LATINA/O TAKE CENTER STAGE: CENSUS 2000

BY STUDENT

When you think of “new” Latino migration what do you think of? Do you think of the new wave of Latinos coming to a place like ‘Dyckman, NY’ or ‘Jackson Heights, Queens’? When I read the heading, “New” Latino migration, I immediately thought of a new wave coming into a already Latino populated area, like Jackson Heights, Queens. You think of suburban and urban areas of where multiple races live, however, when you think of Latinos you think of them living in Urban Areas not suburban. However, this is a textbook example of the stereotypical view of the suburban and urban areas. “More than half of all Americans now live in “suburbia” urban areas outside of what the U.S census defines ‘central cities’” (Jones-Correa 183). When I first read this I thought to myself well they must have fled because of the poor economic situation in the urban cities, and I’m sure most minority groups thought so too, however the reality is much different. Often most of those who move into the suburbs are faced with the same if not worse violence and poverty they were once experiencing in the urban cities. As I read more information I came to find out that although living in the suburbs ended up being the same if not worse than living in urban cities, for most minority groups it was not the same for Latinos. “For Hispanics, suburban life is the good life..It’s the American Dream. First you go where you’re comfortable, make a little money, get a little English and then head for the suburbs” (Sueiro). 

A specific area that I found was interesting was the “new wave” of Latinos in Washington D.C. “As a result of its great ethnic and racial diversity, suburban D.C politics has changed in four significant areas: growth, education, quality of life, and representation” (Jones-Correa 186). Over the span of 10 years the population growth in the Washington D.C Metropolitan area has increased by ‘16%’. A very important factor in the new wave of Latinos in the suburbs is that its not predominately one ethnic group; it’s made up of various Latino national groups that are slowly but surely taking over. While the “new wave” is said to be positive for Latinos, the process getting there was not easy and still isn’t. There were numerous problems with the new wave in the D.C metro area. For example, the schools in D.C were notorious for “their ability to attract and keep the allegiance of the upper-middle class” (Jones-Correa 196). However with the new migration of Latinos, that changed the demographics they were previously interested in. This lead to the racial separation in some schools, because upper class white students were now mixed with low-middle class minorities. Another problem was the social identity in Latinos, as well as other minority groups. The social identity of a student is crucial to their educational success, so when you place a minority student in a environment where only whites are said to prosper, you hinder the social identity of the student therefore causing them to believe they cannot achieve the same academic success as whites. 

The “new wave” of Latino migration is still a very controversial topic because there are still a lot of things that we don’t know are happening in these areas, such as the D.C metropolitan area. Although there are still hardships that many minorities are experiencing because of the changing demographics, keep in mind that the changes that are being made are in favor for minority groups. This “wave” has had a rippling effect in the sense that the areas that are stereotyped typed as majority white Americans, are now being somewhat forced into changing or molding their new neighbors (Latinos) in order to avoid racial tensions or protests among the community. After reading a little about the “new wave” what other important factors do you think would not only promote the new wave but also hinder the wave in terms of the quality of life for minorities?

Citations:

1.     Kruse, Kevin Michael, and Thomas J. Sugrue. "Reshaping the American Dream." In The New Suburban History, 183-196. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2006.

2.     Witt, Karen. "Suburban Expansion Fed By an Influx of Minorities." The New York Times. August 14, 1994. Accessed November 10, 2015.

LATINA/OS TAKE CENTER STAGE: CENSUS 2000

A.C.

LATIN MIGRATION TO WASHINGTON HEIGHTS

This past summer, I participated a famous musical, you may know it; It’s called In The Heights. The musical was written by Lin Manuel Miranda, a second generation Puerto Rican-American who wanted to portray the struggles many Latinos face living in an area such as Washington Heights. The thing about Manuel’s musical is that he indicates that the Hispanic population has the same struggles that any ethnicity or race faces. He points out that each character has the intent of setting up the best life possible for each of them, which could be said about the Latin Migration into the United States, ¿No?

During the beginning stages of the Latin Migration, Washington Heights began with a high incoming rate of Puerto Rican population, followed by Cubans fleeing from Fidel Castro’s communist revolution, Dominicans looking to escape the tyranny of El Jefe. The difference in America is that it was almost a guarantee that any ethnicity could come to find a better life, especially since fear became instilled in so many Hispanic cultures. The struggle to receive the same treatment as whites became very time-consuming, and still has not been 100% solved, but the hope for living the American Dream will always resonate within those who came to the country, and over time would become apart of what is now American culture.

