Latin Americans in the American Political Process

Latino Population In 2007, by nationality Mexican 29,189,334 Puerto Rican 4,114,701 Central/South American 6,033,333 Cuban 1,608,835 Other Hispanic 4,432,393 Total45,378,596

Latino Population of the U.S. by Origin, 2007 Mexican 63% Puerto Rican 9% All Others 10% Cuban 4% Central American 8% South American 6%

Latino Population Diversity: in educational attainment, occupational mobility, nationality, socio- economically, generational status Disagreement in terms: Hispanic is preferred on the east coast and Latino on the west coast Chicano is a Political/ideological term and Spanish American is preferred in New Mexico

Where Most Latin Americans Live, 2007

Population by Race and Ethnicity, Actual and Projected: 1960, 2005, and 2050

Latino Population ¾ reside in five states: CA (40%), TX (19%), NY (9%), FL (8%), IL (4%) In 1960 constituted 9.6% of L.A. county population. By 1990, 37.8% One of every 4 persons living in poverty in the U.S. is of Hispanic origin Median Age = 26.6 compared to 36.9 for non-Hispanic white By 2025, will comprise 19% of U.S. population. By 2050, 29%

Latino Population By year 2070 will constitute about 1/3 of U.S. population Today, approx. 30% speak only or mostly English 1/3 speak Spanish at work, 60% at home, ¾ listen to Spanish radio 86% are urban dwellers compared to 73% for total population Diversity: Culturally, linguistically, racially, religiously, in assimilation rate

Household Income Trends,

Statistical Portrait of Latinos in the United States, 2007 Households by Income, Race & Ethnicity, 2007

People in Poverty Trends,

Latino Identity Panethnicity - refers to a common identity and sense of solidarity among Latinos from different nationalities While there is considerable diversity among Hispanics, a number of factors tend to bring the Hispanic community together

Latino Identity 1. Language 2. Spanish formatted television stations 3. English and Spanish periodicals aimed at the Hispanic community Divisions remain culturally Multiple subcultures Mexican vs. Mexican American Central American vs. South American Puerto Rican vs. Dominican vs. Cuban

Latino Identity politically Cubans vote more Republican Mexican & Puerto Rican vote more Democrat economically Varying degrees of affluence, poverty rates, occupational mobility, social class among Latinos Immigrant vs. 2 nd or 3 rd generation status

Latino Identity racially “Color gradient” – recognizing the 22 shades of skin color between black and white Historical amalgamation national identity Anglo/Dominant group tends to group all Latinos together not recognizing differences Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens

The Language Divide Bilingualism - involves the use of two or more languages Bilingual educational 1. English as a Second Language program Most common program but most lack a bicultural basis 2. English immersion program

Problems in implementing bilingual education: 1.Lack of teachers to incorporate a Bicultural approach 2. The number of languages spoken by children and the lack of qualified teachers 3. Ethnocentrism Research results on bilingual education The Language Divide

Official Language Movement The 1980’s and 1990’s saw an increase in attacks on bilingualism Political Education Decline in Federal support for bilingual programs An increase in the number of States that have passed laws making English the State’s official language California and Proposition 227 end to bilingual education Attacks on bilingual education

Growing Political Presence Voting rights Banning literacy tests In 1975 Congress moved in the direction that resulted in legislation that provided for multilingual election ballots in areas with at least a 5% minority population

Political trends Increase in registered voters Increased number that vote Less commitment to one party In between major elections, little effort is made to count Latino interest except by Latino elected officials Growing Political Presence

Mexican-Americans The first Mexican-Americans became Americans with the Annexation of the Southwest and part of the Northwest after the Mexican-American war The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo of 1848 Under the treaty the new Americans were guaranteed rights of citizenship, rights to property and their cultural traditions, including language. The loss of land and the lack of legal protection after the treaty Land conflict with Anglo ranchers made Mexican- Americans outsiders on their own land

