Latinx/Hispanic Americans

Part II
SOCY 3020-E01 Race and Ethnicity in the U.S.

Fall 2024

Part II: Latinx / Hispanic Americans: The Future

Gateway/Portales Mural – Rosalia Torres

Latinx / Hispanic Americans: The Future

 As John Hartigan (2015) points out, Sociologist Eileen O’Brien (2008) defines the racial middle as “a
complex social landscape dominated by the fastest growing panethnic groups, Latinx and Asian
Americans, whose numbers are expected to double by 2050 (about 25% and 9% of the nation’s
population respectively).

 A defining feature of life in the racial middle is the experience of marginalization in U.S. society. This is
illustrated simply by the striking underrepresentation of these groups in national politics relative to the
size of their populations.
 At the same time, O’Brien points out that by certain key demographic indicators such as educational
levels, marriage patterns, and residential choices these groups are more ‘white than black’ in terms of
the continuum between social advantage and disadvantage associated with race” (Hartigan, 2015).

 As presented through a 2011 and 2019 Pew Hispanic Center report:

 Many experts agree that one of the biggest stories that came out of the previous 2010 Census was the
confirmation of the dramatic surge in the Latinx/Hispanic presence in the US.

 Some of these current figures point to:

 Latinx accounting for 56% of the total U.S. population growth since 2000.

 Half of the babies being born in Texas today are Latinx.

 41% of Chicago’s public school students are Hispanic.

 25% of all children under 7 in the U.S. today are Latinx. This equals one in every four children.

 The numeric results from the 2010 Census showed all these trend lines have accelerated in significant
ways.

 This is a significant current and futuristic indicator of where this group is and where it is headed within
the United States.

 They can confirm the transformation of the American landscape of the past few decades.

 However, “Population growth among U.S. Hispanics has slowed since the 2000s.

 From 2005 to 2010, the nation’s Hispanic population grew by an average of 3.4% per year, but this rate
has declined to 2.0% a year since then.

 Even so, population growth among Hispanics continues to outpace that of some other groups. The white
population saw negligible growth between 2015 and 2018, while the black population had annual
average growth of less than 1% over the same period. Only Asian Americans have seen faster
 population growth than Hispanics, with a 2.8% growth rate between 2015 and 2018 (Pew Research
Center, 2019).

 Another key fact about “how the nation’s Latino population has changed over the past decade: The
South saw the fastest Latino population growth of any U.S. region.

 The Latino population in the South grew 33% during this period, reaching 22.7 million in 2018, up 5.6
million from 2008.

 This growth was part of a broader increase in the Latino population in regions across the country since
the 1990s. States in the Northeast (25% increase), Midwest (24%) and West (19%) also experienced
growth in the number of Latinos from 2008 to 2018” (Pew Research Center, 2019).

 Some unique examples of the Latinx/Hispanic “boom”:

 Spanish publications both printed and online across the entire country.

 Quinceañera stores in many different major and smaller cities in the U.S.

 Dulce de leche has become a very popular flavor in many ‘American’ foods, and it is delicious so I
recommend you try it.

 We even see and question the popular trend that ‘salsa’ may have surpassed ketchup in this country.
 Very indicative and of paramount importance is Latinx purchasing power surpassing $1 trillion. This
is a very significant factor that solidifies the presence and cultural place of Hispanics and Latinx in
American society.

 When it comes to politics:

 With numbers comes power and the ‘Latino vote’ is indeed very powerful nowadays.

 The Economist declares that “Hispanics, long underrepresented as voters, are becoming political
kingmakers” (The Economist, 2010).

 As previously reviewed, in the 2008 presidential election that led to the historic election of Barack
Obama, it was the first time Latinx and the Latino vote played a significant role in determining the
outcome of the elections.

 Latinx also highly influenced the outcome of the 2012 and 2020 presidential elections as well.

 For the first time since 1988, the past Administration included no initial Latinx cabinet members, two
members later served (Alexander Acosta and Jovita Carranza).

 As for the current Administration:

❖ Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services.

