ay in The book written by Ray Suarez provides a historical recount of the Latin American legacy and heritage in the United States. The book unfolds numerous events of heroes and victims that depict a meaningful and relevant history that relates to the Hispanic society in the US. This essay takes a critical look into the structural and historical conditions that bring race, racism and other oppressions into the social work practice through the case study of Latin Americans as presented by the Ray Suarez’s book.
The Position of the Latin Americans
I was surprised after discovering the conflict in the personal identity Latin American as presented in the fourth and the fifth chapter of the book (Chicanos, Cubans, Latinos, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Colombians, and Central Americans among others) in the country. The book inspired self-reflection of personal identity in the modern American society while highlighting aspects of ancestral pride and empathy towards the hardworking historical figures that sacrificed everything for the future generation. I was inspired into reflection about my own identity, and was intrigued to find out that I have a rich historical background that I have failed to appreciate before. In this context, the book indicates the manner in which normal socio-political environment has deviated from the design promoted by the founding fathers of America (Suarez, 2013). As the author provides information regarding the manner in which Americans view the Hispanic society, I realized that he uses Rita Moreno and Desi Arnaz and the perception of I Love Lucy to indicate that the Americans have a demeaning and discriminatory image of the Hispanic community. Moreover, the book unveils the historical events on the island of Hispaniola, Cuba, and Peutorica to depict that all the immigrants from these places migrated to America for a specific reason. While the Cubans were driven by their refugee status, the nationless status of the Puerto Rican nationals in Diaspora shaped the history of the Latino Americans in a significant manner (Belton et al., 2013).
I was shocked that Latin Americans are perceived as foreigners irrespective of legal documents that state otherwise, and that the position of the Latinos was undermined as reveled by the author. The book indicates that Latin Americans were displayed as people with confused and unstable political position. In this scenario, Freddie Prinze was having sexual encounters with a man in his living room, while Huerta, the united farm workers, and Chavez were demanding for equal rights for Latinos in the education and labor. I realized that such a display of the Latino society is based on the stereotypic and discriminatory basis that displays their inability to work together and focus on essential matters (Alvarez et al., 2013). Nonetheless, I was consoled by the recent immigrant’s rights movements, which have made significant strides in redefining the position of the Hispanic society in the country as they acknowledge their rightful position in the country and demand to be treated in a respectful and equal manner. These movements are seeking to remove the barriers that have traditionally cut off the Hispanic population from meaningful civil participation and economic opportunity.
Discrimination
I was surprised by the role that legislation has played in promoting discrimination towards Latin Americans. Legislation has marginalized Hispanic workers who have to go through several processes in order to enjoy rights such as employment. This aspect was surprising considering that legislation is supposed to promote the rights of all people. The book unwinds in such a manner that indicates that the American legislation has created legal and social values and structure that undermine the rights of the immigrants in the society (Belton et al., 2013). I deduced that by failing to establish a basis for equality with regard to security, economic, and social aspects of the Hispanic society that comprises of the largest minority group and a significant proportion of the US population, the nation has encouraged oppression, marginalization, and alienation of the Latin Americans while enhancing the privilege and power of the majority group (the Caucasian society). Given that most Hispanic families do not have equal access to high-quality education, labor protection, and are subject to the enforcement of immigration laws, their economic and social achievements are also limited. As such, most of the disadvantaged minority groups are left to work in the low-paying jobs, such as janitor duties and housekeeping, while living in fear of unfair dismissal from work or, in the worst cases, deportation.
Working for the Hunts point alliance for children (HPAC) program showcases the manner in which the nation encourages the marginalization and oppression of minority groups, as the largest proportion of children who need help are of minority descent and from immigrant families, even though these groups make up a small proportion of the country’s population, as Latino and Hispanic Americans account for 17.8% of the total population (Suarez, 2013). In this case, the social work profession is faced with discriminatory practices as they are expected to solve the problems imposed by the societal values and structures that deprive the people of an equal opportunity to education, career opportunities, and social standing. Hence, the social workers are forced to cater to the need of the minority groups who are underprivileged while utilizing the meager resources assigned for helping this neglected group (Suarez, 2013).
