Racial disparities within the United States occurs to many different cultural citizens. For example, Blacks, Asian-Americans, Latinos, Mexicans, etc. are groups that have been and continue to be affected by discrimination of many kinds. Specifically, within that group, Mexicans are highly affected and categorized within a specific “working, second-class” stereotype (Ortiz, Vilma, Edwards, 2012). Overtime with the steady immigration of Mexicans within the United States, these citizens face many challenges. For example, with generations continuing and flourishing within the United Stated, third, fourth, and even fifth generations are feeling the blunt of the discrimination and stereotypic grouping. Within educational and economic opportunities these affects them in a disadvantageous style (Ortiz, Vilma, Edwards, 2012).
As for generations being affected, it is important to consider the affects young children experience mentally, too. The generation referred to as the 1.5 generation, which refers to the children from the immigrant (first-generation born within American territory) under the age of thirteen, are those most likely to be affected by this. Mental disorders, mood, and impulse control, as well as substance abuse were the most frequent found by researchers (Madan, 2021). As with the second and third generation, rates in health sufferings rise regarding depression, anxiety, or personality disorders. This reasoning for the rise of these mental illnesses have been shown to be linked directly to the U.S.’s culture (Madan, 2021). This type of example goes to exemplify the significance that racial discrimination has on a specific group of people, the Mexican immigrant culture here within the United States.
(Picture: https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/understanding-psychiatric-implications-of-child-immigration).
Within today’s news including Mexican and Latino immigrants, a big discussion is occurring within Texas. As the flood of immigrants has been occurring for some time now, another issue has risen to the surface in relation to unfair gerrymandering for Mexican immigrants in the Lone Star State. According to the 2020 Census, Texas has received a gain of four million new residents, hence the change for redistricting. However, the redistricting has failed to incorporate new minority-rich districts that Hispanic civil rights groups say should be added due to so many new residents (Sanchez, 2021). Due to this discrimination, a lawsuit was filed on October 18th, 2021. This event is a significant example of how the United States has very much prejudice against Mexican and Latino citizens, with its continuation today.
Citations:
Madan, Pavan. “Understanding Psychiatric Implications of Child Immigration.” Psychiatric Times, 12 Oct. 2021, https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/understanding-psychiatric-implications-of-child-immigration.
Ortiz, Vilma, and Edward Telles. “Racial Identity and Racial Treatment of Mexican Americans.” Race and Social Problems, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 4 Apr. 2012, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3846170/.
Sanchez, Sandra. “Proposed Texas Redistricting Maps ‘Unfair’ to Minorities, Promote ‘Racial Discrimination,’ Lawsuit Alleges.” BorderReport, BorderReport, 19 Oct. 2021, https://www.borderreport.com/politics/proposed-texas-redistricting-maps-unfair-to-minorities-promote-racial-discrimination-lawsuit-alleges/.