                 

Washington Heights, also known as District 12, has a population of 152,489. It is a small area New York that overlooks the GWB. Bordering the Hudson River, and slightly north of Upper Manhattan, Washington Heights is an area surrounded by diversity. According to Census Viewer, from the year 2000 to 2010, the Latino/Hispanic population has had a dramatic change of 304.03%.  The largest growth was seen in Hispanic youth, aging between ten and nineteen years old. ­­­­Although, Washington Heights has a reputation for having a high Hispanic population, the largest race is white with 65.60% whereas the Hispanic race is 29.33%. The increase in Hispanic population was directly correlated to the decrease in the White population. The census indicates that the Caucasian population decreased nearly 20% whereas the Latin population increased that same 20% within the last decade.

                 

Gentrification is a key concept when discussing Washington Heights. Many Hispanics see Caucasians coming into their neighborhoods looking to ‘upgrade’ the culturally intact area, but the area will not be converted so easily. By adding condos and Starbucks to the neighborhood, yes it may increase the net worth of the city but the people who live there and have assimilated to American culture have made Washington Heights their home. According to Magical Urbanism, the Hispanic population will only grow over the next several decades.  Portrayed in a table called “US Latinos as a Latin Nation”, US Latinos will have the third largest Hispanic population of all the Hispanic populations with 96.5 million people. The United States is said to have a higher Hispanic population in 2050 than Colombia, and Argentina whereas of 2000, US Latinos had the fifth highest Hispanic population with 35.3 million Hispanics.

Now someone like myself who has had mixed feelings on the increase Latin/ Hispanic populations has officially come to a conclusion: every individual should have the ability to come to the United States, if that is what can help them get the best opportunities. All Americans, no matter their ethnicity, race, gender, religion etc. deserves the opportunity to live the life they hope to lead, and that’s the allusion associated with America. Everyone wishes to strive for the American Dream.

Washington Heights, New York Population. <Censusviewer.com>

Joseph Berger. Washington Heights Today: Gentrification.  The Peopling of New York 2011. <https://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/berger2011/washington-heights/washington-heights-today/ >

Joseph Berger. Hispanic/Latino Immigrants.  The Peopling of New York 2011. < https://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/berger2011/washington-heights/the-immigrants-of-washington-heights/hispaniclatino-immigrants/>

LATINA/OS TAKE CENTER STAGE: CENSUS 2000

BY STUDENT

Over the years Latinos have become the largest minority group, accounting for 17.1% of the nation's population. According to Mike Davis, Latinos now outnumber African Americans in six of the 10 largest metropolitan areas: Los Angeles, New York City, Houston, San Diego, Phoenix and San Antonio. We are well aware of these booming cities, but what about cities located in the South? Not the famous southern cities like Miami, New Orleans, or Atlanta but a city more like Helena, Alabama. In this blogpost, I elaborate on how the Latino population growth of a small town affects individuals.

According to Census Viewer, Helena is a small town in Shelby County that has a population of 16,973 people. In a decade it had a population growth of 6,198 people. This town is known to be predominantly white and makes up 82.8% of the population. This was clearly noted in schools for example. When I was in middle school there were only 6 latinos in the entire school, myself included. But, once I reached high school the latino population dramatically increased. This could have possibly been influenced by the fact that two towns were placed in one high school, but the difference was most certainly noticed. The latino population went from 116 in 2000 to 560 in 2010. This may seem like a small number, but Census Viewer states that the Latino population did in fact increase by 382.76%. However, this was small compared to the white population. Because of such a small Latino population, non-Latino individuals were not well educated about Latin America. People always assumed I was Mexican because I spoke spanish. To many individuals if you spoke spanish you were automatically from Mexico. Clearly this is not the case, I believe this has to do with the fact that they were not exposed to a variety of Latinos.

When I first moved to Helena in 2002, I remember there not being a single Latino owned business. About a 2 years after, a Mexican restaurant opened. This became a thriving business due to its new different cuisine. Even during on typically slow business days it was always full. Four years after the restaurant launched, a small Mexican grocery store opened. They sold typical Mexican products along with authentic mexican food. To my surprise, it became popular among the white community. I recently went back this summer and saw that the small Mexican store was no longer small. They had expanded the store and is now the size of a supermarket, which now has a fresh produce section, dairy, a butcher shop, and an international aisle that consisted of products from Latin America. Clearly, over the years the support from the community has been able to help Latino businesses thrive in giving these Latinos the ability to achieve the American dream.

Resources:

Davis, Mike. Magical Urbanism: Latinos Reinvent the US City. London: Verso, 2000. Print.

"Helena, Alabama Population: Census 2010 and 2000 Interactive Maps, Demographics,

Statistics, Quick Facts." Census Viewer. Moonshadow Mobile, Inc., n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2015.<http://censusviewer.com/city/AL/Helena>.