❖ Miguel Cardona, Secretary of Education.

❖ Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security.

❖ Isabel Guzman, Administrator of the Small Business Administration.

 For the current 118th Congress: 46 current members of the House of Representatives (out of 435).

 Six senators:
1. Bob Menendez - NJ
2. Marco Rubio – FL
3. Ted Cruz – TX
4. Catherine Cortez Masto – NV
5. Alex Padilla – CA
6. Ben Luján - NM

 One Supreme Court Justice:

▪ Sonia Sotomayor

 “In Texas, 25% of the state’s House of Representatives are Hispanic Texans, even though Hispanic
Texans make up 40% of the state population” (texastribune.org, 2021).

 A Center for Immigration Studies report (2012) projected that:

 “Hispanics would comprise 17.2 percent of the total U.S. population, 15 percent of adults, 11.2 percent
of adult citizens, and 8.9 percent of actual voters” (cis.org)

 All these projections were met and surpassed.

 The new Census numbers also surprised because they eradicated some myths long held by many. Here
are three:

1. Myth #1: Most Latinx speak Spanish.

2. Myth #2: Second and third Generation Latinx are more Assimilated.

3. Myth #3: Most Latinx are Immigrants from Mexico.

Myth #1: Most Latinx speak Spanish:

 “Fact: While true for first generation Latinx immigrants, once you factor in second and third
generation Latinx, the data on Hispanic youth compiled by California-based Cultural Access Group
shows that 57% of the young people surveyed prefer to speak English.

 In charting media usage, a study by the Cultural Access Group found that “young Hispanics in Los
Angeles watch nearly twice as many hours of English-language television as Spanish-language TV.
These same youths spend five times more hours reading English than Spanish.”

 However, Spanish is still very important. The U.S. is currently the fifth largest Spanish speaking country
in the world. And for many Latinx youth, while maybe not fluent in it, Spanish is still an important part
of their identity” (Pew Hispanic Center, 2011).

Myth #2: Second and Third Generations Latinx Are More Assimilated:

 Fact: In many cases and for many Latinx individuals the newer generations are embracing their Latinx
national heritage even more so than their parents.

 According to Between Two Worlds: How Young Latinx Come of Age in America released December
2009 (updated July 2013) by the Pew Hispanic Center young Latinx/Latinas were asked how they first
described themselves:

 “52% of Latinx youth said their preference was for their family’s country of origin — Dominican,
Mexican, Cuban, etc. — over American, which 24% favored. Even fewer, 20%, responded Hispanic or
Latinx” (Pew Hispanic Center, 2013).

Myth #3: Most Latinx Are Immigrants from Mexico:

 “Fact: While the majority are of Mexican descent (65%), Latinx come from 27 different countries in
Latin America.

 16% are from Central and South America, 9% from Puerto Rico (who are not immigrants), 4% from
Cuba, 6% from other countries.

 Which means while there is the shared heritage for Latinx within the bell curve of this demographic of
being Catholic, fútbol-loving, and communal in worldview there are significant differences among the
various Latinx groups” (Pew Hispanic Center, 2011).
 One important and highly debated issue is immigration. We constantly hear about immigrants,
immigration reform, immigration politics, and their effects on this society.

 Nowadays we can see a clear platform used by many politicians and media outlets to discuss
immigration and the issues and people attached to it. One common perception perpetuated by many
sources is that most Latinx are immigrants, when in fact we need to remember that two-thirds of Latinx
are born in the United States, which means they are Americans by birth to begin with.

 What makes the immigration debate so wrenching for the Latinx community, even those who are not
immigrants, are the blood ties where families are often composed of a mix of those born in the U.S. and
those who immigrated.

 Another related predominant myth is the popular belief that undocumented immigrants pay no taxes,
take away “all” of our jobs, hinder our economy and abuse our social services.

 Chris Schefler (2001) weighs in by pointing out that:

 “The Southwest and California were built in large part by undocumented and documented Mexican
immigrants.

 There was a time when Mexican migrant workers passed freely over the border each season to labor in
the Southwest.

