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Describe the Latino community in the United States.
The Latino community in the U.S. is very diverse, and made up of many groups from various countries. While language may be a common bond, the various cultures may have very different ways of looking at the world. For instance, the Mexican-American population has had a long history and relationship with the United States and many Mexican Americans consider themselves to be occupied people; since at one time much of the Southwest was Mexico. The same is true of Puerto Ricans, as Puerto Rico was annexed by the U.S. in the Spanish American War. The Latinos who are immigrants i.e., Dominicans, Spaniards, Chileans, Guatemalans, Ecuadorians, Hondurans, Bolivians, Argentineans, etc., have a different relationship with the U.S. Many see the United States of America as representing opportunity and freedom, while many Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans may see and feel their experience in the USA to be one of racism and oppression. For families who are second or third generation immigrants, the issue of acculturation is key.
It is always important to remember the history of the country of the people you are dealing with.
Those groups who left their countries for political rather than economic reasons, (Cubans, for instance), historically have tended to be more affluent and better educated immigrants, who may have a more positive experience in the U.S. and acculturate more smoothly. In the case of Mexicans, many of the poorest, without education opportunities, have emigrated looking for work. They left for economic, not political reasons, and many have more of a struggle to acculturate.
Any common misperceptions regarding the community?
One common misconception is that all Hispanics identify with each other because of a common language. In fact, many Latinos who are newcomers may dislike other Latinos because of bias and historical reasons. Spain, for instance, occupied much of Latin America and has a very negative image among Mexican Indians who were decimated by the Spanish.
All Hispanic Americans -- in fact many second generation Hispanic Americans – do not speak Spanish! Acculturated Hispanics become Americans, like German Americans, Italian Americans, etc. And most, especially those born in the 1930s, '40s, and '50s, don't speak Spanish because bilingual education was not generally offered.
Does acculturation play a role in addiction among Latinos?
Levels of drug use go up among acculturation groups. Hispanics are 50% less likely to use drugs at all than other ethnicities, (the influence of the church) but four times more likely to get addicted if they use (due to acculturation). Acculturation brings tremendous stress to a family. Often roles are reversed -- children who are often more competent in English take on authority roles in the dominant culture, reducing the father to a passive observer. The tremendous loss of place and country, culture, and role create an environment ripe for alcohol and drug use.
Young Latino children are more likely to use drugs than their parents. While all youth are at more risk than adults, Latino eighth graders (according to the 2003 Monitoring the Future Study) had the highest rates of marijuana, cocaine and Ecstasy use.
How do Latino belief systems influence health and wellness of the community?
Wellness for non-acculturated Hispanics is definitely tied to the spiritual state of the person involved. For many, Cunaderos and Santerias and other indigenous healers are often involved in treatment. Cunaderos are much like medicine men in the Native American tradition, mixing ritual with native herbs and oils. Santeros are members of the Santeria religion. Santeria is based on the West African religions brought to the New World by slaves imported to the Caribbean to work the sugar plantations. The religion is a mix of Catholicism, Dahomean, baKonga, and Yoruban beliefs. In Cuba this mix became known as Santeria, the "Way of the Saints." The Santero is also a priest and healer for practitioners of Santeria.
The usual 12-step programs of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are not the means of recovery for most non-acculturated Hispanics. The church is where many of these people go for recovery, which is why even in heavily Latino communities like Miami you will not find large numbers of people in drug treatment programs. The stigma associated with drug addiction is very strong with immigrant Latinos, which is another reason why many Latinos don't find their way into treatment. While drinking is associated with Latinos, this is only true in the U.S. And many Latinos in the U.S. belong to Pentecostal non-drinking churches.
Just healing the body is not enough. Hispanics need to be viewed in the context of family and community; therefore healing must encompass those elements as well. If the community is sick (drug dealers running rampant) then the individuals can not be well. If the individual is ill, like (drug addiction or mentally ill parents), then the community cannot be healthy. They are intertwined.
What family issues do you see in Latino communities today?
"Machismo" is a commonly misunderstood term in relation to Hispanic males. In its proper interpretation, machismo means being a good responsible male. Providing well for family, being a protector, and being involved with community are all aspects of machismo. The misconception of a Macho is an irresponsible gigolo who has many women, is tough, and rules the roost. This concept is an aspect of the breakdown in family that occurs with acculturation.
Often, Hispanic females are more likely to find work than Hispanic males. When this happens, the roles in traditional Hispanic families are reversed. This often causes conflict and some men become more aggressive and promiscuous in order to shore up a damaged ego, which may also lead to substance abuse. Trying to maintain traditional values while living in a commercial culture is one of the biggest challenges facing Hispanics in the U.S.
Cultural Depression: When individuals leave behind all they know to venture to a new country, much is lost. Emigrants coming to the U.S. from the Caribbean and Latin America lose the sign posts of cultures, music, food, church and extended family. A deep disorientation can occur, leading to serious depression. A grieving period for the loss may be very long. Often emigrants from Latin America will act as though they are only visiting the U.S., albeit they may have been here for a decade, with the hope of returning "home" someday. This, of course, lessens as the new generation is born and "home" is the U.S. However, this causes even more loss for the "elders" who grieve the acculturation of their grandchildren.
Many of these children become confused. They are "in between" children, a mix of U.S. and traditional cultures. Often they are caught in a tug of war between school personnel who help them to acculturate and speak English, and the parent who wants them to speak Spanish, listen to music from the home country, not wear makeup, etc. I once asked a Hispanic child what he liked (as a way of defining who he was), and he said "I like rice and beans, Michael Jackson, and Jordache Jeans." This child was a mestizo, a mixed child with many cultures. Every child needs to be accepted for who he or she is. In the case of these children, they find no validation at home or at school, which leaves them at risk for joining gangs or taking drugs to deal with their sense of being out of place.
It is important to remember that Latinos represent a large group where the most defining issue might not be where they come from, but rather how long they have been in the US. The most unfortunate fact is that for most Hispanics, the more acculturated they are the more likely they are to abuse drugs. The intact family is the key strength for Latinos who are trying to recover from addiction.
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