LATINA/OS TAKE CENTER STAGE: CENSUS 2000

BY STUDENT

The Hispanic population has experienced a great increase in Metropolitan areas of the United States over the last decade. In fact, According to Frey, Hispanic and non-whites have accounted for ninety-eight percent of the growth in these areas in the first decade of the 2000s. These metropolitan areas have historically served areas of minority concentration and immigrant settlement.  As the population of whites decreased by about fifty-three percent in these areas, Hispanic concentration increased from ten to twenty percent. By the end of the first decade of the twentieth century, minority groups made more than fifty percent of the population of New York (Frey 2011). In this blog, I would like to focus on how these demographics are being reversed and the new trends that are shaping Manhattan within the last decade. How are demographics changing? What factors are promoting these changes in areas of Manhattan, and is this affecting the surrounding areas of Manhattan or NYC?

Manhattan was famously named the “melting pot,” but the 2010 census demonstrates that the diversity that makes Manhattan iconic may be fading as the numbers of blacks and Hispanics decrease in the island. As minority groups are pushed north, whites appear to make up a greater part of Manhattan’s demographics. According to Smith and Fanelli, in the past ten years, there has been a ten percent increase in whites in Manhattan. Simultaneously, the Hispanic population dropped by four percent (Smith, Fanelli, & Lesser 2010). These are not the only figures that are changing. The culture of the area is changing. Areas that once reported greater numbers of foreign-born residents are now reporting only about a quarter. However the surrounding boroughs, particularly the Bronx and Queens, are seeing an increase in foreign-born residents (Smith, Fanelli, & Lesser 2010).  

The population drift occurring within New York City may be attributed to the suburban myth. As property values decline, there is a rise in property taxes. Hand in hand with, the development of safer cities, New York City fosters the perfect environment for a shift in suburban and metropolitan demographics (Smith et., al 2010). Economics are a prominent factor in the shift in populations particularly with increased cost of living. Hispanics have been categorized as a less affluent population throughout history, and as cost of living increases, in a more desirable area, these populations are displaced. The northern expansion of Columbia University has also caused a northward displacement. Populations in the northern part of Manhattan (Washington Heights) are being pushed out of neighborhoods, causing a large movement to areas of the Bronx among other areas (Zanoni 2011). Between 2000 and 2010, there has been a decline in white gains in the suburbs, and an increase of minority groups. The greatest Hispanic growth was found in suburban areas such as Nashville, Charlotte, and Raleigh. Minority groups are said to be the future “backbone” of suburban growth (Frey 2014). This shift or displacement occurring in New York City may be a factor in demographic changes occurring across the country, particularly movement of minority groups from the inner cities to the suburbs.

Smith, Greg, James Fanelli, and Benjamin Lesser. "Manhattan's Diversity Ebbing: Census Figures." NY Daily

News. December 26, 2010. Accessed November 3, 2015. http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/manhattan-diversity-ebbing-city-demographics-evolve-new-census-figures-show-article-1.475650.

Zanoni, Carla. "Manhattan's Hispanic Population Shrinks Despite Growth in City, Census Shows." DNAinfo New

York. March 28, 2011. Accessed November 3, 2015. http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20110328/manhattan/manhattans-hispanic-population-shrinks-despite-growth-city-census-shows.

Frey, William. "The Suburbs: Not Just for White People Anymore." New Republic. November 24, 2014. Accessed

November 4, 2015. http://www.newrepublic.com/article/120372/white-suburbs-are-more-and-more-thing-past.

Frey, William H. "The new metro minority map: Regional shifts in Hispanics, Asians, and Blacks from

Census 2010." State of Metropolitan America Series(2011).

LATINA/OS TAKE CENTER STAGE: CENSUS 2000

BY STUDENT

The past two decades have been a period of almost unprecedented change in New York City. However, in many ways, no other borough has changed as much as Staten Island. Staten Island has grown faster than all the other boroughs in terms of rate of population between 1990 and 2010 (Kershaw 2000) (New York City Department of City Planning n.d.) (NYC Panning Department of City Planing City of New York n.d.). In this blog post, I discuss how Staten Island—a borough known for being predominately white, non-Hispanic—has a Latino population that is growing immensely, however, censuses only show us the statistics; they do not show if there has been any change in the way Latinos have been viewed and treated in the past.

Staten Island has had a 24% increase in population in the past two decades—the Bronx with a 15% gain. Staten Island today is significantly more diverse than in 1990. The amount of white, non-Hispanic residents has fallen from 80% in 1990 to 68% in 2010, while the amount of residents who are Black, Hispanic, and Asian has increased.  The added population has supported a large amount of new businesses and jobs. The fastest growing sector on Staten Island was accommodation and food services, followed by educational services (Kershaw 2000). A large part of the education growth is due to the expansions at the local collages. The health care sector is the largest job sector. Many would say these are good signs for the local economy and would imply that Staten Islanders have become more highly skilled. While Staten Island currently has the lowest percentage of residents with bachelor’s degrees than any borough except the Bronx, the number of residents with bachelor’s degrees has nearly doubled—Hispanics/Latinos being included in this statistic. However, not all of these changes in the increased Latino population would be considered positive. For example, the continuous inflow of Hispanic immigrants, according to Samuel Huntington, threatens to divide the United States into two peoples, two cultures, and two languages. Hispanics, unlike past waves of immigrants, have not conformed to mainstream U.S. culture—Anglo Protestant. Hispanics/Latinos are instead, establishing their own political and linguistic territories. The United States ignores this challenge as a threat. I would not agree with Samuel Huntington—in that the inflow of Hispanic immigrants is a threat to divide the United States. The inflow of Hispanic immigrants is definitely a challenge, but not a threat. Those that oppose Spanish language classes, for example, follow a more conservative political ideology. As the numbers of foreign born residents increase, the challenges continues to increase as well. The highly diversified school systems in NYC, for example, creates the problem of teachers “dealing” with classes containing students who may speak many languages at home.

