Blacks and Latino experienced substantial strides in the history of segregation and civil rights abolishment, but at the same time they are considered to be allies in the struggle for equal citizenship. Tensions between the two ethnicities have been fueled by the Latino’s massive immigration and higher birth rates. Latinos are now the largest non-white minority in America. Just as Blacks have prospered in the professions and business, many Latinos have done the same and have deepened their influence particularly within the Republican Party. Latinos insist that political and social issues no longer be framed exclusively Black and White. The agenda of African-Americans and Latinos diverge on Immigration, political representation, jobs, and bi-lingual education. Whether African Americans and Latinos are allies or competitors in a global economy we should work together toward common goals.
Political alliance is extremely important in order to pull through and flourish as a community. The U.S. is rapidly heading closer to a population in which white is no longer the dominant ethnic group and it is time that we become prominent. Minority Politics has often seemed to be a solid term, when in fact tensions have always existed between the groups. Blacks and Latinos must use common ground to assess what potential gains are to be made in the face of American Racial Hierarchy. If this can't be done, then racial hierarchy will continue to exist, and these groups will continue to fight for the scraps instead of working together to get more retribution for everyone.
An excellent example of Latinos and Blacks working together, to strengthen their relationship, is in the injured city of New Orleans. After the devastating ****, Katrina, Latino immigrant workers migrated to help piece back together a predominately black city. Barely two percent of the population in New Orleans, pre-Katrina, was Latino. Now it is estimated that 100,000 Latinos have moved in and around the area, many of which have come to extend a helping hand and to find work.
I strongly believe that the most effective means of working together as a community is to be able to improve schools in “minority” districts that teach full curriculum and provide equal access to tools for learning will give kids positive reinforcement for their future. Another step is to encourage secondary education, which traditionally black colleges, are starting to adapt to the demographic trend by actively enrolling Latino students as part of their long-term business strategy. Schools like Howard University and Morehouse College are hiring Latino recruiters and setting up special scholarships for Latinos. The bottom line is that we need each other in order to survive and thrive.
My grandparents migrated to the United States from Mexico in search for the American dream, which was to give their children a better opportunity then they could offer in Mexico. My father spent most of his life working on migrant farms where living conditions are less than ideal. The work consists of long hard hours and strenuous labor just to support themselves and be able to support their families back home. I have been fortunate enough to further my education and not have to struggle as my parents have. Education is the key to our future and we fortunate enough to live in a country that allows everyone to have such an opportunity.
