Pedro Herrera III Mocks his Latino Roots to Become Star
Much in the fashion of Sascha Baron Cohens Borat, Herrera has created Chingo Blingo. His alter ego based off of Latino slang has become a growing hip hop phenom in East LA, doing concerts and promoting his music. While all that sounds very typical of budding artists his music is filled with racial slurs and mockings of immigrant Mexicans that would typically be seen in movies. He over satirizes his upbringing by dramatically inflating stereotypes to draw crowds of fans that seem to relate to the music and his racialization according to the article. While Herrea himself is a business oriented entreprenuer his alter ego is a slur slinging rap star.
This is one of those articles that show how although many people enjoy things that may seem okay due to the creaters satirical nature it continues to promote racial biasis and convey that it is okay to mock cultural differences. While I appriciate the humor I'm sure it is only a matter of time before he faces an uproar that many other contiversial artists have had too. It is one of those situations that brings note to how people work for change and others work off of the lack of change they see.
Article: http://articles.latimes.com/2005/12/31/calendar/et-chingobling31
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAC7jg5l8V4&feature=related
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Changing Aspects of Black Latinos In NY
This article that was recently on nytimes.com reminded me of the video we watched last week in class about the Latino movements in New York in the 60s and 70s. The video showed what I thought to be a strong sense of cultural pride between all mixes of Latinos and there mixed heritages. This particular article seems to show a change in that feeling and a need to identify with only one cultural background.
This article shows several different people with varying mixes of Latino and black heritage and how they identify with those backgrounds today. Almost all of the people in the article seem to be most closely tied to only one cultural identity. It seems to vary on how they were raised with the heritage, the friends they keep, how friends react to who they identify with, and the views they instill on their children. It is interesting to see how within one group of people there is so much concern over who they tie themselves too and how it influences their activity with certain actinity. Some tie themselves to hiphop and relate to their black heritage while others teach their children Spanish and keep more Latino than black friends. While I have more personal interest in my Irish roots I don't identify as a person of Irish decent. It is different to see how other cultures keep and build much stronger roots than many whites, and how that governs different aspects of thier lives.
Article: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02EFDB133DF93BA15757C0A9659C8B63&scp=1&sq=latinos&st=nyt
This article that was recently on nytimes.com reminded me of the video we watched last week in class about the Latino movements in New York in the 60s and 70s. The video showed what I thought to be a strong sense of cultural pride between all mixes of Latinos and there mixed heritages. This particular article seems to show a change in that feeling and a need to identify with only one cultural background.
This article shows several different people with varying mixes of Latino and black heritage and how they identify with those backgrounds today. Almost all of the people in the article seem to be most closely tied to only one cultural identity. It seems to vary on how they were raised with the heritage, the friends they keep, how friends react to who they identify with, and the views they instill on their children. It is interesting to see how within one group of people there is so much concern over who they tie themselves too and how it influences their activity with certain actinity. Some tie themselves to hiphop and relate to their black heritage while others teach their children Spanish and keep more Latino than black friends. While I have more personal interest in my Irish roots I don't identify as a person of Irish decent. It is different to see how other cultures keep and build much stronger roots than many whites, and how that governs different aspects of thier lives.
Article: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02EFDB133DF93BA15757C0A9659C8B63&scp=1&sq=latinos&st=nyt
Latinos Hiring Latinos in America
This article focuses on the rising number of Latino families who are U.S. born and making over $100,000 a year. With the increasing amount that Latino citizens are making they are hiring laborers to help them with household duties like many other Americans. However, many laborers tend to be Latinos as well. Some Latinos in the article are okay with the idea of hiring people of there same heritage because the see it as helping them or providing their children another base of teaching their roots. Others though, who grew up with parents or doing similar labor, seem to be conflicted with the idea of being viewed as white collar when they consider themselves in the blue collar class still. This article interested me because while the hired laborers are not always Latino this is the one time that Latino employers seem to feel an uneasiness. Having never grown up with hired help I wonderer if the sense occurs for whites and African Americans? It is also interesting to note that those being hired seem to be suprised to learn that those who they are working for or their neighbors are Latino. Does it create a sense that Latinos or their kids can make it as immigrants?
View article at: http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=7218351302653681641&postID=6589183561978785031
This article focuses on the rising number of Latino families who are U.S. born and making over $100,000 a year. With the increasing amount that Latino citizens are making they are hiring laborers to help them with household duties like many other Americans. However, many laborers tend to be Latinos as well. Some Latinos in the article are okay with the idea of hiring people of there same heritage because the see it as helping them or providing their children another base of teaching their roots. Others though, who grew up with parents or doing similar labor, seem to be conflicted with the idea of being viewed as white collar when they consider themselves in the blue collar class still. This article interested me because while the hired laborers are not always Latino this is the one time that Latino employers seem to feel an uneasiness. Having never grown up with hired help I wonderer if the sense occurs for whites and African Americans? It is also interesting to note that those being hired seem to be suprised to learn that those who they are working for or their neighbors are Latino. Does it create a sense that Latinos or their kids can make it as immigrants?
