Op-Ed

Just the other day my stepmother and I got into a heated discussion about racism against Latinos in the United States. My stepmother is originally from Mexico and has been a citizen of the US for over a decade, so she brought a very valuable perspective to the conversation.  Our dialog brought up many of the vital points discussed in the article,  “Getting Beyond the ‘Symptom,’ Acknowledging the ‘Disease’: Theorizing Racist Nativism.” Why is racism against Latinos such a problem? What makes this different from racist and discriminatory practices against other minorities throughout US history? And how does her story, as a Latina woman experiencing racism in this country today, contribute to the overall picture of this situation?

In a nation where the media paints a picture of Hispanic immigrants as criminals, stealing jobs from citizens, and exploiting services like education and health care, it is clear the US has come to fear the negative effects of Hispanic immigration.  Although, according to Huber, Lopez, et al., this situation is not new, and in fact dates back to the 1920s when America implemented immigration laws to prevent Hispanics from taking American jobs. So why does racism against Latinos seem to be such a colossal problem now?  Is it due to racist nativism fueled by white supremacy as “Getting Beyond the ‘Symptom” states?

I believe the racist nativism presence in our country is obvious, especially as it relates to Hispanic individuals. For instance, American’s displeasure can be clearly seen in comments posted to a recent Associated Press article I recently read regarding the rising numbers of Hispanics in the country. Comments like “build higher fences” and “get them out, they do not deserve to be here” can be seen throughout the discussion section. However, if these feelings were solely based on whiteness, all people of color would be victim to racist nativism. While African Americans, for instance, may experience forms of racism, I do not believe it is racist nativism; even though this population are not white, they are still considered by the general population to be American and not a threat to our way-of-life.

This point can be further seen in America’s past when many Americans engaged in racist nativism towards white, southern and eastern European immigrants. Huber, Lopez, et al. point out the assimilation of these populations throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. However, I disagree with their proposed concept of assimilation that states that white elites incorporated poor, ethnic whites into the mainstream to win out in the black/white racial divide that slavery was causing. To argue this point suggests forethought and a massive collective consciousness that I do not believe is possible.

Instead, I propose a theory that suggests a general acceptance as groups cease to be considered an “other.” I think “otherness” is truly the problem we have been combating for generations. It is true that whiteness aids in the visual separation between races, but just as Jews and Italians were deemed as “others” and are now fully assimilated, so too is the future for immigrants of color.  Perhaps instead of skin color, “otherness” today is more often determined by a lack of English, which is seen as “un-American” by many. Regardless, this article shows me that America functions on a learning curve. Due to the recent boom in immigration from the Hispanic population, America’s immediate instinct is an “us vs. them” mentality. As can be seen from past immigrants, America initially refuses acceptance, but needs a little time to “warm up” to its new residents. Once new resident populations have time to “stew “ in our “melting pot,” we will stop seeing them as “others.” The face of America is changing, but it is not the first time we have experienced demographic change, and I am certain it will not be the last.

While discussing personal experiences, my stepmother discussed frustration with the racist nativism she has faced firsthand. Upon meeting most Americans for the first time they ask questions like “that’s a lovely accent, where is it from?” and immediately upon her responding that she is from Mexico notices an apparent lack of respect that was present before this information was provided. She noted that if she replied with “Spain” instead (and she has conducted this experiment) the same response does not hold true. This perspective made it clear that the American population does not frown upon foreigners in general; Hispanics are specifically targeted in this form of racist nativism.

It should be acknowledged that we are experiencing a unique situation since there has never been as large of a surge of a specific population into the country at one time. The Latino population is rising faster than any other, with the 2010 US Census expected to reveal that Latinos will make up 1 in 6 residents in America.  To avoid mass racist nativism as this population grows, we must first address the misperceptions that all Latinos are illegal immigrants. Illegal immigration is wrong, dangerous from a homeland security perspective, and we should be monitoring the situation from all countries. Legal immigration, however, is what our country is built on. America would not exist without it. Arguably, immigration is what being American is all about.  These new citizens are the same as those that have been migrating legally to our country for generations.

