According to CNN website, “U.S.-born Hispanics expressed a stronger sense of affinity with other Americans than with immigrant Hispanics, a trait that is perhaps true of all ethnic groups.”. This statement presents the idea other Hispanic Americans around the country are proud to be an American, not just the New England. Presents how false the idea that immigrant children across are not proud to be America.
Many people from immigrant family background maintain a strong connection to their parent’s home country in order to remember where they came from. I am a good example of this in the sense that I love visiting Colombia when ever I have the chance because it allows me to see what my parents world is like. Most of my family lives there and I am proud of my heritage. However, there is a common misconception that people like me who come from immigrant backgrounds tend to be more proud of our parents country than the United States. This idea is misleading in the sense that the people I know and myself including are proud to represent our cultural background, yet we know that are still American.
I am personally proud to be of Colombian background, but does not mean I would want to live there for the rest of my life. Sure I have family there, but I would not have the opportunities for education or job opportunity in Colombia as I do in the United States. The States has always been my home and I am proud to represent them them whenever I travel outside the country. America has also defined who I am, a hard work, dedicated person willing to overcome any struggle in order to attain the American dream and love the country that raised me.
Rhode Island also has one of the largest Capre Verdean immigrant population in the United States. According to the U.S Department of State website, “Massachusetts is currently home to approximately 45,000 Cape Verdeans, the largest population of Cape Verdeans in the nation. The Cape Verdean Consulate in Boston is the only other diplomatic office in the United States outside of the Embassy in Washington.” Immigration throughout is mainly associated with Mexicans, however this shows that there are other people from different origins. Cape Verdean are not in high number, but they still make certain contributions to New England.
One of the contributions Cape Verdean immigrants made was The Cape Verdean Museum Exhibit is located in on 1003 Waterman Ave., East Providence, RI. The museum preserves the history and culture of Cape Verde and Cape Verdean Americans and displays artifacts, maps, and crafts that are donated from people around the world. They have many exhibits on slavery, music, art, and immigration packets. The Cape Verdean Museum Exhibit has helped educate New Englanders of the history of Cape Verdean Americans. In addition, it presents how culturally diverse the region of New England and particularly Rhode Island has become.
El Pais restaurant located in Centrals Falls RI 598 Dexter Street
Colombian immigrants have contributed to the history of New England. El Pais is a Colombian restaurant in Central Falls Rhode Island and it is also one of the first Hispanics restaurants in the state. The restaurant opened in 1976 and in 1978, it was bought by Cesar and Donatila Zuleta. For 30 years it has and continues to serve authentic Colombian food in the Rhode Island. The interior displays souvenirs from Colombia from pictures to collection models. Customers will get to experience the Colombian culture with music, drinks, and food that El Pais serves. People are served breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Another Colombian restaurant located in Central Falls is El Antojo Bakery on 494 Dexter Street. They also serve Colombian food and also serve pastry popular in Colombia. Customers mainly go there to have breakfast and one of the most popular foods on the menu is aprepas, empanadas, and buñuelo.
Pedro Cano Sr., One of the first Colombians in Rhode Island
Mexicans are not the only Hispanics living in New England, but there are many Colombians who live in the region. Rhode Island in particular has one of the Colombian populations in the country, mainly living in central falls. The Welcome to Rhode Island website states, “ In this study of the Colombian community of Rhode Island, the City of Central Falls plays a very important role. For it is here that active recruitment of labor by local factories was influential in bringing the large Colombian population to the state.” I have many none minority friends who know that I am from a spanish speaking background but they always assume that I am Mexican (nothing wrong with that). But when I tell them that I am Colombian, they are shocked are were not aware of the high number of Colombians living in Rhode Island.
Link: http://welcomingrhodeisland.tumblr.com/post/27573253212/colombians-in-rhode-island
Construction, health services, and manufacturing jobs are one of the major employments in New England, both by Americans and immigrants. According to Antoniya Owens, 44 percent of New England immigrants are work in these jobs. Other forms of employment by immigrants are by barber shops, nail solans, and dry cleaning services. Owens states that it is 19 percent of immigrants work in manufacturing and 31 percent works in food services and accommodations. This presents the idea that immigrants are willing to work hard in order to be secure financially as oppose to finding the easy way out, such as abusing the welfare system.
Many assume that immigrants come this country and use the welfare system in order not to work. However, this stereotype is not true in all cases in the sense that it is the nation as a whole who have this perception of immigrants. New England immigrants have a major impact on the labor industry in the region. According to Antoniya Owens, author of the article “New England Immigrants and the Labor Market”, “. In 2006, immigrants and natives aged 25 and over had virtually equal rates of labor-force participation in New England.” (Owens 13). The rates depends on the genders, 79 percent of men are likely to work in the labor market as opposed to women, where 60 percent of the participate in the work force. The stereotype that immigrants only come here to take advantage of the welfare system is not true in this care because there is a high participation rate within New England immigrants who look for jobs to better themselves just as every American.
European Americans once mande up the immigrant population during the beginning and middle of the 20th century. People from Italy, Ireland, and other European countries would emigrate to the United States and there was an increase in the population within the United States. Many of the Europeans would settle in New York City such as the Italians or the increase in Irish Americans in Boston and New England. However, the demographics of immigrants have changed with the increase in hispanic immigrants and also Asian immigrants.
Americans always think of hispanics when it comes to immigrants, but many New Englanders forget that there is an increase in Asian immigrants as well. The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston states , “Since 1990, the number of immigrants has risen, and the share from the Caribbean, Central America, and Asia has grown. The shifting regional dominance stems from growing immigrant streams from these new regions and shrinking populations of European immigrants.” Many Americans also have an impact. According to CNN, 93 percent of Asian Americans descrive their people as “very hard working”. This statement is important in the sense that New Englanders should think about the stereotype that immigrants do work hard enough to get the opportunities this nation provides.
The common misconception is that every immigrant in the United States are Mexicans. One fact from the article “Who are new England’s Immigrants” by Mamie Marcuss and Ricardo Borgos states that there are 26,000 Mexicans living in New England, making 2 percent of the foreign born population. Portuguese immigrants are the regions largest immigrants group. Not only are the immigrants from Portugal, but other countries that speak Portuguese such as Brazilians and Cape Verde. According to Marcuss and Borgos, “New England is a hub for Portuguese-speaking people—be they from Portugal, Brazil, or Cape Verde. Portuguese immigrants are the region’s largest foreign-born group. Brazilians constitute one of the leading groups of recent immigrants, and more.” (15)
The Truth Behind America 