hispanic groups in the world
Many of the Hispanic groups are diverse in their beliefs, cultures, and traditions. All the groups mention throughout this essay share the same language (Spanish) however; each one has a different dialect. The four Hispanic groups I will be discussing are, Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cuban Americans, and Dominican Americans. Understanding the differences and commonalities between these four Hispanic groups is important in promoting a diverse and nondiscriminatory society.
Mexican Americans have been around for centuries stretching back before the nation was formed (Axia College, 2006) prior to 1965 the Mexicans had the ability to travel freely back and forth throughout the United States. According to Axia College, 2006 in the 1930 the United States government developed a plan to remove Mexicans from America and ship illegal aliens back to Mexico. Since this time, the Mexican Americans has evolved by gaining a more political and social presence as well as increasing their fluency in the English language. The Mexican American political choice typically is the Democrat party however some lean toward the independent voters (Axia College, 2006). Initially the Mexican Americans experienced prejudice and experience unfair and discrimination treatment since that they have created a social presence as well as celebrate one of the largest social conventions, such as Cinco de Mayo on May 5. Economically, Mexican Americans are at a disadvantage compared to White Americans. It was thought that this group lived in a culture of poverty (Axia College, 2006). This view is incorrect, as many Mexican Americans are not to blame for their poor life chances, even though they do suffer from poverty. For support against these struggles, their religious preference is for the Roman Catholic Church (Axia College, 2006). Some U.S. Catholic Churches are observing cultural Mexican holidays such as the Mexican Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). As strong the religious beliefs, their familial beliefs may even be stronger, both in positive and negative ways. This aspect values extended families, eliminating separation from the family, which prevents opportunities outside the household. On the other hand, the use of the extended family is a positive, as the structure is nurturing and supportive (Axia College, 2006).
The next group selected is the Puerto Ricans, their affiliation with the United States started as an outcome of war. The island of Borinquen, subsequently called Puerto Rico was claimed by Spain in 1943, (Axia College, 2006) in 1898 the United States was able to seized Puerto Rico during the Spanish American war. Which allowed Puerto Rico is a part of U.S. territory, but the island has no U.S. voting rights. Additionally, Puerto Ricans would like to govern their own affairs, but are limited at this time. In 2009, the first Puerto Rican female judge was elected name Sonia Sotomayor. According to Axia College 2006, Puerto Ricans has one of the highest unemployment and poverty rate. However having a strong religious faith as Catholics, has keep them strong. At the foundations of these beliefs and struggles is a close, extended familial base. Elderly family members are important in the family, as they rely on their children for assistance and help in child rearing (Torres, 2002). This means that many generations may live in one household, which is common.
Third in numbers only to Mexicans Americans and Puerto Ricans Cuban Americans are a significant ethnic Hispanic minority in the United States. (Axia College, 2006), the Cubans have maintained the Spanish language while learning English more than the other groups (Perez, 2002). Since the 1970, the Cuban has posses a strong political presence in Miami and abroad. They held positions in congress, commissioners as well as Mayor.
The Cuban Americans in Miami posses a strong Anti-Castor presence in 2004 the Bush administrator launched a serious of steps including restricting travel to Cuba and remittance as a means to punish the Castro regime. (Axia College, 2006) In the social structure of Cuban Americans varies from the three other Hispanic groups as well. Cuban Americans complete college at twice the rates and are favored against other Hispanics (Axia College, 2006). Many Cubans are located in Miami due to the city’s proximity to Cuba. They also have influenced the city’s culture. Along with the higher education rates, comes more economic success for Cuban Americans. They consider education extremely important, ensuring a more affluent financial and employment status. In contrast to educational interest, most are nominal Roman Catholics, lacking strong religiosity (Perez, 2002). Religion is not a motivator in the community, but politics and economy are. Another motivator is family, and many households contain three-generation families. The elders do live with their children, but are not head of the household. The women did not usually have to work in Cuba, but had to once in America (Axia College, 2006).
The final group is Dominican Americans, which contain Spanish-speaking migrants with 50% speaking English well (Buffington, 2000). Currently, Dominican Americans have the right to vote in Dominican elections and retain their citizenship through efforts of the National Association of Absent Dominicans organization (Buffington, 2000). Although they are not yet a presence in national politics, some have successfully entered the local level. For example, Guillermo Linares was New York City’s first Dominican elected city councilor (Buffington, 2000). In addition to politics, the Dominican identity values education and surprisingly, baseball. Baseball is a source of pride and many dream of becoming professional players as it represents a way out of poverty (Buffington, 2000). Although Dominican Americans suffer from poverty and low-end jobs in the U.S., many were professionals in the Dominican Republic. The reasons for their poverty in the U.S. are the language barriers, illegal immigration, discrimination, and lack of education (Buffington, 2000). Moreover, many Dominican Americans are Roman Catholic, but not much documentation exists on religion and Dominican Americans in the U.S. The family units in the Dominican Republic are extended like the other groups, but the units are typically smaller once in the U.S. Furthermore, about half of the household are led by a woman in the U.S. as compared to almost none in the home country (Buffington, 2000).
The Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Cuban American, and Dominican American Hispanic groups each differ from each other, in addition to having particular commonalities. The individual cultural and social aspects are unique, as they each honor their heritage differently. Celebrations, holidays, political aspirations, and linguistic origins are diverse. On the other hand, these four groups can relate in similar ways. Each has experienced economic poverty, a preference for Catholicism in religion, and a tight-knit extended family unit. It is these differences and similarities that can bond, and yet honor each group’s traits in American society; hopefully, the future of the U.S. can see further value in promoting the diversity of the various minority groups living within.
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