I agree with the authors that Latina/o critical race theory should be utilized to discover more about the experiences of Latinos in America. It is vital to acknowledge personal stories, such as my stepmothers, to receive an accurate picture of the racist nativism in our country. However, instead of identifying white supremacy as the sole root of the problem, further research needs to be conducted regarding language barriers and “otherness” as potential causes. It is my hope by using these methods we can decrease the time it has typically taken Americans to accept “others” into its society and move to a more accepting environment for new, Hispanic citizens.

The Catch 22 of Mentorship

As bell hooks discusses, we are living in a dominator-controlled world where Americans are fed “distorted truths” about diverse populations through mass media. It is exceptionally important that these “truths” be uncovered, discussed, and improved upon within the college setting.  Progress has been made by implementing Women’s Studies, Ethnic Studies, and courses that discuss racial issues and the feelings that surround those issues, such as Tatum’s Group Exploration of Racism (and our own class here at George Mason) into the curriculum of many universities. Also important are the teachers that lead these courses, as well as other role models throughout an institution. Both Turner, González, and Wood’s and Turner’s articles point to the need of faculty and staff of color to diversify the campus, leading to positive effects for employees of the institution and students. Some of these positive effects include preparing students for a diverse society, diverse faculty being better able to assist and recruit diverse students, and the different ways diverse faculty may approach teaching, leading to new ways of learning and out-of-the-box thinking for students. It is clear that recruitment and retention of faculty and staff of varying races and ethnicities are vital to the college campus.

One of the methods for recruiting and retaining faculty of color on the college campus in both “Faculty of Color in Academe: What 20 Years of Literature Tells Us” and “Women of Color in Academe Living with Multiple Marginality” is mentoring programs. In fact, mentoring was the one item that was brought up again and again in the Turner, Gonzalez, and Wood’s study spanning 17 years. From the mentee perspective, this was described as very positive in Turner’s article as well, as it allows for networking, collaboration, and an opportunity for a more experienced individual to guide mentees through the university. However, it is important to look at this from the mentor perspective as well. A section that stood out to me in Turner’s article was “Being Underemployed and Overused by Departments and/or Institutions.” This section cites the stress of being a role model based on their race or gender. Additional concern is for the additional workload being a mentor can require… work that is not tied to research, publications, or in-class teaching and thus not as often rewarded. While I do see the extreme importance in mentorship for advancing new employees to avoid isolation and to connect with others in the university, the strain it has on the mentors should be addressed. This dilemma certainly qualifies as a Catch 22. Mentoring is a proven technique for improving the situation for faculty of color on the college campus, but it appears that at the same time it is causing stress and a burden to members of the community as well.  Both of these effects could even exist within the same person, by feeling the negative and positive effects equally.

I’ve been trying to think of solutions to this problem. More group mentorship programs opposed to one-on-one involvement? But I feel that may leave newcomers lost in the shuffle when others in the group think, “someone else will take care of it.” Or perhaps we can change the system so that universities reward mentoring? But to think through that honestly, universities are a business and their main interest in the matter will be money; money is made by publishing and research, not by helping out a new employee or student out of the classroom. So I’m stumped. I think this is a topic that needs much more thought and investigation. We can start by utilizing Critical Race Theory. What is your personal experience? Have you been a mentor or a mentee? What positive or negative effects resulted?

"What you focus on expands"

Admittedly, I tend to see the word through rose-colored glasses. This often makes me naïve to many of the world’s evils. I believe this course is helping me see the world a little clearer, especially as it related to race. However, one point from the article  “Nine Themes in Campus Racial Climates and Implications for Institutional Transformation” really has me heated. Harper and Hurtado cite a research study conducted by Swim in 2003 that I have a serious issue with. Whether using my rose-colored or newly acquired racial lenses, either way I find this study problematic.