Immigrant Experience Immigration from Mexico has been continuous in part because of the proximity of the two borders Lack of restrictive immigration policy directed towards Mexicans until the second half of this century The proximity of the two countries and the maintenance of cultural ties. Mexican-American immigration both documented and undocumented is a function of a combination of push and pull factors Mexican Revolution conflict and immigration Mexican immigration has been tied closely to the economies of Mexico and the United States

Agribusiness interests Migration patterns to the Midwest and elsewhere Population growth and immigration The Great Depression of the 1930’s and the push for repatriation The economic effect and personal impact of repatriation on Mexican-Americans Demand for labor during World War II and the bracero program Conflict between the braceros workers and Mexican-American workers Economic competition for jobs and Operation Wetback and undocumented workers from Mexico Immigrant Experience

Political Organization César Chavez and migrant farm workers movement Economic and social conditions La Raza - pride in one’s Spanish, Native American and Mexican heritage. Texas La Raza Unida Party

Political Organization Chicanismo - emerged in part among Mexican-American college students in the 1960’s Chicanismo - influenced by the civil rights movement Chicanismo - emphasized political self determination and ethnic pride

Political Organization Reies Lopez Tijerina - in 1963 formed the Alianza Federal de Mercedes (Federal Alliance of Land Grants) Purpose of the organization was to recover lost land In 1967 Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund was formed (MALDEF) Pursue issues through the courts

Maquiladoras - foreign-owned and established businesses on the Mexican side of the border Job exportation from the manufacturing North in the United States and the exploitation of Mexican workers Migradollars or remittances Borderlands

The Borderlands

Cuban Americans Patterns of immigration Cuban settlements in Florida date back to the early nineteenth century Where small communities organized around single family enterprises

Cuban Americans Since the Cuban Revolution in 1959, there have been successive groups of immigrants First: About 200,000 came during the first three years after Castro came into power Second: Freedom flights - another 340,000 came from Third: Mariel - another 124,000 came in the freedom flotilla (Mariel controversy) Fourth: In economic push factors

The Present Picture: Cuban Americans The influence of Cuban Americans Miami area In Urban centers Generational relations among Cubans Generational clash between cultures (parent and child) Cuba and Cubans Inter-ethnic relations between Cubans and other Hispanic’s at times have been strained Adjustments were made by Cuban immigrants with the loss of income and family roles Long-range perspective of Cubans in the U.S. depends on several factors

Central and South Americas Central and South Americans came from historically different experiences and times culturally diverse backgrounds Color gradient and race in the United States

Central and South Americans Immigration has been influenced by a number of push and pull factors U.S. immigration laws Social and economic forces in their home country War and persecution Economic deprivation

Puerto Rico

Puerto Ricans Puerto Rico was annexed by the United States from Spain after the the Spanish-American War of 1898 Puerto Rico has been a United States colony since 1898 (Commonwealth Status since 1948) Puerto Ricans have been subjected to bureaucratic (Political) control by the United States

Puerto Ricans Initial colonial policy had a devastating effect on Language on Puerto Rican cultural institutions Jones Act of 1917 and United States citizenship Have most rights except do not pay federal income taxes and do not vote for President or have voting members to Congress/Senate In 1948 it became a commonwealth

Island and the Mainland A number of push and pull factors have led to migration from the Island to the mainland Economic underdevelopment and the pull of jobs on the mainland Farm labor contracts Overpopulation Cheap airfares Puerto Rican communities (New York City) on the mainland

Island and the Mainland Neoricans - term used by The Islanders to refer to Puerto Ricans that have lived in New York Neoricans are often better educated and have more money than Puerto Ricans from the Island Often resented by long time Islanders

Island of Puerto Rico Commonwealth status and neocolonialism Issues of Statehood and Self-Rule In 1998 in the last vote over the issue 50% favored commonwealth status, 47% statehood and 3% favored independence Only Puerto Ricans on the Island may vote NAFTA and growing competition with Mexico and Canada for United States dollars The debate goes on….

