"United we stand, but divided we fall." I am proud to be apart of the legacy that has stood united with one another to receive justice for our generation to be treated equally. Unfortunately, through all the toils and snares that these leaders have sacrificed their time and even their lives for, minorities have forgotten how much power our culture has to overcome the discrimination we still face in this society.Instead, we stand for nothing and continue to fall for anything.
Many dynamic activities have taken place where people merged into groups and stood for what they believed in and succeeded.The civil rights movement and the Chicano civil rights movement have made serious and long lasting impacts in the United States. It should prove to our generation what a united force can do and why we as minorites should unify and address political, cultural, communication and community issues. There is tremendous strength in unity and in our ethnic groups. So with this strength, we could create a powerful and effective unit that can better accomplish goals to be equally served citizens in America. Today's issues such as racial profiling, immigration issues and affirmative action issues can be addressed and may even change legislation that adversely affects our respective communities. We could also correct discrimination and bigotry in the workplace and receive the positions along with the pay that we deserve. We could work to combat hate crimes against our ethnic groups that are not brought to the media as any other tragedy are. As diverse as Caucasians are, (Sweden, Irish, Poles, French, German, etc.) they consistently unite and work together on issues that benefit them. With Hispanics being the second largest force in the United States, why can't African Americans and Hispanics merge to make the "minority" group the "victorious" group?
To make the first step into unity, it must first begin with the individuals. In order to increase determination of unity within each minority, a wise idea would be to combine all resources. In the business world, to create more success, they merge with other businesses who have already claimed success (SBC & AT&T, McDonalds and Mobile gas station, etc.). Minorities should cross membership in respective cultural organizations such as Hispanics joining the NAACP and African Americans joining La Raza,to give each community a sense of what issues both groups are facing and to come up with an effective solution.We could also encourage days of cultural exchange on a regular basis. We can include young adults as well by allowing African American students to speak and read Spanish and assist Hispanic students in understanding English for those who are not fluent in the subject. If we start this process of unity at a young age, it allows them to grasp the history of each culture and unite, not allowing history to repeat itself with a divided group that is meant to be united.
As a student at an HBCU, I find it very important to learn the history of minorities because it allows us to appreciate what our ancestors sacrificed to pave the way for our futures and to not take the justice that we do have for granted. That is why I believe HBCU's should continue to support the needs of African Americans and Hispanics students because the university in itself stands as an example of unity. Not only does it teach the sacrifices of our ancestors but the ancestors of other minorities who have helped African Americans along the way. It reduces conflict and promotes unity based on the respect of other collective moments in history that shows the struggles in a hostile society other than our own. It also shows how a unified body can help its own group succeed in life with the proper education for a very competitive workforce. It could support the unity of Hispanics and African Americans by encouraging enrollment of both groups with more scholarship opportunities and professional teachings . To show a more diverse environment within the HBCU, they could possibly develop Spanish language classes or Hispanic history classes, and possibly degree programs in Hispanic cultures. Once the two groups are affective students on the campus, pair African American students with fellow Hispanic students in the freshmen years as "college partners"- encouraging them to interact regularly throughout the year, allowing them to develop a special bond on campus. This strategy could be the beginning of two ethnic identity groups finally embracing their heritage and defining themselves as positive agents of social change.
There is power in numbers and if we as minorities come together and take a stand for what we believe in, and that is that God wants us all to live a healthy, happy and prosperous life, we will notice that we are more alike than different. We must act now because if we do not , we will be back where we began: in bondage.