Before I go into the study, I want to introduce a friend’s blog post that is influencing my strong feelings.  This entry has been fixed in my mind since the day she wrote it. For those of you who do not want to read her story, I will summarize. My friend Ali had a baby young and this post tells the story of the horrible looks and comments some women would make to her when she was pregnant and now when she’s out with her daughter. She let herself internalize these criticisms that perpetually made her feel bad about herself, regardless of the fact that these women knew nothing about her or her situation. They just saw one external characteristic and judged accordingly.  Her realization was that by focusing on the hate directed toward her, it was expanding and controlling her life. By concentrating on the misguided hate in the world, it allows it to become ubiquitous.

In the study conduced by Swim, black participants were asked to keep a diary and write down every time they experienced racism or perceived racist acts. Two occurrences noted by students in this study included “unfriendly looks” and “bad service received in the dining hall,” both of which were attributed to racism. My first thought went immediately to Ali’s blog post. Not only were these participants solely focusing on hatred, they were out looking for it! How this study must have affected the internal well being of its participants! Once they started looking for it, were they able to stop? 

My next thought seriously questioned the implications of racism experienced during this study. Unfriendly looks and bad service?  I honestly believe my list of these occurrences would be just as long as those in the study. Most likely these events would be triggered by an outwardly displayed quality; they didn’t like my shirt, I wasn’t smiling so I looked unfriendly, I bought the last slice of pizza in the buffet line that they wanted, or maybe, in some situations, they have preconceived notions about individuals with the color of my skin… or all brunettes are boring… or all Italians smell bad. People judge for all sorts of irrational reasons. Race is just one of many nonsensical explanations.

However, my glasses are not so rosy that I refuse to see racism as a problem altogether. In fact, in the same study, some students also reported derogatory and stereotypical verbal remarks, which should absolutely be addressed. There is a line between fixating on every potentially judging glance and letting yourself be a doormat to clear discriminatory acts. Stand up and fight back when necessary, but don’t turn everyday into a fight.

I’ll close with a conversation I recently had about racism with my stepbrother, who is Hispanic and one of the most positive people I know. I was asking him about racism on his college campus and about any personal racist occurrences he’s experienced. He couldn’t name one. Instead he pointed out all the good things his college was doing to decrease racism.  He then commented, “I think most Hispanics spend way too much energy focusing on racism. Why focus on the negative? If you don’t label yourself as ‘different,’ no one else will either.”

So to steal the quote from my wise friend, “what you focus on expands…” If you focus on the negatives in the world, then negative will be all you see. Concentrate on the positive and “expand love.”

Cluster 3 Recap: Counter-Storytelling

The articles in Cluster 3 dealt with counter-storytelling; obtaining personal stories of individuals traditionally left out of the Eurocentric, mainstream narrative. The Solorzana & Yosso article used a Critical Race Methodology, which considers race and racism, in addition to gender and class, while conducting research, uses personal experiences, and integrates interdisciplinary knowledge such as sociology, history, and law into research.  They attest that a Eurocentric version of stories told from a white perspective is what is common in our society. Often these stories are from the perspective of white, middle-class, men. Counter-storytelling attempts to combat this occurrence by telling the stories of oppressed groups. These stories build a sense of community, challenge Eurocentric views, and provide a more complete picture of reality.

Similarly, Bernal’s article attempts to combat Eurocentric accounts by integrating Critical Race Methodology with Latina/Latino Critical Theory, to “recognize students of color as holders and creators of knowledge.” Specifically addressed are Latinos histories, experiences, cultures, and languages, which are not often recognized or correctly interpreted in mainstream educational settings. Like Solorzana and Yosso, Bernal believes collecting counter-stories can be beneficial in combating racism, sexism, and classism.  The author specifically addresses collective experiences, community memory, family knowledge taught through legends, and household knowledge, such as bilingualism, biculturalism, and a commitment to communities, as important to the Hispanic population.