Working for the organization made me realize that the disproportionate ethnic-based population of children who need economic, emotional, and psychological assistance to realize their potential expresses the dynamics of oppression and discrimination of the minority groups in the society. Most of the children in the program are from the Hispanic society, and they have significant economic challenges. I discovered that a large proportion of these children have emotional and psychological problems as they have been subjected to negative societal interactions that effects their self-perception and lowers their self-esteem. In the HPAC agency, some children from Hispanic descent were born in the US, while their parents are still struggling to gain their citizenship. As such, many, if not all, struggle to find a well-paying job and are treated as criminals living in a foreign country illegally. Such a situation lays a credible foundation to advocate for human rights and social and economic justice. These conditions are reflected in the book, which indicates the discrimination of the minority groups in the society such that they feel vulnerable and out of place leading to many psychological problems. When working with diverse groups, my values and biases intrude in trying to provide extra services for the minority based on the assumption that they are facing economic and social struggles. I practice cultural competence by refraining from making assumptions and generalizing people by their ethnic backgrounds and by treating everyone through the provision of equal services and opportunities to all people. My studies have prepared me to be aware of theses biases and perceptions, which enhance my unbiased treatment of diverse groups.
Oppression
The book demonstrates the rich history of Latino Americans and their influence on American history and development. The writer acknowledges that although Latino Americans have made great contributions to the growth and development of the American history, they have faced a myriad challenge, which ranges from oppression and discrimination in the course of their progress (Suarez, 2013). In composing the book, I feel that the writer seeks to shed light on some of the dark areas that characterize the history of the United States but are rarely unearthed. Suarez writes the book with the interest of highlighting some of the challenges some communities face.
I find that the book offers a lot of history that is further echoed in the present-day forms and the other manifest forms of oppression in the United States. Suarez describes how the Latino Americans were historically oppressed as a consequence of their small population prompting them to be titled as minorities. He also describes how they were rarely assigned to decent jobs, being primarily expected to work on farms; where they were paid little compensation (Suarez, 2013). This sought to oppress them, hence, limit their influence in the American society as far as development is concerned. In the same way, I feel that present-day America does not recognize immigrants who are documented as people worth decent treatment. In point of fact, most of them are discriminated in the places of work whenever they apply for jobs that would definitely match their criteria (Suarez, 2013). Although this has been justified by some quarters to be protecting the desirabilities and interests of the American citizens, this move is uncalled for as everyone in the land ought to be treated without discrimination or showing more relevance to the other.
Equally, the book illustrates how some structures and values of the United States oppress, marginalize, and alienate some people while creating and enhancing privilege and power for others. The racial system is one of the structures manifest here. Values of segregation were evident in the society. In the book, it can be seen that while some of the characters were subjected to treatments that can better be described as humane, the others would be given hard labor, and would further be paid meager payments as a consequence of their color. Based on the fact that the time characterizing the developments amid the Latino Americans encompassed the settling of Europeans in America, the Latino Americans were faced with a myriad of challenges that not only centered on economic proliferation but also the lack of adequate opportunities to integrate socially.
Challenges
As a matter of general cognition, the ability of one developing requires the inclusion of social, economic, and political affairs that are relevant to the enhancement of the given person. In the same way that the Latinos were not given the opportunities to develop, today, the discrimination of such population is still on the rise. This is at the wake of new modes of racism where whites and blacks still consider that they are not equal, hence, people from either race ought not to be appreciated by those from the other races. The feeling of not being equal is not always the same as people have diverse views on life aspects. Although the issue is highly discouraged by the political class, this is a concern that requires social intervention, approach, and the issuance of solutions that match the societal needs and expectations. This would meet societal needs as this would alleviate those left out from developmental aspects. From the political point of view, the writer commences by giving a brief history of the Hispanics (Suarez, 2013). In this case, he identifies them as the greatest victims who have fallen prey of the challenges and drawbacks that keep affecting the American society.
As an underprivileged community, the lack of accommodative principles and conditions that favor the proliferation of all members of the society is the one challenge that majors the sufferings of the Hispanics (Suarez, 2013). Also, it is notable to assert that American history is characterized by the discrimination of Mexican Americans based on their place of origin and inhabitation. This confirms that while people from all the states were to be treated with equality while maintaining the diverse contributions and developments that they stood to give America, the reverse and total opposite is what denotes American history.
