Sierra HendersonMay 2007Both African American and Hispanic communities have a vested interest in dismantling the racism in American institutions and culture. Historically, we have been subjected to common injustices. We overwhelmingly rank among the most disadvantaged participants in the nation’s economy, with severe disparities in employment, housing, health care, education and law enforcement. We are vilified in the media and forced to justify our rightful heritage to the prosperity of America. As victims of **** Katrina and of the recent ICE raids, we have had our basic humanity blatantly denied. Yet we are frequently recruited to fight the wars of a government that often neglects our needs.Over the tenure of the current administration we have watched our civil liberties erode away and the protections won by our forebears suspended. Our cries for justice have largely been placated or ignored. For this reason, it is, now, more than ever, imperative for African American and Hispanic communities to cooperate to ensure redress of our grievances.Collaboration between our communities would improve our visibility and effectiveness. In the past we have succeeded by capturing the world’s attention and appealing to the people’s basic moral sensibilities. With the growth of Hispanic populations and the influence of the Hip-Hop generation our petitions would be undeniable. Our target audiences would take notice of our combined efforts, not only because of our numbers, but because we have overcome our disputes in pursuit of a common goal. In order to strengthen the relations between our communities we must candidly and compassionately examine the issues that separate us. The effects of racism, which have blighted our communities, have also corrupted our communications with each other. Every individual should take personal inventory of their interactions with other cultures. It is very easy to unconsciously be consumed by the racism that surrounds us and a conscious effort must be made to resist it. It is vital to solidarity to understand the underlying causes of our discordances. Additionally, the financial strain due to economic inequities makes us vulnerable to the divisive tactics of tokenism. While the few black and Latino candidates plucked from beneath the glass ceiling allude to evidence of progress, the disparities still abound. Yet, as a result, we fight each other like jealous siblings over the precious few opportunities instead of discussing the larger need for equitable practices in employment. Such short-sided thinking has encouraged the rift between black and Latino communities and should be resolved. Instead of fearing that America’s abundance could never accommodate us all, we could be working together to eliminate the rampant waste and favoritism employed by our government.Furthermore, racism has tainted our perspectives of one other. Therefore, strengthening black-brown relations will require education and exposure to each another. Often our communities are segregated, producing fertile ground for our preconceived notions to flourish. There needs to be an exchange of culture, facilitated in our community centers, museums, galleries, theaters and by our media outlets.HBCU’s have an especially unique opportunity to undo the damage of racial propaganda. Firstly, students are enrolled at a crucial point of personal development, where the biases of their parents begin to give way to the acquisition of new information and life experiences. It is here that we can correct the mis-teachings of the mainstream. Here, we are made aware of the intercultural, as well as cross-cultural, divisions that serve those in power. Equipped with this knowledge, we can nurture each other’s potential, instead of feeling threatened by it. Our institutions should continue making connections of Hispanic and other historical struggles to our own and intensify the recruitment of Hispanic students.Secondly, graduates of HBCU’s must return to their communities to share their understanding of tolerance, compassion and cooperation. Often students travel to different states for the opportunity to attend historically black colleges, subsequently find employment and settle in the cities where they graduate. However, even a visit to one’s hometown is an opportunity to spread the message of tolerance and cooperation. Many graduates gain a respect in their communities that could make their admonishments of prejudice effective and infectious.Lastly, every occasion for rally, march and protest should find us at each other’s side. In the interests of fair employment and housing practices, educational funding, ending police **** and protecting the basic dignities of citizens of our communities, we could both benefit from the strength of our combined voices. The marginalized groups of a society are those that labor most fervently for justice. From Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement to Caesar Chavez and organized labor movements, our black and brown brothers and sisters are the conscience and the consequence of our nation’s policies. We have struggled to keep America true to her promise of equality, even as our communities reflect the destructiveness of racial discrimination. As descendents of these legacies we are charged, not only with uplifting our own communities, but with the redemption of this country. It is our collective responsibility, as people with keen awareness of injustice and natural empathy for those who suffer as we have, to effect the changes that will ensure a just and equitable society. If any person is without justice, we are all without justice.
