Latino and Mexican American Experiences
For this week’s discussion, please share your thoughts on Latino and Mexican American experiences. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Incomes of full-time year-round workers within the Latino community are significantly less than White earnings. What do you think are reasons for the vast disparity of income between the two groups? Do you think regional factors, historical factors, or laws have or could have an impact on the disparity?
How do differences in the cultures of various Latino groups affect their experiences in communities and employment? Are there some Latino groups you feel experience less discrimination?
Lack of English language attainment can be an impediment in many ways in the United States. How do patterns of education affect Latino populations and their English language attainment?
Discuss how the experience of Puerto Ricans in the United States differs from that of Latinos and Mexican Americans. What are the reasons for the differences?
Latinos in the United States
Use your Racial and Ethnic Groups textbook to read the following:
Chapter 9, “Latinos: Growth and Diversity,” pages 200–218.
This chapter explores the characteristics and pan-ethnicity of Latinos, their current economic picture, education and English language attainment, their role in U. S. politics, and the role of religion in Latino communities.
Use the Capella University Library to read the following:
De Loera-Brust, A. (2018, April 16). Infographic: A Latino future for the church and society. America, 218, 1–3.
This article notes that Latinos are the second largest ethnic group in the United States and growing, although people in that group claim many different racial and ethnic identities. Because this ethnic group has historical ties to Catholicism, the growth of the group will have an outsized effect on the Catholic church, as well as on society as a whole.
Gelles, S. (2017). U.S. Latinos play increasingly significant economic role. EContent, 40(6), 12.
The author examines the economic impact of Latinos in the U. S. by looking at estimates of the Latino gross domestic product. Latino contribution to workforce participation estimates is also addressed.
Tobar, H. (2018). How Latinos are shaping America’s future. National Geographic, 234(1), 86, 90–93,100–103.
This article examines the lives of some Latinos who are making a difference for good in their American communities.
Willis, E., & Seiz, J. A. (2020). Is all politics local?: For Latinos their place of origin matters. The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, 30, 14–15.
This article examines how the voting preferences of some Latino migrants continue to be shaped by political events and conditions in their home countries and how that changes over time.
Weissman, S. (2020, October 1). A question of identity: New Pew Research Center study examines use of the term “Latinx.” Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 37, 24–25.
This resource talks about the use of the non-gendered term Latinx, used in the place of Latino and Latina. The term has gained currency in academic communities, but it is seldom used by people who identify as Hispanic, in part because it “creates discomfort.”
Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans
Use your Racial and Ethnic Groups textbook to read the following:
Chapter 10, “Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans,” pages 219–237.
Learn about the history of Mexican Americans and their contemporary social circumstances, then explore the challenges faced by Puerto Ricans and their life and culture.
