Latino Immigration: Peril or Promise

When I hear the word immigration, an image comes to mind of masses of people passing through customs at a security center, all holding baggage and identification papers and waiting for their turn in line to be checked. Numerous and diverse, the multitudes consist of men and women, elderly and children of all colors, ethnicities, and ages.

Immigration, especially Latino immigration, has always had a negative connotation, especially here in the South. Dr. Vilma Fuentes, in her presentation on the perils and promises Latinos face when they choose to emigrate to America, specifically  addressed the Latino Diaspora in the 1980s when hundreds of thousands of Central Americans (Salvadorans, Guatemalans, and Nicaraguans) fleeing death squads and mass murders at home, came flooding into Miami, Florida, and neighboring cities. Though Latino influence had already become prevalent in pop culture, (such as Rita Moreno in the film West Side Story, starring as Anita), education (when Chicano and Latino studies were incorporated into school curriculum), and politics (formation of a Chicano political party in Texas), hostility was rampant in the South. Many whites advocated for the Spanish language to be banned, for the borders to be closed, and for all Latino immigrants to be deported back to their home country. However, to do so would deprive many corporate American manufacturers of their primary source of labor. Enticed by the possibility of a better life and the ability to earn more money than they could in their homelands, Latinos soon became an irreplaceable fixture of many factories, service industries, and hard labor jobs, such as fruit picking, lawn work, and construction. As Latinos continued to spread into the continental United States, the coalescence of a new phenomenon called Latino American culture began, as Latinos spread geographically and made their mark in music, sports, politics, business, and education.

Like many other immigrants who have come here to the United States, Latinos are seeking a better life than what they had in their homeland. The opportunities of security, financial stability, social mobility, and education enable Latinos to pursue their version of a ‘good life’ here in America, without the fear of being kidnapped or killed by the government. By journeying to a new land to pursue a good life, while recreating their cultural identity and constructing spaces in which to continue living out their ways of life, Latinos are better equipped to succeed in the United States and to find and live out their version of happiness.

As Americans, by educating ourselves and becoming aware of where Latinos and other immigrants are coming from (geographically and culturally), we can become more aware of Latino background and understanding their history. I have several Latino friends, and their reasons for being here are for escaping domestic and government violence, and for seeking better opportunities here in the U.S. By encouraging higher education of Latinos, all immigrants and Americans, and by providing the same opportunities of success for all, we will be better equipped for the future as a peaceful multicultural society.