Why should African Americans and Hispanics in the United States work together as minorities to address political, cultural, communication, and community issues? As minorities we have to face several challenges in this country, racism, poverty, and lack of education. One thing that is for sure, we don’t have to face these problems alone. African Americans and Hispanics can work together to get better results. It is my belief that with us minorities cooperating we can go about changing the divided community, we can fix any political problem and better communicate with each other. There is strength in unity and when we all unify for a great cause there is a guarantee that we will bring about change. I have seen this unity and I have witnessed a great communication between young adults. This event happened in my neighborhood. In my neighborhood there are a lot of things you don’t see everyday, a quiet street, big houses, lush trees, and grand churches. What you do see are cops on every corner, drug dealers ready to get paid, and high school dropouts waiting for their second chance in life. Bushwick Outreach high school gives those students their second chance. The student population is mostly composed of Hispanic and African American young women and men. The students there work together and consider each other family. When visiting high school you can feel the strong bond between these young Hispanic and African American students. This bond was put to the test on May 22nd 2007. It is a given that the bond between Latinos and Blacks should be strengthened so we can address certain issues properly. As a Puerto Rican I feel that I have that right to do so and on May 22, 2007, so did the students of Bushwick Outreach high school. It all started with the death of Donnell McFarland. Donnell McFarland A.K.A Kidd Fresh to his peers, was shot to death in Bushwick. I didn’t know Donnell well but I knew that every one who did know him thought of him as outgoing person. On the day of his wake 33 students including Bushwick Outreach students and John Jay college students were on the way to his wake to pay their respects, when the police swarmed the group of students and started immediately arresting all of them. My friend Leana Mejia one was one of those students. Leana ironically is a criminal justice major in John Jay College, and told the Daily News newspaper that the cops gave no warning and handles these young men and women like animals. She had also said that the cops just cuffed them and threw them into wagons. One mother that was with the 33 students could not understand the reasons for the arrest because of the fact the police gave no reason and was left chasing the wagon trying to get her 14 year old child who had also been heartlessly arrested. Asher Callender, a Bushwick outreach student was also among the ones arrested and this left all of the Bushwick outreach students outraged. Upon learning that one of their own had been arrested, Bushwick outreach High school decided to band together and take action, and so all the students and all faculty held a meeting discussing what they wanted to do to address this situation. As a result of that, Asher was released by bail paid from his teachers at Bushwick Outreach. The story doesn’t end there however, as another student from Outreach was being held in jail. I recently had the privilege to attend one of these meetings and was touched by the sense of leadership by my own peers. Upon entering the meeting at Bushwick Outreach high school I was amazed by these students, who were given a second chance to succeed in life. They all spoke their in a professional manner, their teachers were supporting them to fullest. These young African American and Hispanic students challenged what they knew was wrong. Many of them came up with ideas and started organizing plans to undo this injustice. The Channel 9 news was there as well as other journalists. You can just feel that these students were making a difference in each others lives. One issue that they had come up with was a fundraiser for the bail money for the student still being held in jail. I heard others saying that the young man still being held in jail was a vibrant and friendly person and didn’t deserve this. They also were planning to protest peacefully around the very precinct that arrested all these students. The 83rd precinct has had its share of problems. Known for discrimination, the precinct has many complaints against them and has been investigated more then five times. I had my own experience with this precinct, when my grandmother’s house was robbed instead of getting a report from my angry mother the policeman tried to get her number. It is reported that their reason for the arrest was because of “unlawful gathering” however it was also reported in the Queens Ledger that none of the students were read their Miranda Rights but were instead Question about Donnell death. Councilmen and members of the community in Bushwick joined the Bushwick Outreach students in their march against the social injustice. This is why we ALL should band together. Being a minority is hard especially if the neighborhood that you are living in is not a good. But these young students have set the bar. Not only did they act in peace even though they were angry, they sent the message that all minorities should come together and stand up for their rights and take care of certain issues. These issues of discrimination, injustice, and **** must be discussed within our communities. NEVER LET A BROKEN WINDOW STAY BROKEN. That is my story, and because of it I am inspired to know that we as minority can make the majority of differences.If want to learn more about this story please go to the following linkshttp://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime_file/2007/05/23/2007-05-23_heartless_bust_33_nabbed_on_way_to_wake.htmlhttp://www.brooklyndowntownstar.com/StoryDisplay.asp?PID=4&NewsStoryID=5864
