More Black students joining Latino Greek organizations

[PhDiva]

Elephant Walk - C'mon Compton ain't bad compared to parts of South Central

Ms. Gwyn - We will have agree to disagree. I'm not dismissive of your personal experience because they are real and specific to you nor do I dismiss the statistics because they do reflect larger trends which may have been missed by individuals. You may have not experienced the tension but I know plenty of Latinos that have (esp. ones who were not from California). When I worked for LAUSD, there were times when I did some substitute teaching in predominantly Latino areas and I was met with racial epithets and outright hostility from some students and staff. I have personal experience too but I rely on the statistics because I can't assume everyone has experienced what I have.

There is a vast difference between Black/Latino coalitions on the west coast versus the east coast, however, which might account for more blacks joining Latino Greek organizations in that region. That was the point of my comment.

PhDiva

[TotallyWicked]

I think SoCal tensions have alot to do with the location, political climate, and history. SoCal, the entire Southwest for that matter, has had a history with discrimination against Latinos (Mexicans specifically), you also have to look at the proximity to the U.S.-Mexican border, which raises many issues including cultural assimilation (e.g. who is Really American?), I feel students are buying into the typical identity builder of making "the others", Latinos (Mexicans specifically being this other) and are raised with that thus joining a Latin Org will definitely not attract them.

I sometimes see this, I work with kids, and no surprise the Blacks kids sit together and the Latinos sit with one another, I work in a very conservative, segregated suburb, where issues like immigration are definitely debated heavily, I could only imagine that bordertowns have this at the forefront of their minds.