Equity - Mindedness

Collection of Readings:
The Hispanic / Latino Student 

As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, health, peace, and blessings. I wanted to take the time to think and reflect.

      Yesterday, I wrote that my Masters degree in Education was of an interdisciplinary nature, where I was able to explore a variety of interests. Another interest that I wanted to write about was the Hispanic / Latino student experience, in Higher Education. I also shared my thoughts via my website. While writing and researching about the topics, I did feel somewhat content, but I remain unsettled about my findings, because of the uncovered inequities that Hispanic / Latino, documented, citizens, non-citizens, and undocumented face. This discontentment is important because researchers, and social scientists have forecasted that the Hispanic / Latino population will not only double in size, but also triple. This population is already the largest growing ethnic minority in the United States. What is also unique about this population is that they don't belong to a single race, stemming from "white" to "Black". But "skin color" is not the issue here (although it is). My main concerns are that we have a President, and administration that fails to recognize what social scientists are predicting.

     We can see this through the continued rhetorics of hate, which are actually racist rhetorics. He is using the law to enforce a racist agenda. I say this because Mr. Trump's policies are contradictory, they are not aligned for all. They are for some, and not for others. For example: he talks about jobs, the growth of the economy, but does he know that by not recognizing the largest, growing minority, is also a risk to the American economy? He is putting the nation of America at risk, at the national and international level. And of course we see this also through him, and his administration - doing nothing to secure the futures of the individuals, who have lived in America through the DACA program. 

     What we are seeing and hearing today is actually of no surprise. Hispanic / Latino populations have been marginalized historically, but the irony is that America was a land that belonged to the indigenous, Mexicans, and also Hispanic / Latino and Spanish descent. Yes, battles were fought, and the founding fathers built the nation of America, but the marginalization of the Hispanic / Latino populations, became overshadowed by this founding, and also because of American Slavery, and Slavery. This is another harsh history. While this oppression, suppression is one that we wish will never happen again, the African - American's of today are in a much far better position, than that of the Hispanic / latino. This is what equity-mindedness is, and it is what levelling the playing field for all "races" is. We have to view race differently. There is still much more to achieve for the African - American communities, but it is also time to recognize and include the Hispanic / Latino populations, they also belong. They belong in America just as everyone else.

     Peace does take courage, but the word peace is also not simple. Courage also involves recognizing the wrongs, the harsh histories that are tied to the land, and that stem from the past to present day. We can wish for peace at the International level, but we also have to think about it, at the national level. A President can tout to the world, going to a former adversary, hand shaking and engaging in nice language, but what about what is happening in the nation of America? Now, I'm not saying that what happened at the North Korea summit was a waste, because they are the start of a collective effort. President Trump was at the forefront, but this effort was a collective effort - from all parties, and delegations involved, not a sole effort. 

     But going back to the nation of America - while his administration fails to listen to the social scientists, he uses the law to restrict not only those of a different race, but also the vulnerable. Vulnerable populations are being hurt by the policies of his administration. We can think about Jeff Session, who decides to open open his mouth to say that individuals of domestic violence will no longer be allowed to seek asylum in America. This is another example of how the rich are being served, and the vulnerable are being restricted. Domestic violence is very real. While an abuser, attacker, or attackers may very well change the course of their life, through personal development, counselling, or life changes, they are those who don't. Women who think that they have found a safe place from their abuser, think they are safe, but they are not. Some even end up dying at the hands of their abuser. These types of stories are very real, in fact these words are formulated through a true story.

     Sometimes seeking asylum in another country is the only option. This does not mean that the person has something personally against the country that they are living in, but it does mean that the person needs to feel safe, especially from violence. Anything else would be death to the body and soul. This example also suggests how laws are used to de-moralize, and even lower the consciousness of society, and a nation as a whole. We can question what the morals, ethics, and civic duties of a nation are, when contradictory laws are enforced and put in place. Laws can be useful. but what about the limits of law? What about thinking at the level of humanity, or at the level of heart? 

     By ignoring the social scientists, and those who have thought about the forecasts of populations, President Trump and his administration are severing, and stumping the, intellectual and economic prosperity of America. 

Further Reading: She Was Raped and Threatened With Death. Now She Has Lost Hope of Asylum.

​My thoughts to share with love & kindness! :) 

Notes: These thoughts were originally hand written on June 13th, 2018.

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