Thread: Blacks and Browns urged to unite for immigration

http://www.louisianaweekly.com/weekl...e.pl?20070226f

Blacks and Browns urged to unite for immigration
By James Wright, Contributing Writer
February 26, 2007


WASHINGTON (Special to the NNPA from GIN ) - A coalition of Blacks and Latinos is necessary to effecting changes in immigration laws, a nationwide advocacy group has determined.

The Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM), which operates under the umbrella of the Center for Community Change, held a summit on the campus of Gallaudet University from Jan. 30-Feb. 1 to discuss strategies on how to bring together the two largest minority groups to create fair, comprehensive immigration reform policy. There were workshops, speakers and visits to members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.

In a letter to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said their organization's platform is to:

* Create legislation that does not discriminate among undocumented immigrants based on the length of time in the United States.;

* Eliminate the backlogs in the family immigration system and facilitate family reunification;

* Provide job training resources for all low-wage workers;

* Create clear separation of authority between federal and local law enforcement in immigration matters;

* Create visa programs with strong worker protection provisions;

* Make labor laws immigrant friendly;

* Protect civil rights of immigrants, whether legal or not.

Latinos surpassed Blacks as the largest minority group in 2003. Despite both groups facing racial challenges in employment, education, building wealth and health disparities, the groups have not worked to together because of misconceptions about one another.

"There is a perception among Blacks that Latinos and other immigrants are coming to this country to take our jobs and to be White," Alan Jenkins, executive director of Opportunity Agenda, said. "There is a perception among Latinos and other immigrants groups that Blacks are lazy and criminal. It does not help that the mainstream media seems to be trying to drive a wedge between Blacks and Latinos.

"We need to tell a coherent message."

Jenkins was a participant in a workshop titled, "Alliance Building: A Conversation with African-American Leaders" with Hilary Shelton, bureau chief of the NAACP's Washington office; the Rev. Graylon Hagler and John Flateau, a professor at Medgar Evers College.

Shelton said Blacks and Browns face "common challenges and a shared vision."

He noted that it was the work of the NAACP along with Latino, Asian-American and Native-American organizations that helped the Voting Rights Act get its recent 25-year renewal.

A key to getting Blacks and Latinos to working together on immigration reform is the groups getting to know each other, said Dushaw Hockett, a leader with FIRM. Hockett led a workshop, "Immigration and Race: Black, Brown and Beyond", which had standing-room only.

The room was filled with Black, White, Latino and Asian community organizers from all over the country.

"Blacks and Browns have a mutual history of oppression and racism in this country," he said. "History can be a tool for alliance building."

Hockett said that the "workplace is serving as a place of tension but can serve as a place of opportunity" for people to get to know each other. He made it clear that the common perception among Americans, particularly some Blacks, that immigrants are taking jobs from citizens is inaccurate.

"There are two types of jobs-there are the good jobs, which are unionized, skilled, have decent wages, good working conditions and good benefits," Hockett said. "Then there are the bad jobs, which are the opposite of the good jobs. Blacks and Browns are crowding the bad jobs because of lack of education, racism, language issues, and legal status.

"The way to fix the problem is making the job ladder better for Blacks and Browns. We can make the bad jobs into good jobs by organizing."

Hockett said that creating a dialogue between Blacks and Browns will not be easy.

"It is messy, it is slow," he said. "There are some strong feelings on both sides. We have to clear up the inaccurate stereotypes about the groups and coming together as one on this issue of immigration."

Hockett said that it is critical for Blacks and Browns to come together because of the changing demographics of the country. The U.S. Census Bureau has reported that by 2050, the population of the United States will be 50.5 percent people of color, a first since the census was taken in 1790.

"We really need to learn how to relate to each other because we are in this country together," Hockett said.

In his keynote address to the members of FIRM, Dr. James Lawson said that the people have it within their power to change immigration policy. Lawson is a civil rights leader and a lieutenant to Dr. Martin Luther King in the 1960s.

