Are Latinos Assimilating Or Is America Assimilating To Them?

For many immigrants arriving in the U.S., maintaining ties with their countries and cultures is becoming easier. Their countries, it seems, are coming straight to their doorstep.

Increasingly, Hispanics "have access to their cultural heritage and language through product and service offerings that are targeted to the Latino community," according to Hispanic Research Inc.

Take Pizza Patron, a new Mexican-themed pizza joint opening up in Fresno, California. "From the colorful decor to some of the pizza ingredients, which include Mexican-style chorizo sausage, Pizza Patron is committed to serving the Hispanic market," according to an article by The Business Journal.

Since 2007 all Pizza Patron restaurants accept Mexican Pesos (bills only) as payment. The Dallas-based pizzeria seeking to open franchises in predominantly Hispanic communities throughout the nation and hire bilingual managers and sales teams.

The Latino population continues to grow in the U.S. -- hitting 50.5 million people in 2010-- and to incorporate itself in the American mainstream. Yet, as more Latinos seek to keep strong bonds to their home countries and cultures, there is increasing uncertainty as to whether assimilation is in fact a possibility.

A recent study by The University of Southern California "Assimilation Tomorrow: How America's Immigrants Will Integrate by 2030", reinforces the notion that Latinos will assimilate and integrate more fully into American society in the next 20 years.

The percentage of immigrants speaking English well or very well is projected to rise from 57.5 percent in the year 2000 to 70.3 percent by 2030, according to the study.

Still, despite predictions of the future integration of Latinos in the U.S., many communities increasingly reflect their home countries.

Take, for instance, New York's Jackson Heights neighborhood in Queens, under the tracks of the Roosevelt Avenue elevated train. A row of restaurants with Spanish names such as "La Nueva Colombia," "El Meson Colombiano" and "La Pequena Colombia" sell chorizo and morcilla sausage, arepas and other traditional foods from Colombia. The community is home to nearly 14,000 Colombians.

Parts of Manhattan are no different. "Hispanic families have been settling in East Harlem for decades, of course, but what's new is how they're going about changing community trends", according to Real Estate Weekly which refers to "Mexico Lindo," a bakery on Second Avenue near 116th Street in New York that sells Mexican treats.

And with newer generations of U.S.-born Latinos, assimilation will be a challenge. Instead, some predict the birth a new identity.

"This multigenerational dynamic will see more U.S. born Latinos creating a new identity and opportunities, while still nurturing their connection to their broader Spanish dominant base (many of them parents, and family)," Roberto Ramos, CEO of VOX Collective , said in a blog for HuffPost. "Spanish-dominant and recent arrivals Hispanics will still play a significant if somewhat lesser role, and they will benefit from the greater access procured by a new generation of U.S. born Latinos."

Comments

[btmmk89]

04:38 AM on 04/21/2012

What everyone has failed to mention is that our government and media do not want Hispanics assimilating, because they want them to be forever at the bottom of the ladder, while making them feel accepted by catering to them in Spanish-language media. If Hispanics were to fully assimilate, they would be just as cynical about U.S. politics and media as mainstream Americans are and Republican and Democrats can't have the largest minority revolting against them.

If you ask me, if Hispanics did fully assimilate into American culture, we would probably have smaller, less intrusive government, and more elected officials that reflected the ideals of average Americans, not the just the fringes or the elites.

[btmmk89]

04:28 AM on 04/21/2012

It's not that Americans won't pick crops or scrub toilets, it's that an illegal immigrant will do it for well below the federal minimum wage. It's not that Americans do not apply for these jobs, it's that employers will not consider, let alone hire, them for these jobs because an illegal immigrant offers much cheaper labor.
If it were not for illegal immigrants most faming jobs would be obsolete. In fact, in the 1960s, when Cesar Chavez was unionizing his "legal" farm workers, the U.S. gov't produced a report that estimated that by the late 1970s all agricultural harvesting would be done mechanically as the cost of using a machine, relative to the rise in union farm wages, would be much less. The same report also stated that all crops that would need to be harvested manually would most likely be grown abroad and imported into the U.S. Unfortunately, farm owners began using illegal laborers to replace striking farm workers. This provided two benefit: 1.) they could not "strike" because they were not unionized and 2.) they would work for less because they could not negotiate wages. So, in our current age of ever evolving technological advancements, the state of U.S. agriculture technology has remained unchanged for over 40 years. And we can all thank illegal immigrants not only for hindering ag. tech. advancements but for the loss of potential agriculture jobs that would have been outsourced to other countries that needed them.

[Allisio Rex]

10:26 PM on 01/04/2012

Hispanics, by any other name will never be part of European-America. They just want the benefits while threatening our survival and our civilization.

[Allisio Rex]

10:22 PM on 01/04/2012

Cacey
Ignore rudeness, honor discussion
2619 Fans
10:03 PM on 12/02/2011
In so many ways it is tragic that you rejected who you are. As the great Spanish poet wrote, "I am I and every thing that has gone before me..."

Well, way before had gone before him was that he and his peers were colonized by the Romans for seven centuries. They gave the Spaniards the Latin language, Roman Culture, Roman Laws and Christianity.

[Allisio Rex]

05:49 PM on 01/04/2012

Finally, have any of you attended a Columbus Day parade. Do you ever notice people carrying the Italian flag while wearing shirts and pants made to look like the red, white and blue USA flag? I guess there are many people that desecrate the flag.

