Today’s Good News: Ethnic Minorities Believe They Should Put Aside Differences, Work Together For Equality
New America Media, a national ethnic media association, released an important survey in December of Asian-Americans, African-Americans and Latinos. Overwhelming majorities — ranging from 86 to 92 percent — agreed that they all have similar problems and should put aside differences and work together against discrimination and for equality. And all three groups said they believe relations between different racial and ethnic groups will improve over the coming decade.It’s not all sunshine and lollipops, of course. But Sandy Close, Executive Editor and Director of NAM, said, “The sponsors of the poll strongly believe the best way to move forward is by identifying the problems and initiating a dialogue.”
The survey (of 1,105 adults) showed that each ethnic group harbors significant mistrust and stereotypes of the others. It showed the disturbing trend, which other surveys have also shown, of African-Americans’ increasing isolation and pessimism. However, the strong majorities who saw the value in working together in spite of all that qualifies this story as good news.
The poll found that the predominantly immigrant populations - Hispanics and Asians - expressed far greater optimism about their lives in America, concluding that hard work is rewarded in this society. By contrast, more than 60% of the African Americans polled do not believe the American Dream works for them.
The poll found that friction between ethnic and racial groups is clearly rooted in the mistrust that the groups harbor towards each other, as well as the sentiment that other groups are mistreating them or are detrimental to their own future. For instance, 44% of Hispanics and 47% of Asians are “generally afraid of African Americans because they are responsible for most of the crime.†Meanwhile, 46% of Hispanics and 52% of African Americans believe “most Asian business owners do not treat them with respect.†And half of African Americans feel threatened by Latin American immigrants because “they are taking jobs, housing and political power away from the Black community.â€
Interestingly, the poll found that 61% of Hispanics, 54% of Asians and 47% of African Americans would rather do business with whites than members of the other two groups.
A heartening aspect of the survey was “a shared appreciation†for each group’s cultural and political contributions. Close noted that “Hispanics and Asians recognize that African Americans led the fight for civil rights and against discrimination, forging a better future for the other groups…Asian Americans and African Americans say Hispanic culture has enriched the quality of their lives. African Americans and Hispanics perceive Asian Americans as role models when it comes to family and educational values.â€
It was also heartening to see that the ethnic media association seemed willing to take up the challenge, posed to them by the survey respondents, of working to improve relations between the groups. I can tell you there’s nothing the powers that be find more threatening than interracial solidarity…another reason this is such good news.
Check out the survey here. It came to my attention via another fine group, Chicago’s Community Media Workshop (check them out here).
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