"We must tell our representatives on Capitol Hill that business as usual will not suffice," Lawson said. "The solution to the immigration problem is simple and we can persuade the American people if we can convince them that this is in the best interest of their children."

Lawson also said that the unpopular war in Iraq will ignite a new mood of activism in the country.

"People in the 21st century are going to rise and pale in numbers compared to the movements of the 60s," he said. "People want to make a change in America and immigration reform may start this process."
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It does not help that the mainstream media seems to be trying to drive a wedge between Blacks and Latinos.

I think latinos do a fine job of driving that wedge all on their own. What on earth could hispanics possibly hold up as an incentive for blacks to aid the cause of hispanic illegal aliens????? -- Jaded

They must think blacks can't see what the illegals are doing to them . Why doesn't the center for community change go and help communitys in Mexico that really need change . Don't they care about those poor people ? I question their motives .

I was also wondering along those lines. I live near a major city and can't for the life of me see how the influx of Mexican nationals is helping our Black communities (there are several of these, inner city and a thriving middle class, and even an upper class of high ranking people). It seems to be exactly the opposite.

How insulting to the black community!
How would drowning our economy with cheap illegal labor help the black community and why would they ever want that?
And isn't it just the most racist thought ever that blacks should automatically be grouped with illegals? Sorry, I don't see the conection.
If you want to help the poor of this country....black, white and purple, stop the onslaught of illegals driving our economy down. Yeesh!

edited to add....

How hostile is that thinking? Because what the underlying message is is that people of color should gang up on whites to outnumber them and take control. So who are the real racists?

This tactic is just sad on so many levels. At what point does the desperation for cheap labor to flood this country stop? Apparently, illegals don't have the voting numbers so those who will benefit with regards to amnesty are pushing their personal agendas.

I don't get this connection either. I have been shocked here that it's not Black history month anymore......it's Black and Latino. They are looking at what Blacks and Latinos have done in our American history. I mean at every turn they are pushing the Black community aside and riding on the coat-tails of their efforts. I would be angry if I was Black. I see nothing in common with their experiences. They still act like ONLY Black and hispanics live in poverty and work for low wages and need additional training. I know enough Blacks to realize this isn't a unified belief. Thank heavens. But this mentality is causing a further rift. Why not ride the coat-tails of the Irish Americans and what they started in the past to stop child labor and all the rest? But no......there's no way a "white" person could ever understand that.

That's not going to happen.

Dixie

Originally Posted by crazybird

I don't get this connection either. I have been shocked here that it's not Black history month anymore......it's Black and Latino. They are looking at what Blacks and Latinos have done in our American history. I mean at every turn they are pushing the Black community aside and riding on the coat-tails of their efforts. I would be angry if I was Black. I see nothing in common with their experiences. They still act like ONLY Black and hispanics live in poverty and work for low wages and need additional training. I know enough Blacks to realize this isn't a unified belief. Thank heavens. But this mentality is causing a further rift. Why not ride the coat-tails of the Irish Americans and what they started in the past to stop child labor and all the rest? But no......there's no way a "white" person could ever understand that.

They use Blacks and the civil rights movement to justify their presence because illegal alien latinos have no legitimate reasons for being here. Nobody brought them over here to work as slaves, they came based on their own personal choice and for self satisfaction. They are using the issue of "people of color" being discriminated against simply for that reason in the hopes of getting Black CITIZENS to stand with them in their fight.

There was outrage by many Blacks printed in the Chicago SunTimes when Arellano declared herself as the latino version of Rosa Parks. We can only hope that Black Americans will see through this ploy as well and stand up and voice their opposition to the illegals attempting to high jack the civil rights movement.

If just somebody like Rev. Luther King took the matter into his hands, the black community would wake up to see their "hispanics real friends" and they would start to defend themselves.
I can't understand why the african-american communioty from California don't start opposing these organizations !
They are again the most victimazed...

No one is suffering more than the black community from this invasion of criminal aliens. We're all suffering, but many in the black community are in direct competition for the jobs many of the illegals are taking. If it weren't for a couple loud mouths like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, there would probably be no support for criminal aliens from the African-American community!