In the Columbus Day Parade there are very few Italian Flags and all US Flags. BTW, those Italians,all of them, are real Latinos/Latinas and not you,the Ibero-Indians. No, they don't desecrate the flag and they don't desecrate our institutions: they're not welfare people and their women don't have children out-of-wedlock either.

[luz2409]

12:19 AM on 01/04/2012

Love it. More Latinos in the U.S= More amazing food. Bring it on!

[wolfdancer]

08:29 PM on 12/29/2011

For the tea bagger haters and racists here are some facts. There have been studies in the medical field about assimilation of Hispanics into the culture of the USA. It has been determined that the more Hispanics become assimilated to the culture of the USA the more unhealthy and sick they become. It is known as the Hispanic paradox. In the area of maternal health it has been shown that women that are not fully assimilated will have better outcomes and healthier babies than those Hispanics that are second generation or, in other words, have been fully assimilated into the culture. The bottom line is that keeping a piece of the Hispanic culture is more healthy than being a fully assimilated "American."

In the southwest area of the United States Hispanics have lived there for centuries. There are areas of New Mexico where Spanish is still a predominant language as it has been for centuries. Even before Teddy Roosevelt made that ridiculous statement. It is the Anglos, especially loud mouth Texans, that are intruders in New Mexico not the other way around.

Finally, have any of you attended a Columbus Day parade. Do you ever notice people carrying the Italian flag while wearing shirts and pants made to look like the red, white and blue USA flag? I guess there are many people that desecrate the flag.

[btmmk89]

03:54 AM on 04/21/2012

Hey moron, the Anglo-Spanish conquestadors invaded Mexico in the 1500s. Their interbreeding with the natives lead to the creation of the Mexican people. So, really, the natives were there before the Anglos, but the Anglos were there before the Mexicans.

[Dead Ted]

05:03 PM on 12/21/2011

Viva la reconquista!!!

[kengault]

12:56 PM on 12/15/2011

Neither. America is dumbing down to them.

[shawshank]

04:10 PM on 12/05/2011

From a rational and progressive perspective, I think immigrant Latinos should learn English. It is for their own good. It will be hard to climb the proverbial ladder in this country not just if you can't speak English, but if you do not understand the nuances of American English.

[212to631]

03:02 PM on 12/05/2011

***********Now, don't get me wrong. I love Spanish people. I am a huge supporter of immigrants and understand why they come here illegally. I have illegal friends. My ex boyfriend was Colombian. I have traveled to various central American countries. This country needs immigrants to do the jobs Americans turn their noses at. However, I'd just like to feel at home slightly in my 'home'.

[212to631]

03:01 PM on 12/05/2011

HA! I find it so amusing they mention Jackson Heights! Prime example- it does not even seem like America. I did not allow my parents to walk on Roosevelt when they moved me in. There are very few white people to be seen, and my parents would stick out very strongly-risky. Walk down Roosevelt and it's like I am living in Colombia or Mexico-NOT NY. Almost all the bars, restaurants, are Spanish. The stores sell Spanish products. There are businesses that exist to help immigrants that you don't usually see. Also travel agencies-who sees those anymore anywhere else?! EVERYTHING in the area caters to the Spanish. Or asian-Jackson Heights is primarily Spanish/asian/middle eastern.

I have blonde hair and blue eyes and dress in clothing people of the area can't afford, and believe me, I stick out from a mile away. I feel uncomfortable walking around-at night it's downright a bad idea, and i'll stay with people in Manhattan if i can as opposed to going home. It is America, but they look at me like I am the STRANGER, not THEM. It hurts; I feel unwanted, like an intruder. One afternoon walked into a bar with a friend who was half black, and the Spanish lady ROLLED her eyes at us, didn't offer a drink; when she finally spoke she IDed us and made us leave because he at 33 didn't have his ID on him despite him looking DEFINITELY of age.

[Taina Rosa]

03:13 PM on 12/05/2011

have you ever been to brighton beach in brooklyn? it's like being in russia, with business signs in russian everywhere. have you been to greenpoint in brooklyn? all polish. but that's what makes NYC special, a short train ride can take you all over the world, in a way. :)

sorry to read that that lady was rude to you. but rude people exist in every culture. i've had my share of encounters with rude people in NYC, all from different ethic backgrounds, some born and bred here, some not.

[212to631]

03:20 PM on 12/05/2011

If you read my additional comment, I stated that I like the Spanish culture- I've dated spanish people and lived with them.
I embrace all cultures, I just wish that immigrants would be more accepting of people who are not like them were born here with white skin speaking english.
But yes, you are right, that is the beauty of nyc that's one of the reasons i do love it and live here.
And of course rude people exist-every culture, class, race whatever. I was just explaining the situation meaning that we were unwanted.

[Taina Rosa]

02:53 PM on 12/05/2011

I lived in Puerto Rico for most of my life and you wouldn't believe how many foreigners, mainly North Americans and Europeans, who could not utter a single sentence in Spanish after living there for decades. And, go figure, these were usually pretty well-to-do people with all the opportunities in the world to educate themselves about the local language and culture. But they simply refused to, preferring to speak English.

[ElCojonuo]

11:56 AM on 12/04/2011

Nothing like serving in one of our many wars to achieve assimilation.
The crackers will always find an excuse.

[Dead Ted]

05:05 PM on 12/21/2011

Cracker, huh?? What if I called you a dirty s_plc?

[FuriaRoja]

02:10 PM on 12/03/2011

Assimilation is soooo last century, like those funny wigs they used to wear.