I know that this is not anything like my usual posts, but today I don’t want to just talk about facts; I wish to express my experiences and thoughts on a topic that is very important to me. (and has to do with my culture)
Some time ago I was at a restaurant getting lunch with a friend, and I accidentally heard a conversation that two women sitting behind me were having; they were talking about the problem of excessive illegal immigration of Hispanics in the southern border. The first thing I will say is that yes, I admit that illegal immigration from the border is a problem and that we should be looking for a solution to stop it. However, the comments of these women were too hostile for my liking. There was one comment in particular that really got to me; one lady was constantly calling illegal immigrants, and just Hispanics in general, lazy.
If you have never heard of this before, I am extremely glad. But since I arrived to this country, I have constantly heard people describe Hispanics/Latinos as lazy people that either party too much or are criminals. Let me say this: As a young woman who was blessed enough to grow up with several privileges (that I will talk about soon enough), I believe Hispanics possess a huge drive to work that sometimes astounds me. You might think that I’m saying this because I’m biased, but this is a belief that the experiences I’ve had, and the people I’ve met, have planted into my very soul.
During the twelve years that I lived in Mexico, I met several people who were not as privileged as I was. What are my privileges? That my parents were able to get an education, and therefore my brother and I can afford one as well. That I have never had the necessity to work a job in my entire life. That the decisions I make about my future are made because they are what I want, not because I don’t have another choice. That I grew up in a safe, loving environment where I had a voice and I was equal to everybody else. That I was able to come to this country legally and enjoy all the advantages that come with being a citizen. I grew up with so many privileges that I could write an entire blog post about them and that would still not be enough.
The experience that made me realize all these privileges though, was the day I visited a girl’s orphanage in Mexico. All of the girls I met were fascinated with me for one thing: my hands. They said my hands were soft and pretty, while theirs were not. What’s the difference? On their previous homes they used to work as maids all day, handling chemical products and other rough materials. I, on the other hand, was privileged enough to not need to work during my childhood. In Latin America, hands are a sign of privileges.
In a continent where the population grows faster than the infrastructure, working or studying becomes another privilege.
In Mexico, I met a ten year old girl who would wake up at 4am and walk two miles from her house to school every single day; alone, in a road made of dirt, and without shoes. I’ve met children who would go to school and work on the street selling candy to help their families pay the bills. I’ve met an illegal man who is here in the U.S., working as a gardener to pay for the education of his children at home. His oldest son, who came with him to work, was killed in a car accident by someone who was speeding and ignored a red light and that person received little punishment; Yet the man has kept on working. I was humbled when I met all these people, who work so hard to sustain their families and have a better future. I am not saying that we are the hardest workers! I’ve met hard working people from all races and nationalities, and this is a trait which depends on the person, not their origin. I just hope that by sharing some of the things I’ve seen, every reader can help me stop that terrible stereotype.
Mohamed Aboubakry Diop says
I completely agree with you, people make assumptions based on what they hear or see on the TV especially on other races. I really hope we can stop racism one day.
Mahbub Ahsan Rashid says
Great post! Really liked the way you presented and proved your point.Racism and stereotyping has been a common phenomenon and still exists today unfortunately and this is not only hispanics but other races too.This is 2014 and its high time something is done about these issues.
Wilson Noah Mazile says
Racism is the biggest weakness we have as humans. I hear, witness, and face it everyday of my life. I don’t hate things but I hate racism especially when I witness it happening to certain people. Along with blacks in this country Hispanics have also faced extreme racism. It’s crazy to think that people can even say that Hispanics are lazy. I don’t know a single person of this race in my life who hasn’t worked extremely hard for everything in their lives. Today’s media and government has tainted their image and made them seem like aliens rather than actual people. To me there is no such thing as an illegal immigrant and I hate that there is actual a national debate on what the country should do about it. If I was a political leader I would try to develop a new ideology of what is means to be connected because all races are connected in many ways. We need to change this racism into mutual love for each other. We have to see pass the skin color and generalizations that are really inaccurate. I love reading your posts, they always get me motivated to write a longer comment. Great job 🙂
Victoria Annie Munoz-anderson says
Being of Hispanic heritage myself, I completely see where this is coming from, growing up my parents always told me that I had to try harder than other people because I’m Hispanic and if I don’t work twice as hard as everyone around me, I wouldn’t get anywhere. It’s sad that people in the 21st century still feel that way, but on a personal level it did help me to work hard to reach my goals.
Adil Sabir says
I agree with all of your points. Hispanics were given a bad reputation in this country for no valid reason besides pure racism. This needs to stop now.