Guest Column
The Elusive African American and Latino Coalition
- By Randy Jurado Ertll
We need to have a real dialogue among the African American and Latino community. It is not enough for minority elected officials or community leaders to speak among each other. What is truly of essence is that the working class, African Americans and Latinos, begin to establish better communication, trust, respect, and mutual agreements to share power in the United States.
Sharing of power is in the best interests of both communities and the number one issue that unites both communities is education. Both communities must have zero tolerance of allowing the astronomical drop out rates of African American and Latino students. Many students are preparing and entering the prison system instead of enrolling in colleges and universities.
We must push Congress and the White House to pass a fair, humane, balance and comprehensive immigration reform. Some African Americans do in fact oppose H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005, which would criminalize millions of immigrants. The Hispanic Congressional Caucus and Black Caucus must unite on this issue and hold a joint press conference, signifying unity.
The unintentional consequences of H.R. 4437 are similar to Proposition 187. Now millions of Latinos are motivated to become U.S. citizens and to register to vote. The Hispanic and Black Congressional Caucus in Washington D.C. cannot allow the immigration issue to divide the African American and Latino communities.
Many African Americans do care about the immigration issue, some are in favor of it, and others oppose undocumented immigration. The Latino leadership must do a better job of outreaching to African Americans to discuss the immigration issue, since it does affect immigrants from other continents, not just from Latin America. Including African and areas like the Caribbean (Haiti and other small countries).
African Americans and Latinos have to develop long term solid coalitions, not just at the national level, but also in various cities throughout the United States. Both communities should further examine other immigration legislation that they would together support, such as the joint bi partisan proposal from Senator McCain and Senator Kennedy.
This bill is fair and comprehensive and would help to legalize millions of undocumented workers. Latino and Africa Americans organizations must continue to focus on education issues, and urge community members to register to vote and for permanent residents to seek U.S. citizenship. Latinos and African Americans need to become more engaged in voting.
The Immigrant Rights Movement is not exactly the Civil Rights Movement. Some African Americans are offended when Latino activist compare the recent marches to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. The 1950s and 1960s were decades of constant struggle for African Americans, and Latinos (mainly Mexican Americans) were smaller in numbers but also suffered much discrimination too but did not have a national Civil Rights leader like Martin Luther King, Jr.
Eventually in the 1970s, Cesar Chavez became that voice for Latino migrant workers in California and other states.
The African American and Latino leadership must evolve to have a "universal and embrasive" strategy. Both communities need to expand their base of support, and must include Whites, Asians, Middle Eastern, and other ethnic groups in the struggles to obtain economic empowerment and creation of jobs for everyone.
The African American and Latino community continues to be somewhat divided due to the immigration debate.
It is everyone’s responsibility to bridge the communication gap. It is imperative for both communities to share power.
The key is to continue to advocate non-violence. We must stop the violence that does exist in the prison system and has now further spilled into the public schools where Latinos and African Americans are hurting each other.
We will either rise up together or continue to have the highest rates of dropouts, prison inmates, unemployment, and other pervasive social ills that impact Latinos and African Americans. What will our Latino electeds and African American electeds do to stop the violence and poverty that destroys inner city communities composed of Latinos and African Americans?
Community based organizations, businesses, local government, developers, and other key players must help create jobs for our youth.
Public school districts (employees and board members) must admit that tremendous problems do exist. They must establish better multicultural and history curriculum that will teach African American and Latino kids to be proud of their heritage.
Enough of low expectations of poor minority kids. We must believe in them and they must believe in themselves to begin to change our society. Lets plant the seeds for a better future in our society. We cannot afford any future "ethnic" riots.
We must care about the well-being of our neighbors and not be so selfish, egotistical, materialistic, and intolerant. Undocumented immigrants deserve a shot to become legal residents through an earned legalization process. America was built through the sweat, tears, and blood of African Americans and immigrants from around the world.
_____________________________________________________________________ - Randy Jurado Ertll is the Executive Director of El Centro de Accion Social Pasadena, CA. 626-628-5844 e-mail: randyertll@yahoo.com
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