 In that time, Mexicans were an important and welcomed source of cheap labor.

 At the end of the season, the laborers would return to Mexico. The border was always open for their
return” (Schefler, 2001).

 “Today, Mexican/Latinx workers pay sales taxes just like everyone else and many work for substandard
wages at the lowest end jobs in the country.

 Paying undocumented workers below minimum wage is very common and results in higher profits for
the undocumented employer, and therefore higher taxes paid by the employer.

 End result: worker gets much lower pay (essentially payroll withholding) which results in more taxes
being paid into the U.S. and State treasuries (due to higher profits for the undocumented employers)”
(Schefler, 2001).

 Many undocumented employers are aware that their Mexican/Latinx laborers are undocumented, but
still withhold payroll taxes from their paychecks, and instead of paying those taxes to the government,
they pocket them.

 Since many undocumented Mexican/Latinx workers can live in fear of deportation, some rarely seek any
social services or file for income tax returns for fear of being discovered and deported. (They can do this
with the use of an easily obtainable Individual Taxpayer Identification Number ITIN).

 The only exceptions for using social services are emergency medical care and primary education, the
two necessities too urgent to forego (Schefler, 2001).

 So how is it that Mexican/Latinx/Hispanic immigrants are responsible for many of our economic
problems and many other troubles?
 10 million undocumented Latinx/Hispanics. 245 million people age 18 and over in the U.S (77%).
About 4.1% of the total adult population in this country are undocumented Latinx/Hispanic individuals.

 If we do the math, very simple math I may add:

 How is a specific group representing 4.1% of the adult population in the U.S. “taking away ALL of our
jobs?” (ENOUGH with this ignorant myth already!)

 How many and what type of jobs do they actually “take away?” (3.8% unemployment rate as of Sept
2023 (bls.gov, 2023))

 Please do not be a bystander to this or any other ignorant, racist, politicized claims, statements, or myths.
Challenge people about them!

 Whichever position you may choose to adhere to, the futuristic reality of this group is that beyond being
and becoming a stronger economic force in this country ($1 trillion in buying power), Latinx/Hispanics
are and will continue to be a major political and social force as well.

 This group will keep growing and will exercise a different position within U.S. society.

 We will all be part of this group’s future, directly or indirectly.

 Whether we consider the new Latinx power and its economic, cultural, social, and political effects on
U.S. society, or the social issues related to this group; several modern notions are very factual:

 Latinx and Hispanic Americans are an indelible part of this society (from past to present and future).

 They have been here and will continue to be part of this society while exercising more power on this
country’s social systems than any other minority group.

 This group carries a powerful and significant growth factor that will keep shaping this country in many
different ways and in many different social facets and arenas.

 As Richard Schaefer (2002) explains:

 “Large concentration of Latinx live in a number of U.S. largest cities.

 Economic change is also apparent. Poverty and unemployment rates fluctuate while more recent
immigrants from Mexico, and Puerto Ricans moving to the mainland are likely to enter the lower or
working class upon arrival.

 However, there is a growing middle class within the Hispanic community where even half of the
Hispanic population can now be regarded as on parity with the White middle class” (Schaefer, 2002).

 The successes are real.

 Candidates for political office seek and need the Latinx vote.

 There is a mixture of positive and negative trends, but ballots are printed in Spanish among other
languages. Bilingual education is available throughout the United States.

 Espousing pluralism rather than assimilation is not un-American either (Schaefer, 2002).
  Their legacy in this country is being forged as a major social force that is:

➢ better educating itself,

➢ reshaping the working and middle class,

➢ repelling many stereotypes,

➢ gaining political and social representation,

➢ demanding equality and respect,

➢ and making meaningful contributions to the well-being of this country and this society.

 It is also important to remember that 55+ million Hispanic/Latinx-Americans will

Latinos, Latinas, Latinx, Afro Latinos, Nativos, Hispanos, Hispanas, todos juntos!

La Vida Latinx – Comics Anthology

Sí se puede!