The North Shore of Staten Island is heavily impacted by U.S. Anglo Protestant pressure since it is a highly concentrated area of the island with Hispanics, Blacks, and Asians—an example of how the increasing numbers of Latinos in major cities does not mean they are no longer segregated or oppressed. Whether Staten Island and the rest of New York City can address its current challenges and builds on its significant assets will depend on local and city officials creating a better/new plan.

References

Huntington, Samuel. 2004. "The Hispanic Challenge." The Foreign Policy Group.

Kershaw, Sarah. 2000. Led by Staten Island, New York City Grew in 1999 Census Reports. Newspaper, New York: The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/09/nyregion/led-by-staten-island-new-york-city-grew-in-1999-census-reports.html.

New York City Department of City Planning. n.d. "Socioeconomic Characeristics." NYC 2000: Results from the 2000 Census. http://home.nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/census/sociopp.pdf.

NYC Panning Department of City Planing City of New York. n.d. "Population Growth and Race/Hispanic Compositon ." NYC 2010: Results from the 2010 Census. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/census/census2010/pgrhc.pdf.

LATINA/OS TAKE CENTER STAGE: CENSUS 2000

BY STUDENT

Within the past decade, research on the rising amount of Latinos in America has increased. With the booming numbers of minority children being born one may assume soon these minorities may no longer be considered a minority. According to a list made by Nate Berg, highlights the minority population under five years old. Many of these metropolitan areas have far surpassed the fifty percent mark and even eight of the metros are above seventy-five percent. Mike Davis states in his book Magical Urbanism, Latinos have surpassed African- Americans as the second larges ethno-racial; group in New York City. These findings show just how significant minorities, and Latinos, are in the population.  

Not only are Latino populations growing in cities but they are also growing in rural areas such as the South Fork of Long Island. “The Hamptons” as some would call it attracts people looking for work at farms and landscaping businesses as well as maids for the very lengthy tourist season. The South Fork can be seen as a hot spot for immigrants who wish to raise their children in a spacious environment. An article written by the NY times explains the life of a Mexican Immigrant named Juan. Juan is among the many immigrants coming to the South Fork to settle. According to the NY Times, some immigrants believe that a place like the South Fork is better than a city due to it being less crowded and a better place for their children to be raised. Growing up near the South Fork, I can agree that it is a great place to raise a family. There is a large sense of community in this area. There are also many activities to do as a child and teenager.

With this growing number of immigrants coming to the South Fork, there have been criticisms that they are “taking jobs from Americans”, but this is just not true. Many of these immigrants are taking jobs that Americans would not. When I was younger I can remember passing the 7-Eleven in Southampton and seeing Latino men just standing on the corner. I would ask my dad what they were doing and he would tell me they were looking for work. At such a young age I did not really understand what my Dad meant, but now I do. Many Americans would not stand on a street looking for work. I think this goes to show how hard working Latinos are. They just want to see their family succeed no matter how hard they have to work. I believe this is what makes them so respectable and important to the economy. They are especially important to the economy on the South Fork. Many Latino men come to the South Fork to work in landscape. Latino men can also be seen building some of the very large estates on the South Fork. I believe that as Latinos continue to surpass many other minorities in terms of size, their voices will be heard and they will be more represented in government. They will also be more understood by the people in their community. I hope to see people change their attitudes towards Latino’s and realize that they are just trying to make a better life for their children, just like everyone else.

Works cited:

Davis, Mike. Magical Urbanism: Latinos Reinvent the US City. London: Verso, 2000. Print.

Meryl Spiegel, “Hispanic Population Making Inroads on the South Fork”, The New York Times, February 1996, assessed November 1, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/1996/02/25/nyregion/hispanic-population-making-inroads-on-the-

south-fork.html

Nate Berg, “U.S. Metros Are Ground Zero for Majority-Minority Populations”, City Lab, May 18, 2012, assessed November 1, 2015, http://www.citylab.com/housing/2012/05/us-metros-are-ground-zero-majority-minority-populations/2043/