Political Issues Puerto Rican Legal Defense & Education Fund - PRLDEF Educational status and issues Increasing segregation 1. Function of residential segregation in large metropolitan areas 2. Increase in population as desegregation movement began to decline 3. Desegregated schools have become resegregated

Between 1990 and 2008, the number of Hispanic jail inmates increased at a faster average annual rate of growth (4.5%) than white (3.8%) and black inmates (3.3%) Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics Correctional survey Demographic Trends in Jail Populations

Present View Many immigrants have problems because they came to the United States without the proper documents Many were professionals and had to adjust to downward mobility lower status jobs Unemployment Immigration and Naturalization Act of Brain drain

Education Ending Segregation with Mendez v. Westminster Isolation in the classroom because of tracking (placing students in specific classes or curriculum groups on the basis of testing or other measures) Educational effect of tracking Bilingual educational programs Higher education Adjusting to college and campus life dominated by Whites Dealing with prejudice Economic cost of college

Educational Attainment by Race & Ethnicity, 2007 Statistical Portrait of Latinos in the United States, 2007

Research by The Tomas Rivers Policy Institute (TRPI) has shown that college financial aid opportunities abound in the form of scholarships, grants, and loans. Yet many Latino students and their parents are not aware that numerous grants and scholarships are earmarked especially for them.

California Latino Youth Perceptions of College Financial Aid 98% of respondents felt it was important to have a college education 38% of respondents did not feel the benefits of college outweigh the cost Over half of all respondents erroneously thought students have to be U.S. citizens to apply for college financial aid Few respondents could accurately estimate the cost of attending either a UC or the CSU There is a lack of familiarity with government grants for education Tomas Rivers Policy Institute, June 2006 study

Latinos And Education: Explaining the Attainment Gap Nearly nine-in-ten (89%) Latino youths say that a college education is important for success in life Yet only about half that number (48%) say that they themselves plan to get a college degree National survey conducted Aug.5 to Sept. 16, 2009 by Pew Hispanic Center Nearly 74% of respondents who cut their education short during or right after high school say they did so to support the family

Healthcare Hispanic community lack of access to healthcare resources Function of poverty and employment patterns Use of folk practitioners - traditional folk remedies or curanderismo Form of holistic medicine

Religion Religion is the most important formal organization in the Hispanic community Roman Catholic church Early on, took an assimilation role Today, more community oriented Hispanic role in the church has grown Worship (more expressive) Hispanics underrepresented in the clergy Pentecostalism—Evangelical Christianity within Hispanic American communities

Religious Preferences

Latino/Hispanic Political Activists and Interest Groups Cuban American National Council (CANC) Cuban American National Foundation (CANF) Committee for Cuban Democracy (CCD) Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Dominican American National Roundtable (DANR) Hispanic Association for Corporate Responsibility (HACR) Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) Latin American Defense Organization (LADO) Latin Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) Latino National Political Survey (LNPS) League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Latinos United for Political Rights (LUPA) Mexican American Legal Defense an Education Fund (MALDEF) National Association of Bilingual Educators (NABE) National Association of Hispanic Dentists (NAHD) National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) National Council of La Raza (NCLR) National Hispanic Corporate Council (NHCC) Puerto Rican Legal Defense an Education Fund (PRLDEF) Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) Southwest Voter Registration and Education Project (SVREP) United Farm Workers (UFW) U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC)

Hispanic Political Action Committees NDN PAC (New Democrat Network-Hispanic Strategy Center) Hispanic Action Committee Hispanic CEO PAC Hispanic Democratic Organization Hispanic PAC USA Hispanic Unity USA HISPANICS FOR AMERICA Peace & Justice Hispanic PAC Latina Roundtable PAC Latino Alliance Latino Citizens for Respect Latina PAC Latinos for America PAC (Non-profit) Honor PAC Building Our Leadership Diversity PAC

Intergroup Relations Continuum

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