Conclusions based on the Interviews
Interview with Erika Arredondo (Brief summary):
Erika Arredondo is a Mexican woman who is currently working as the manager of ‘El Jimador’ Restaurant in Clemson, South Carolina. She arrived in the United States in 1996. During her first years here, she struggled with the language (she did not know nothing about English) and with his home, which was really big in comparison with the one of Mexico.
After being asked about the first impressions with the American culture, she said that there was a huge difference within the Hispanic one in terms of social skills.
She arrived here because of the marriage with his husband, who is American. She also said that she lived (in Mexico) with her whole family (10 people).
She has never experienced, during her time in the United States, any situation of racism or xenophobia. The only thing she wanted to highlight is that when they moved to Clemson, her family was vandalized because they were the first Hispanics to move to an American neighborhood.
Speaking about the differences between American and Hispanic cultures, she affirmed that the main differences are in terms of language, food and people. Then she was asked about giving an advice to a Hispanic who is thinking in coming here; she said that the United States is the country of the opportunities, people have to take advantage of that chance and work really hard to be successful. She affirmed that the country is very good in terms of tolerance and that Hispanics have to be brave to get through all the issues.
Finally, she was asked to highlight one of her memories living in the United States; she told that she is very proud of all she has accomplished here; being nothing (she did not know the language nor the costumes) and nowadays leading a famous restaurant.
Interview with Camilo Rodríguez (Brief summary):
Camilo Rodríguez is a Colombian man who is currently the goalkeepers’ coach in the Clemson Men’s Soccer team, in South Carolina. He came to the United States (to live) in 2000, due to a sport scholarship; he came to study and play soccer. During his first years here, he did not struggle a lot, he affirmed that people welcome him very well, although being far from home was a bit difficult.
After being asked about his first impressions with the American culture, he affirmed that here, when a person go to the university it means that you never return home. He told that it was really different in Colombia, where people study near home.
As mentioned before, he arrived here due to a sport scholarship. The situation in Colombia during the last years of the XX century was not easy; the country had a sharp economic crisis, due issues between the government and the drugs’ capos. The chance of coming to the United States was a really good opportunity for youth people.
He said that, especially during his first years here, he experienced a few racist situations; he affirmed that once an American old woman treated him in a discriminative way. However, there has not been other times.
Afterwards, he was asked about how he thinks Hispanic community is treated nowadays in the United States; he replied that the immigration problems between Hispanic countries and United States is making people generalize about fake data (for example: thinking that a person who speaks Spanish is poor). Anyway, he affirmed that things are going little by little better.
Speaking about the differences between Hispanic and American cultures, Camilo highlighted the differences between family (in Colombia is more unite) and the economy (United States has more resources than Colombia). Then he was asked about giving an advice to a Hispanic who is thinking in coming here; he replied that people have to take advantage of the opportunity and learn a lot of the experience. People have to encourage themselves in order to make a good adaptation to American culture.
Finally, he was asked to highlight one of her memories living in the United States; he told that he feels so grateful to this country and his people. His family and sons are American, and he feels like one of them.
Interview to Derek Wilmott (Brief summary):
Derek Wilmott is an American man with Hispanic descendance who is currently working as a librarian in Clemson University, in South Carolina. He is also in charge of the commission on Latino affairs. He was born in North Carolina in 1968, but he grew up in New Mexico, right next to the border with Mexico. He said that huge relationships with Hispanics were made when he was young, due to the influence of his family and their departments at both sides of the border.
He affirmed that his family had some struggle during his first years here, mainly because of the language (his grandmother did not know English). Talking about him, he said that, although most of his family is from Mexico, he was enculturated into the Anglo-Saxon culture.
After being asked about the situation when he was in New Mexico, he replied that there was a lot friction between Mexicans and Anglo Americans[i], due to these last rented most of the lands in the territory, mostly ranches and cotton fields. His condition of American having a Hispanic surname allowed him to do not struggle with any social group.
Then he commented that his family, especially his mother, experienced racist situations during that time (life in New Mexico); he affirmed his mother suffered a strict no Spanish policy during her time in the school; his family also suffered discrimination due to their skin tone (Mexican and dark-skinned people were treated as second class citizens). Another aspect he wanted to highlight was that Mexicans were identified as lazy people while they were the only ones who worked on the fields; they were more productive. Then he affirmed that when he first arrived in South Carolina, people were very discriminative within Mexicans.
Afterwards, he was asked about how he thinks Hispanic community is treated nowadays in the United States; he replied that Clemson is making a huge effort in order to make the environment better for the Hispanics here. Nowadays, discrimination is changing sharply and that will continue in the future. Then he highlighted some of their activities of integration in order to make people know more about Hispanic culture (like the Day of the Death Celebration held in Clemson).
He was asked about giving an advice to a Hispanic who is thinking in coming here; he replied telling that there is nowadays a difficult political climate in the United States within Hispanics. The xenophobic discourse from the United States’ President (Donald Trump) is making difficult the culture of tolerance between Americans and Hispanics. Anyway, he told that there are safer places than others in the country; Hispanics have to be intelligent in terms of deciding where to go. These persons also have to be well documented to prevent problems with authorities.
Finally, he was asked about how culture of tolerance can be achieved here. He answered that his commission is making real efforts to embrace that tolerance within students and workers. Those connections can make people pay more attention to other cultures and maybe in the future, a culture of tolerance can be achieved in the country, but he highlighted that it is a hard task.
[i] A white American of non-Hispanic descendance.
Conclusions of the project:
Hispanics Americans are a huge group of people who have been and are protagonists in the history of America and the United States. Characterized by coming from a country influenced by a country with Spanish language or culture, most of them nowadays have important positions in authorities and culture. They represent almost the 18% of the total population in the United States.
Their origin began back in 1492, with the ‘discovery’ of America by the explorer Christopher Columbus. Many years after, Spaniards began to settle in this new territory, making relationships and creating new families. Colonists from all over Europe started to rule those territories, giving birth to the United States of America. Hispanics saw how many conflicts took place during these époques.
Since the 1800s, many people saw in the United States the chance to begin a new life. The concept of ‘American Dream’ become famous for immigrants, many of them from Europe. From the Second World War (1939-1945), Hispanics (the majority from Mexico) began to migrate to the country, increasing the percentage of the Hispanic community there. People from Puerto Rico, Cuba and many other from Central and South America started to migrate due to the political economic situation in their countries of origin.
Hispanics are nowadays the largest minority in the United States and in the future their numbers will increase progressively.
Their culture is characterized by the power of family, the group and social relationships, features that translate in their way of life and work. Language also constitutes a special attribute of their culture, making Spanish reach American culture and education today. Music, religion, festivities and food make this group a different one in comparison with American culture.
Many famous Hispanic Americans have played and are currently playing important roles in American life. Some of the most famous nowadays are Jennifer López, Salma Hayek or Christina Aguilera.
The interviews made to Hispanics living in the United States have showed me very interesting anecdotes from a special group of people. They all express their gratitude to the ‘country of the opportunities’ and show how different Hispanic and American cultures are. They all defend a culture of tolerance and respect, and, although they all have experienced some attacks to their respective communities, they believe that the United States is working hard in terms of achieving this dream. We are all in this world to respect and know each other; Education is the key to make this culture of tolerance come true, embracing respect of cultures, no matter how, who or what you are.
Álvaro Gómez Martín
Oral and Local History. Clemson University