The last article, from Bell books, is an example of a counter-story first hand, from an African American perspective.  The author tells the story of being born in the fifties and therefore was brought up in a segregated school until junior high. In her Black school, a high value was placed on education and the author was deemed very smart. However, upon de-segregation, she was classified as exceptional, since black students were not expected to be as smart as their white peers. The author struggles with self-esteem issues influenced by racist teachers in his desegregated schools.  Many students adhered to the “confirmation bias” where they did not attempt to surpass teachers’ and peers’ low expectations.  She continues by discussing her struggles with racism and sexism in adulthood as well.

These articles all discuss the importance of considering others’ stories before assuming the Eurocentric, well-known version as truth. It is especially relevant as higher education professionals to help minority group’s stories to achieve the voice they have not traditionally had in our society. It is only then that we will have a true, full picture of the reality in which we live and can make the necessary steps to improve that reality.

Theorizing vs Doing

After reading this week’s first article, “Racial Diversity Matters: The Impact of Diversity-related Student Engagement and Institutional Context,” I became frustrated. Perhaps it is that I majored in sociology and psychology as an undergrad, leaving me completely “over-theorized,” but I am done with studies that (to me) attempt to prove an obvious hypothesis. It is 2011; of COURSE diversity has positive effects on a college campus, isn’t that common sense by now? I am much more interested in studies that tell me specifically what to DO to achieve those positive effects. (As a personal side note, I feel that this reflects a significant change that I have undergone since graduation. I spent four years theorizing, and now I have molded into a “doer,” ready to make tangible contributions within my chosen profession.)

            To be fair, I do see the legal reasoning for an article of this nature as it relates to the elimination of race-conscious admissions. Although, as a future higher-education professional, I am interested in what I can do as an individual, how I can enrich students’ experiences with hands-on knowledge.

            Given this mindset, I was hopeful upon beginning our second article, “Enhancing Campus Climates for Racial/Ethnic Diversity: Educational Policy and Practice.” I was especially intrigued when I read the following, “What is needed are vehicles that translate higher education research into thoughtful policies incorporating the goal of educating diverse students.” I was pleased to find this article was overflowing with advice to institutional leaders on working to create a diverse campus environment that is beneficial to all. Tips on both the psychological and behavioral level were addressed, such as implementing formal mentoring programs, creating peer groups, and fostering cross-racial interaction that is structured, regular, on-going, and held in an a non-competitive environment. These, along with the many others provided, give higher education professionals clear-cut steps for making a difference today. I believe articles, such as this, work to actively create much needed, immediate changes within the university.  

Hip-Hop Impresses

This week's articles “Reframing Black Male Homosociality as Critical Spaces to Explore Black Masculinity” by Anthony R. Keith Jr. and “Mr. Nigger The Challenges of Educating Black Males Within American Society” by Toby S. Jenkins both shed a new light on hip-hop culture for me. I do not consider myself very musically knowledgeable; so I was amazed to learn how much beyond music hip-hop really goes. Considering the extreme hardship Black men have to face, specifically outlined in Jenkins’ article, I now realize the tremendous significance of hip-hop.

I do not remember a time in my life where hip-hop was not present. Growing up, I have always thought of it as “just another form of music” and did not give it much thought beyond that. I now see the extreme importance this music has had on the Black community. Hip-hop seems especially beneficial as a role model for young African American boys. Looking up to a community that rewards creativity, self-expression, and provides an audience that truly listens to the messages being communicated is an impressive feat. Intrigued, I looked up the MTV Diary episode featuring Methodman, referenced in Jenkins’ article. This is an excerpt from that episode.

Images of community, positive familial relationships, and dedication to his work can be seen in this clip. Feelings of male, heterosexual love are even expressed, described in Keith’s depiction of the hip-hop culture.

            As our country aims to improve educational attainment for Black youth, I believe there is much to be learned from hip-hop as a motivating force. As Jenkins’ outlines, an “environment that allows for the processing of one’s history, reflecting on one’s current situation, and establishing goals for the future” is a clear path for African American advancement. Further research on the positive influences of hip-hop and its relation to the empowerment and development of the African American community can be truly beneficial for the self-esteem, educational attainment, and life success of this population.