Reflection: Dem Debate | Houston

​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.

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*Dem Debate
Related Reading:
Democratic Debate 2019
Peaches?! :)
2020

    On September 12th 2019 the third democratic debate took place at Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas. 10 Democratic candidates took the stage to demonstrate why they should be worthy of being the democratic nominee 2020. As I watched the live debate, the series of questions and responses reminded me of my graduate classes. Particularly focused upon Higher Education and the Internationalization of Education. Most, if not all of the questions that were asked, I had written about previously, and published upon our website. Possessing some sort of knowledge excited me, and re-ignited my passion to learn more about the topics such as: immigration reform; pressing issues facing minority and majority populations. As previously sought out the idea of "race" has to be viewed differently in America. Especially due to the history of slavery and segregation. The last thing we would ever want is a repetition of these. 

*HBCU's and HSI's 
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Towards Integration
The Hispanic / Latino Student
​
     Whilst there is evidence to reveal that individuals do learn better with role models that they can relate with, it is also a duty of these individuals to help others understand the beauty that can be found within difference and diversity. These thoughts were especially spurred with the topic of HBCU's. I think that there had been a lot of development for  HBCU's. These institutions should have opportunity to work along-side other institutions to promote dialogue and racial intersections. When I say this, others might question: well what about HSI's? HSI's are still a fairly new initiative, we don't even hear a single candidate talking or discussing these initiatives. Whilst they do arrive with their own systemic politics, they cater towards the Hispanic / Latino student populations. HSI's could learn from HBCU models, but the difference between HSI's is that existing institutions are given this designate according to the % proportion population that is Hispanic / Latino. I prefer this idea because students are being served with their needs, such as: addressing language barriers, but they are also integrated with the rest of student populations, within the higher educational institution.
(Benítez , 2008, Flink, 2017)

*Immigration reform
Related Reading 
Prosperity For All

     The reoccuring themes, questions and topics also reveal how much has not been accomplished by the Republicans and Democrats in Congress. Issues such as health-care, border crisis', and immigration reform still need to be attended to. Social scientists have predicted a hispanic / latino population increase (Benítez, 1998, Diaz- Strong et al., 2010, Flink, 2019, ). The forecasted stats are being ignored to this day; as we continue to hear demands for control, or rhetorics of hate. The fact is that everyone wants immigration reform, but no one is quite sure what that would look like. Whilst I'm no legal specialist, I think that the easiest way to begin is to look at what exists right now, to what one would hope for. Meaning Point A -> Point B. Of course the issues are more complex, but we have to begin somewhere, which is why we need legal specialists, those who understand what effective immigration reform to develop good immigration policy. 

*Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

     This thought is also linked to the idea of offering temporary protected status (Gonzalez, 2019) to Venezuelan's, and why not? It only seems fitting. The current list of counts on the list for TPS are: 
El Salvador
Haiti
Honduras
Nepal
Nicaragua
Somalia
Sudan
South Sudan
Syria
Yemen
US Citizenship and Immigration Services

Venezuela should also be included on this list, with also mechanisms to expedite a TPS for these individuals. Individuals entering the USA with a TPS need to feel safe as well as a dignified entry. This offering could potentially become a source of building trust between nations. Protecting Venezuelan's, whilst creating jobs and job security for service providers in America. The United States could also work with Columbia to ensure the safety for migration, and to address the migrant crisis (Gonzalez, 2019). Of course TPS would be something that the USA is willing to engage with. Sometimes when you hear about all the $'s that are being sent as aid, you wonder if the aid is really reaching the Venezuelan's in need. Maybe the offering of TPS and connecting with key allies in Latin America, would be a wake-up call to the Maduro regime? If you don't want to take care of your people, we will. 

Conclusion
     
    Over all the responses discussed the systemic gaps, healthcare, education, criminal / legal systems, veterans, immigration, immigration reform, US Foreign Policy, including the troop presence / withdrawal and the Afghanistan peace process. At some point during the debate it sounded like the same cycle repeating itself. Again revealing the work that congress has yet to get done. Each sector / issues needs to be tackled by forming working groups, and delegating tasks. A President or candidate alone can formulate a vision, but the vision can only become possible with an effective team. In the same way - macro-policy can help to create shifts, send an aggregate message to specialists and skilled workers, but these can really become effective: person-to-person, one to another, and also depending upon what those messages / policies are.  

References:

Benítez, M. (1998).Hispanic-Serving Institutions: Challenges and Opportunities. NEW DIRECTIONS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION. Summer108, 57-68

Flink, J. P. (2017). Latinos and Higher Education: A Literature Review. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education.1-13. 

Gonzalez, S. J. (2019). The Venezuelan Crisis and Salvador Allende's Glasses. PRISM: SECURITY IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE. 8 (1), 40-55. ​

Strong-Diaz, D., Gomez. C., Luna-Duarte. E., M., Meiners., R. E. (2010). Purged: Undocumented Students, Financial Aid Policies, and Access to Higher Eduction. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education. 10 (2), 107 - 119. 

Further Reading:
US Citizenship and Immigration Services - Temporary Protected Status

ABC News - 3rd Democratic debate: Candidates clashed on health care, immigration and more

Houston Chronicle - Here are the 10 candidates in the Houston Democratic presidential debate

Other Topics:
Healthcare, Universal Healthcare, Obama Care:
Health Integration
Shazi For Senate? ;)

For more thoughts on any of the topics concerning the Democratic Debate, Republican or Democrat please feel free to type a keyword in the search bar to access thought resources to the topics. 


My thoughts to share with love & Kindness! :)

Notes: These thoughts were originally hand-written on September 16th, 2019.
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