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Hispanic American Diversity The aim of this paper is to examine four Hispanic groups (Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans and Brazilian, to identify their statuses, social, economic, religious, linguistic and familial convention and to find out the main differences and similarities among those groups. Mexican Americans Mexican Americans make up approximately 64 % of Hispanic population of the United States and 7. 4 % of the U. S. population (Ramirez, 2004). Language spoken: Spanish.
As well as other representatives of Latin/ Hispanic descent, social-economic condition of Mexican Americans is very poor. Plenty of them work illegally as a cheap labor. For example, in some American areas (such as Texas and California, where Mexican Americans account for considerable percentage of population, almost exclusively occupy most blue-collar occupations, such as restaurant workers, janitors, truck drivers, gardeners, construction laborers, material moving workers, and other manual labor (Mexican American, 2006). However, social-economic conditions of Mexican Americans start t improve. For example, according to the U. S.
census, there is an increase in average personal and household incomes for Mexican Americans in the early 2000 s. U. S. born Mexican Americans earn more and are represented more in the middle- and upper-class segments more than recently arriving Mexican immigrants (Mexican American, 2006). Religion: Puerto Ricans According to Census Special Reports, Puerto Ricans make up 1. 2 % of the U. S.
population and represent 9. 7 % of the Hispanic population. Language spoken: Spanish. Socioeconomic condition of Puerto Ricans is traditionally considered largely poor. In 2002, the average individual income for Stateside Puerto Ricans was $ 33, 927.
This represented only 68. 7 percent of the income of Whites ($ 48, 687) and was below the average incomes of Asians ($ 49, 981), Cubans ($ 38, 733) and Other Hispanics ($ 38, 200) (Puerto Ricans in the United States, 2006). However, it was higher than income of other Hispanic groups. According to Census, 36. 5 % of Puerto Ricans were unemployed. 64 % of Puerto Ricans owned houses, whereas 41. 8 % rented apartments. The majority of Puerto Ricans belong to Catholic Church. Cubans According to Census Special Reports, Cubans make up 1. 2 % of the U.
S. population and represent 3. 5 % of the Hispanic population. Language spoken: Spanish. Cubans are likely to have a higher level of education, higher rate of home ownership and higher median household income (Cuban American, 2006).
Besides, Cubans are older compared with other Hispanic groups. Approximately 86 % of Cubans characterize themselves as Caucasian, mostly Spanish. Average household income makes up $ 36, 671. ? of Cubans have a college education. 39 % of native-born Cubans have a college degree or higher (Cuban American, 2006). As well as other representatives of Hispanic group, Cubans mostly belong to the Roman Catholic Church. Protestant church, spiritualist practices (Santeria, etc), Jewish and non-religious are less popular.
Brazilian-Americans It is traditionally considered that Brazilian heritage is rich in its variety. Brazilians have French, Dutch, Portuguese, German, Italian, Chinese, African, Japanese, Arab and native Brazilian Indians roots. The main reason Brazilians immigrate to the U. S. is poor status of their native economy.
The main factors Brazilian immigrants come to the U. S. include better employment and educational opportunities (Coler, 2006). According to Marga Simon Coler, one-third of Brazilian immigrants in the United States have a university education. However, Brazilian immigrants are underemployed because they often have to give up their perspective professions due to poor knowledge of English language. The official language of Brazilians is Portuguese.
However, Brazilian Portuguese differs from original Portuguese language and has plenty of dialects. What concerns family roles and organization, the Brazilian society is patriarchal. Gender roles vary a little bit according to socioeconomic class and education (Coler, 2006). For example, lower socioeconomic households are more matriarchal compared to middle and upper socioeconomic classes. Children are very important for Brazilian families. The corner stone of Brazilian family is success and unity.
Again, goals of families vary according to socioeconomic status. For example, families with middle and upper social level strive to give their children opportunities for obtaining good education, whereas the goal of family with lower socioeconomic status is survival. What concerns religious practices, Brazilians are mostly belong to Catholic religion. However, there is a small percentage of other religious practices like Protestant sects, Eastern religious, spiritualism in the form of Afro-Brazilian sects and the Western Universal Church of the Reign of God (Coler, 2006), to mention a few. Conclusion According to Census Special Reports, Mexican American ethnic group is the largest Hispanic group with 20. 9 million people. Cubans are the most likely to be married than any other Hispanic group (55. 3 % of Cubans v. 53. 4 % of Mexican Americans and 42. 3 % of Puerto Ricans).
Cubans also are most likely to be separated, widowed or divorced (22. 9 % v. 12. 1 % of Mexican Americans or 19. 8 % of Puerto Ricans). Puerto Ricans are most likely to be never married compared to other Hispanic groups (37. 9 % v. 34. 5 % of Mexican Americans, or 21. 8 of Cubans) (Ramirez, 2004). What concerns households, approximately? of Mexican Americans, Cubans and other Hispanic households are maintained by married-couple families compared to 42 % of Puerto Rican households (Ramirez, 2004).
More than? of Puerto Rican households are maintained by a female house-holder with no spouse present compared to 14. 7 % of Mexican Americans and 12. 3 % of Cubans. Speaking about the nativity and citizenship status, 98. 6 % of Puerto Ricans are native, compared to other Hispanic groups (58. 5 % of Mexican Americans and 31. 5 % of Cubans). What concerns language, over? of Hispanic groups speaks a language other than English at home. 99 % of them speak Spanish at home (Ramirez, 2004).
Only 2 in 5 speak English less than very well. For example, 21. 2 % of Mexican speak only English at home, compared to 24. 6 % of Puerto Ricans and 13. 7 % of Cubans. 35. 7 % of Mexican Americans speak non-English at home, but speak English very well compared to 48. 7 % of Puerto Ricans and 40. 4 % of Cubans. Mexican Americans have the lowest proportions with at least a high school diploma (approximately 46 %). Puerto Ricans and Cubans have higher proportion (63. 3 % and 62. 9 % correspondingly). 21 % of Cubans, 12 % of Puerto Ricans and 7 % of Mexican Americans have at least a bachelors degree.
To a different extent, all these groups have Iberian blood and roots (Portuguese and Spanish). However, Cubans, Puerto Ricans and Brazilians have more African blood, while Mexican Americans have more Indian roots. All of them considered a Hispanic/ Latin descent. All of them spoke Spanish with the exception of Brazilians whose native language is Portuguese. Puerto Ricans are considered to be the only naturally born American citizens.
Bibliography Coler, M. S. (2006). Brazilian-Americans. Retrieved January 28, 2007, from web Cuban American. (2006).
Retrieved January 29, 2007, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: web Mexican American. (2006). Retrieved January 29, 2007, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: web Puerto Ricans in the United States. (2006). Retrieved January 29, 2007, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: web Ramirez, R. R. (2004, December). We the People: Hispanics in the United States... Retrieved January 29, 2007, from Census 2000 Special Reports.
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