View article at: http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=7218351302653681641&postID=6589183561978785031
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Mexican Remittances Increase Little
Though this article is short I thought that it highlighted an interesting fact. It states that the billions of dollars sent back to Mexico from immigrants in America is one of the countries largest sources of income. This revenue is used to build factories and other job sources in Mexico but has been cut because of the minimal rise in remittances due to the cutting of hiring by American employers by unregistered immigrants.
I just thought that it was interesting that the Mexican economy relies heavily on immigration to America and was is sent back. It shows a meager effort on the part of Mexico to build its own homeland sources of revenue.
This article does tie into the class because it shows the huge support supplied to families in Mexico supplied from America by the different generations of relatives.
Though this article is short I thought that it highlighted an interesting fact. It states that the billions of dollars sent back to Mexico from immigrants in America is one of the countries largest sources of income. This revenue is used to build factories and other job sources in Mexico but has been cut because of the minimal rise in remittances due to the cutting of hiring by American employers by unregistered immigrants.
I just thought that it was interesting that the Mexican economy relies heavily on immigration to America and was is sent back. It shows a meager effort on the part of Mexico to build its own homeland sources of revenue.
This article does tie into the class because it shows the huge support supplied to families in Mexico supplied from America by the different generations of relatives.
I found this audio article while searching for an opinion on immigration from Mexico's point of view. While not one of the best articles that I have found it was interesting because it focuses on a trip that North Carolinian policy makers took to Mexico in an attempt to understand what drives them to immigrate to America and how to better understand poilicies that they put into effect.
Find the audio file at:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6285623
Find the audio file at:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6285623
Clinton's Election Potentially Rides on the Latino Vote
Hillary Clintons election as the Democratic candidate could be up to the vote of the Latino population in Texas, according to CNN. Though Clinton originally lead 2-1 over Obama in the Latino community recent screw ups have led to an increase of Latino votes towards Obama.
With Texas left for a major Latino victory Obama has made outstanding progress in the hearts of Latinos by answering more appropriatly questions previously asked of Clinton. Clinton has created a divide between the African and Latino communities in her party by blaming African unemployment rates on unregistered Latino immigrants.
This ties into recent class discussions by showing how the Latino vote and participation in politics matter. It also shows that if Latinos are educated enough to feel that they can make an educated vote that it can really matter in the outcome of an election.
See article:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/27/navarette.opinion/index.html
Hillary Clintons election as the Democratic candidate could be up to the vote of the Latino population in Texas, according to CNN. Though Clinton originally lead 2-1 over Obama in the Latino community recent screw ups have led to an increase of Latino votes towards Obama.
With Texas left for a major Latino victory Obama has made outstanding progress in the hearts of Latinos by answering more appropriatly questions previously asked of Clinton. Clinton has created a divide between the African and Latino communities in her party by blaming African unemployment rates on unregistered Latino immigrants.
This ties into recent class discussions by showing how the Latino vote and participation in politics matter. It also shows that if Latinos are educated enough to feel that they can make an educated vote that it can really matter in the outcome of an election.
See article:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/27/navarette.opinion/index.html
Friday, February 8, 2008
Latinos eager to learn english
According to an article in the New York Times and the Pew Hispanic Center, Latinos are eager to learn English after immigrating to America. After the first generation of immigrants there is an average jump of 60+ percent in the level of English fluency. Most immigrants fear that they will be discriminated against if they do not speak English, and that speak fluent English is the key to success in America. Although many recent immigrants (nearly 70%) admitted to poor English skills they all feel that there ability to speak English was poor of a factor in discrimination than race.
This ties in with recent talks in class because it shows the differences between the different generations in immigrant families and their concern for discrimination. It also shows a varied concept on the issue of assimilation amongst immigrants. The article says that contrary to concerns with assimilation that many Latino immigrants feel that learning English is necessary. However, the retention of Spanish is also a large factor in Latino life and that only 15 percent of families said they were largely English speaking.
The link to the article is as follows-
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/30/us/30immig.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=latino&st=nyt&oref=slogin
This ties in with recent talks in class because it shows the differences between the different generations in immigrant families and their concern for discrimination. It also shows a varied concept on the issue of assimilation amongst immigrants. The article says that contrary to concerns with assimilation that many Latino immigrants feel that learning English is necessary. However, the retention of Spanish is also a large factor in Latino life and that only 15 percent of families said they were largely English speaking.
The link to the article is as follows-
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/30/us/30immig.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=latino&st=nyt&oref=slogin
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