America is a country that was built by immigrants and various groups that were minorities in their own country. However, despite this fact, non-white minorities have been treated with everything but compassion and respect. Over the years, Polish, Italian, Jewish, and Chinese people have migrated to the United States with hopes and dreams of a better life, but instead found hardship and turmoil. Unfortunately, Black people and Hispanics have been treated even worse.America has come a long way from slavery and even times of segregation, but even though Blacks are not brought to this country in boatloads against their own will and forced to work on plantations does not mean every Black person in America is now living the high life. Many Blacks today are struggling just as some were in 1950 and many see no hope for the future. Sadly, many Hispanics share the same fate. So many Hispanics make their way to America hoping for a better future for themselves and their families, but instead are greeted by prejudice, discrimination, hardships, and disdain. They are often forced to work odd jobs illegally, or work long hours at laborious jobs being paid less than minimum wage. Minorities may have moved from the back of the bus, but we haven’t moved too far up the economic ladder.Much like with Blacks, even when a Hispanic person secures a high position, there is always someone trying to bring them down or question how they got there in the first place. It is bad enough that minorities have to work more than twice as hard to get to the same places as whites in America, but it is worse when once that goal has been obtained, their credentials are discredited by their peers simply because of their skin color. Complete racial equality is a dream that is still somewhat far away, and for that reason Blacks and Hispanics should definitely work together to address political, cultural, communication, and community issues. Blacks and Hispanics face so many of the same issues that it is only logical for them to join forces in lobbying for change. Blacks and Hispanics have not only had similar pasts, but are currently dealing with the same issues of racism, discrimination, lack of healthcare coverage, poverty, and crime. There is power in numbers, and Hispanics and Blacks are the largest minority groups in the U.S., joining forces could only prove to be positive and productive. Fortunately, Hispanics and Blacks even have similar familial and cultural structures, which could certainly aid in building a strong joint community.In order to strengthen the relationship between the Black and Hispanic communities in the United States, we need to break down the current and prevent the potential barriers to communication and progress. Most Hispanics in America speak English, so there is not much of a language barrier there, but maybe if more Black Americans learned Spanish, we could also meet the Hispanic population half way. Knowing a second language would also be beneficial to Black Americans in the business world, so learning Spanish would prove to be beneficial for multiple reasons. Other measures could be taken to help build a strong joint community such as joint social/celebratory events or joint campaigns for change in anything from living conditions to healthcare. Major spokesmen from each minority group could join forces and aid in strengthening the bond.Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) should continue to support the needs of Black students and possibly the needs of Hispanic and Afro-Hispanic students because institutional racism exists and minorities need a place where they can seek some refuge from it. Unfortunately, all forms of racism are constantly all around us, but if it can be reduced in an HBCU, that is definitely a positive worth keeping around. HBCUs allow for there to be a place of higher learning where all around a minority student are similar people who have experienced some of the same struggles and hardships as they and their family has experienced. This fact helps in building a strong sense of community and can help build relationships that could prove beneficial in the future. Making connections in college allows for minorities to better be able to help each other strive and succeed in white America.Historically Black Colleges and Universities do not only make an impact on its students, but on the country itself. Showing all that minorities are just as capable as the majority truly makes a lasting impression. By providing education at the same level, if not higher than, any of the prestigious primarily white colleges and universities, HBCUs can produce many intelligent, hard working, and dedicated citizens. HBCUs can also offer to its students classes that primarily white colleges and universities would not offer – such as Black and African history courses. HBCUs could also support Hispanic students who, as previously mentioned, share similar pasts and lives. This would surely serve as another means to building a strong joint Black and Hispanic community. As strong, educated Black and Hispanic men and women, there would be no limitation to what we could accomplish.