In the agency that I work for, several highlights outlined in the book are evident. For instance, there are many practices that are set aside to advocate for human rights and social and economic justice and I must agree that there are situations where I find my personal values and biases intruding. For instance, when advocating an injustice as poor remunerations to hardworking employees, it is important to stand firm and confront the given administration with facts, and the reasons why there should be salary increments. Here, it is not enough for the persons pushing the agendas to be just courageous but also honest in their dealings. In some cases, one may be confronted with the circumstance where they would only help one of their close associates get what they want and leave out the other colleagues that are distantly connected to them. In point of fact, this should not be the case as social justice calls for virtuous and decent approach to any overriding issues.
All in all, although I agree that the book has an adequate cover of the challenges that the Latinos faced in their struggle for developments that ushered in the prosperous present-day America, the writer leaves out the fact that the administrative agencies at that time provided necessary conditions for their growth. This is expounded by the fact that the government had established robust structures to facilitate assistance to the Latinos. The situation was not all ill-placed as some forms of justice existed.
Latino Americans Documentary
There is a general consensus that Latino Americans are among ethnic minorities that have been hit worse with racial discrimination. Racial and ethnic intolerance are deeply rooted in the American society, especially towards the people of color, who have endured tough times in the American socio-cultural and landscapes. The various episodes of Ray Suarez’s Latino Americans documentary explore the lives of Latino American men and women to provide deeper insights into their experiences over the course of the last 500 years. They also shed light on the personal struggles and successes Latino Americans have attained in such an immensity of time (PBS, 2013). Fundamentally, Ray Suarez’s documentary provides groundbreaking insights and perspectives into the dynamics of power, privilege, positionality, and oppression and how they have implicated Latino Americans.
The history of Latino Americans in the United States spans from the early European settlements to the present time. Suarez’s documentary provides a historical account of Latino Americans’ incredible experience, including struggles, successes, and their legacy over a five-hundred-year span. He vividly and candidly highlights the major events that have shaped the experiences of Latino Americans and how they have endeavored to push for better conditions to live the American experience (PBS, 2013). From my historical exposure and knowledge, I understand that the emergence of World War II saw Mexican immigration renewed after a consensus between the United States and Mexico to permit braceros to enter the United States. The main goal of this program was to ensure that the United States acquired as many Mexican immigrants as possible to provide cheap labor in agricultural and construction sectors of the U.S. economy. This, subsequently, saw a host of problems related to prejudice and discrimination, exploitation of Mexican Americans by agribusiness employers, and hundreds of thousands of wetbacks (Suarez, 2013). I am particular moved by Latino Americans’ experience in the post-World War II years because I feel this is a period that truly defined their position in the American society.
I personally feel Latino Americans continue to be underrepresented in major domains of life. They are represented in a stereotypical and commodified manner in education, politics, healthcare, and employment. Essentially, members of this ethnic minority are denied social, economic, and political opportunities and are judged based on ethnoracial markers such as skin tone and color. In education, for instance, Latino American children experience a host of challenges that impede positive schooling outcomes, including lack of mentorship programs, lack of or inadequate social support, cultural problems, and lack of financial support for those from poor backgrounds. Women have also experienced a fair share of socioeconomic challenges as they have to contend with high levels of racial and gender discrimination in various spheres of life, including in employment and in other socio-political and cultural spheres (PBS, 2013). I agree with Suarez’s documentary on the point that the positive aspect of Latino Americans’ experience is the creation of the Chicano identity to push for inclusion of their community in all spheres of American society.
As a Social Work intern at HPAC-Hunts Point Alliance for Children, I have strived to advocate equality, justice, and fair representation of Latino Americans in all aspects of life. I believe conscious and unconscious bias in employment affects them and their performance. Implicit racial bias and stereotypes toward members of my community affects me in the sense that I cannot focus on what is important for my life. What surprised me at HPAC-Hunts Point Alliance for Children was my realization that the organization has implemented the racial-bias education program in various workplaces to equip employees with the knowledge and understanding of conscious and unconscious issues in their contexts.here…