculture -gang fights and killings and the associated drug scene create a lasting, negative picture of all Mexican Americans -often suffer from culture-of-poverty beliefs held by the dominant society -in reality, MA have a participation rate in the labor force comparable to, or higher than other groups -the usual pattern of lower wages for the foreign-born wage earners impacts significantly on the median income reported for all MA

Chicano Power

-until the 1960s the term Chicano was a derogatory term applied in Mexico to the lower-class Mexican Indians rather than to the Mexican Spanish -seeking to instill pride in the group's mestizo heritage, activists adopted the term in their efforts to promote political activism and demands for economic and educational quality -JAnet Murguia, executive director of the National Council of La Raza -organized neighborhood protests were the vanguard of what became known as the Chicano movement -the League of United LAtin American citizens and the American GI forum focused on assimilation, with a primary emphasis on social functions (older groups) -newer groups focus on political issues, such as the farm worker's plight, while promoting a sense of peoplehood -Chicanos are integrating into two main political parties

Expulsion of Mexican Americans

-usually found themselves unwelcome during downturns in the US economy -1930s some Mexicans returned home voluntarily, and others did so under pressure by local residents -hundreds of thousands were deported -during the 1950s, recession, US Immigration and Naturalization Service launched "Operation Wetback" to find and return all undocumented Mexican aliens -government officials found and expelled 3.8 million Mexicans (not all of whom were undocumented)