African Americans and Hispanics in the United States, many would view these two races and think of two totally separate races in regards to their socioeconomic status and their cultural similarities, but this should not be the case because we are all viewed as minorities. Many decisions made in the hallowed halls of our executive, judicial, and legal branches are not made specifically for blacks but for minorities as a whole (let us not forget that the signs that were posted above water fountains and restrooms only 50 years ago said colored not African American). As people of color, we have a distinct responsibility in this country that can not be denied by any, and that responsibility is to look out for one another. The African American fight for civil rights and Hispanic plight for citizenship in America is not too dissimilar. As minorities, we have conscientiously distanced ourselves from one another and that is not at all acceptable. But ignorance breads dissent from anything that is not familiar, which is why historically black colleges and universities need to continue to support African American and Hispanic students because it should be up to those institutions to raise the bar for our community. Family plays a major role in both African American and Hispanic cultures and our interest do not contrast one another by a far margin. African Americans want equal rights as do Hispanics. We want equal funding for predominantly minority schools, so do Hispanics; these are a few of the basic interests that we have in common. With our cultures being so closely related in terms of the importance of family, there should be an innate characteristic within us that would compel us to communicate with each other on how to make our shared goals come to fruition. The stereotypes that are commonly associated with a large community either Black or Hispanic or both are often visions of poverty stricken areas with a bum, drug abuser, or **** on every corner. Sadly, in many large urban areas where minorities are the majority, this is the case our children are allowed to be victimized by the ills of society and because of a lack of communication it is allowed to remain this way, lack of communication is no excuse for losing a generation of future leaders within the African American and Hispanic communities. The status quo for many schools in the inner city is simply not acceptable. We have to do better. The easy part is identifying the problem; of course the hard part is actually creating solutions to the problem. What is needed now is a more willing attitude to help amongst different cultures, and the term help does not have to mean doing anything outrageously over the top but it can be as simple as being kind to someone or taking interest in who they are. "We are a nation of many nationalities, many races, many religions bound together by two unities, the unities of freedom and equality. Whoever seeks to set one nationality against another, seeks to degrade all nationalities." Franklin Delano Roosevelt 32nd President of the United States said this and it rings true to this day, African Americans and Hispanics should not find fault in one another in order to uplift themselves but should instead seek out the positive to create a more homogeneous community. There are surely a multitude of options that can be explored when attempting to bridge the culture gap, and if each person African American and Hispanic does their part to create a united front against the social and legal injustices that minorities are forced to deal with, then a dream of equality can be realized, our American dream. Historically Black Colleges and Universities play an essential role in helping African Americans achieve the American dream. America’s 105 Historically Black Colleges and Universities have a rich heritage and have played a prominent role in the education of African Americans in this nation, including Booker T. Washington, Martin Luther King Jr., and W.E.B. DuBois. A commitment to educating African Americans is what makes these institutions unique and essential to America. The heritage and culture that is preserved by the college traditions is unique. Minority students sometimes face racism, presumptions about their intelligence social exclusion and open hostility in some majority white institutions. HBCUs prepare African-American students to succeed in today’s economy and are essential to America’s educational system. In summation, our minority communities are ever changing no matter what color you are you deserve the pursuit of happiness, African-American leaders such as Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, Martin Luther King Jr., and Cesar Chavez challenged the minority community to respect the dignity and equality of all people, regardless of race. We must always remember where we came from and what transpired in the past so that we never allow such deprave acts of cruelty to revive themselves. We must continue to support our Historically Black colleges in their efforts to provide more and equal opportunity for those in the minority. Finally, researchers and journalists have an ongoing responsibility to report on the deep racial inequalities that exist in society, and to help the public understand and discuss the broader social contexts that contribute to these inequalities. As the world continues to grow more racially and ethnically diverse, and the controlling majority population continues to shrink, the future social, economic, and civic health of our planet depend on the ability of all the people in the minority to live and work alongside each other with interracial understanding and trust. Within a rapidly changing world, ignorance of persistent minority disadvantage across the globe and passive acceptance of its multiple social causes may only heighten racial polarization.
