African Americans and Hispanics are the largest minority groups in the United States and should work together to address political, cultural, communication and community issues because they have common needs and similar disadvantages. These common needs include access to jobs, healthcare, adequate school systems, safe living environment, and political representation. Similar disadvantages include being a minority, coming from an underprivileged background and facing discrimination. The needs and disadvantages of both groups can be addressed more effectively if they utilize the experiences that each group brings to the collaboration. African Americans and Hispanics both have similar experiences that will allow them to relate to each other which builds trust and promotes effective communication. Both groups have experienced a lack of resources and know how to make a little go a long way. Understanding cost effectiveness will be important when developing policies and disseminating resources for both groups. African Americans and Hispanics should work together because there is strength in numbers. The number of votes is very important with electing public officials. Even if some of the votes are not counted, more people voting from these groups will increase the chances of electing adequate political representation. The economic impact of these groups is another reason for collaboration. If African Americans and Hispanics combine their resources they will be able to build wealth inside their communities and not have to seek outside sources to provide things they could provide for themselves. Consolidation of resources will increase the amount of money available to address the needs in the community. Several things can be done to strengthen the relationship between African Americans and Hispanics including addressing the language barrier and trust issues, having forums to discuss advancement of the two groups, and having community events that involve cross cultural activities. These two groups must be able to communicate in order to work together. Spanish could be offered or made mandatory in schools with a heavy concentration of African Americans and Hispanics. More history of both groups could also be incorporated into the school curriculum to foster a better understanding and appreciation for both cultures. Forums can be held to discuss some of the misconceptions, false stereotypes and proposed advances for the group collaboration. The forums will also be a good place to dismiss any thoughts that Hispanics are taking opportunities away from African Americans. Another thing that can be done to strengthen the relationship is increasing the interaction between the two groups. Various community events can be held which incorporate activities that the cultures share together and individually. All of these activities will address the trust issues between the groups and facilitate the collaboration process. HBCUs should support the needs of both African American and Hispanic students to increase the number of educated minority professionals and increase the enrollment in the schools. Increasing enrollment will bring more money to the schools and increase HBCUs’ capacities as well as train more minority professionals to own and operate minority businesses. Educated minorities will be qualified to be CEO’s of the organizations and be more determined and better able to meet the needs of their community. HBCUs could offer scholarships, fellowships, and internships to Hispanic students to increase the enrollment of Hispanics in school. Study abroad opportunities and foreign exchange programs could also be encouraged to increase the interaction between the groups and provide cultural experiences that are crucial when developing programs to meet the needs for both groups. African Americans and Hispanics should work together to address political, cultural, and community needs because they can’t rely on other groups to spend the time and effort it takes to solve the issues. Their experiences, strength in numbers, and economic impact can empower them to make a difference in their communities, this nation, and the world.
