Hispanic_Diversity

Hispanic American Diversity Eth/125 The diversity amongst Latino and Hispanic Americans is truly amazing. As a culture, Americans tend to group cultures and people into one general area. In this case mainly people of Spanish decent or those that speak Spanish are considered Latino or Hispanic. This is just a general term referring to what we classify as Latin America, but in reality these people are found in many different areas. The most widely known Latin American country is Mexico, but Latin America covers most of the South Western Hemisphere, extending to the tip of South America and into the Caribbean Sea covering Cuba, Puerto Rico and the other islands in the area. None of these countries share the same ideals, government or standards of living, although most were colonized by the Spanish around the same time and have are largely comprised of the same mix of races. This is due to the Spanish slave trade that was occurring during the time. The drive that these cultures share to migrate, immigrate or seek refuge in the United States is similar as well. Mexico is the most industrial country in Latin America, and has a democratic government similar to that of the United State. They have an elected president, and have elected state governors’ to oversee the 31 different states in the country. They are also the 13th largest GDP and 11th largest purchasing power parity in the world. About half of this countries generated income is from trade with the US and Canada, covering a wide variety of industries. These include Auto and Aircraft manufacturing facilities, home appliance facilities and 86 more companies that make the 2010 Forbes Global 2000 list. Mexico is also the only Latin American country to be included in the World Government Bond Index (Market capitalization weighted bond index consisting of the government bond markets of multiple countries.) This seems to be a great economic power house in today’s current standards, but there are still hundreds of thousands of immigrants in the US and more coming in on an annual basis. This is due to the potentially better standards of living in the United States. (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc Non-Profit) The average Mexican American household is the center of the social structure, and generally large. This network of family includes aunts, uncles, grandparents, fathers, mothers and kids, as well as whatever extended family falls in. This relationship in family provides a strong bond between family members, and allows for more advancement in the community due to the sense of responsibility and help represented here. This is also due to the family’s need of multiple incomes to sustain a household. The average Mexican American family’s income is 40% lower than the average non-Hispanic white family. In part due to the 40% high school completion rate of most immigrant families, with families that have children born in the U.S. the average goes up to 70%. The trend in the family system is evident that upon arrival to the U.S. the family needs as much income to sustain the family, after the income is being generated the family can afford to let the younger generation complete school. The Caribbean Island of Puerto Rico is another Latin American country, even though it is considered a Commonwealth in association with the United States. This dictates that the residents of the Island have an elected governor who has authority over internal affairs on the Island. The Islanders cannot vote in any mainland elections though, and the U.S. controls all interstate trade, foreign relations and commerce, customs administration, maritime law and anything pertaining to Military and the judicial system. The economy here is heavily reliant on the U.S. in the way of tax incentives, investment firms, and tourism, but has made a great deal of wealth in the main island industries around pharmaceuticals, electronics, textiles, sugar and dairy. Even with these industries there is a need for local Puerto Ricans to immigrate to the main land in search of a better standard of living, higher education and better employment. (Magaly Rivera, 2011) The main body of Puerto Rican immigration was drawn to New York City, NY. Here they started to work in the industrial fields in the form of manufacturing, steel milling, and textile’s. More recently these industries have been shipped off shore to reduce productions costs, and the workers have joined the ranks of thousands on unemployment. Even still the Puerto Rican family values are strong, and very similar to that of their non-Latino white American. They usually have small family households, where the spouses share the responsibilities and chores, and in recent years both expected to work. These families are supported by a small network of immediate relatives both materially and emotionally. They also push their kin to higher education, either vocational or college level. In the South American country of Colombia, comes the Colombian Americans. This is a mainly Spanish speaking country, known as a Republic. Once again very similar to our government, with a 4 year elected president, governors and mayors. This was all outlined and established in the Constitution of 1991. The economy is mediocre but on the rise with the main exports being petroleum, coal, gold and other natural resources as well as coffee and agricultural produce. They are also the leading source of emeralds and cut flowers. (Advameg, Inc., 2011) The Colombian American struggles with the culture in America, and find it to be alienating. Because of this they tend to form strong bonds within other Latin American social and economic networks. Traditionally their family values are to form strong family bonds, with the husband and father as the wage earner and head of house. The wife sets the tone of the house and hardly ever holds outside employment. In the American society, because of the cost of living these values take a back seat and in order to make ends meet both parents usually work. Colombians value education highly and want their children to attend the highest education level possible, something that is a privilege to the wealthy in Colombia. Cuban Americans on average are accustom to greater economic security than other Hispanic groups. Like the Colombian American’s, they are considered highly educated with a college completion rate of around 17%. They also are similar to the standard American house hold in that they have a tight, small family group with 2-4 kids. Miami Fl. Is considered the center of the Cuban American culture due to the large amount of immigrants that are present in that community, but in recent years Cuban migrants have become more diversified and have expanded to New York, New Jersey and California. Most early Cuban immigrants thought that moving to the United States was going to be a temporary endeavor, and once the dictator Fidel Castro was removed from power they were going to move back home. This never happened, and now they have formed a large portion of the Latin American community. (Advameg, Inc., 2011) This is just a few of what America considers the Hispanic or Latin community. As we can see there are many differences in each ethnic group, ranging from reason of immigration, to standards of living at home and in America. They do not share the same family values, even if they are similar at the core, and they do not share the same history, even though most were started by the Spanish Conquistadors and slaves. Bibliography Latin Focus. (2009). Latin-focus.com. Retrieved from http://www.latin-focus.com/latinfocus/countries/latam/latgdppc.htm Entro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical. (2001). gisweb.ciat.cgiar.org/. Retrieved from http://gisweb.ciat.cgiar.org/population/ Wikimedia Foundation, Inc Non-Profit. (). Wiipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico Magaly Rivera. (2011). topuertorico.org. Retrieved from http://topuertorico.org/government.shtml Wikimedia Foundation, Inc Non-Profit. (). Wiipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Ricans_in_the_United_States Advameg, Inc.. (2011). www.everyculture.com. Retrieved from http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Bu-Dr/Colombian-Americans.html Advameg, Inc.. (2011). www.everyculture.com. Retrieved from http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Bu-Dr/Cuban-Americans.html