Alyssa Ambrosio

April 27, 2016

English 153
Fogelson
Compare and Contrast Essay
The United States has always been a place viewed as a home for all the free and the
brave, as a place where people strive for equality. However, as history has shown and proven,
American citizens struggle with acceptance, and struggle to fully reach equality with people from
all over the world. Racial prejudice still exists today and is majorly prominent amongst hispanics
and latinos. It has become evident that through politics that hispanic people are being targeted all
around the United States of America. They demeaned by average citizens and are humiliated
because of their background and their culture. As the state of Arizona is seen with holding a large
population of hispanics and latinos it has come to attention that something must be done to
ensure the security of these people as well as help raise awareness to promote hispanic culture
within the community.
Present day civil rights activist and cultural preservationists have not intervened with the
latino population since the 1970s and 80s. It was after World War II that the civil rights
movement began to increase and gain popularity towards African-Americans and their fight for
equality, however during this time there were lots of latinos entering the United States brought in
to work while American soldiers went to war. This minority group, in a larger population, was
new to Americans and they were discriminated against, for they did not know much english and
were unskilled ("Decades of Change", 2008). During the sixties Chicanos, Mexican-Americans,
organized various organizations, including the Asociacin Nacional Mexico-Americana in an

attempt to create opportunities for Mexican-Americans in the workforce and put an end to
discrimination ("Decades of Change", 2008). Unfortunately, these effort were over fifty-six years
ago and the United States still faces issues with hispanics having the same opportunities as other
American Citizens. Legislation has proven to take time and immediate impact and change are
essential to a more unified society.
Celebrating culture is a vital part of what make up a person and what creates diversity.
The goal should be to open the minds and hearts of American people towards all ethnic groups,
however primarily focusing on hispanic expats ...accepting the responsibility to be actively
involved in addressing the educational, economic, cultural, and societal needs of the changing
region, state, nation, and world, ("/ Diversity at Appalachian / Appalachian State University").
This method of holding a festival educating the masses on the hispanic culture, and the life it has
to offer, is one way to directly impact the community. For if only we choose to look past our
difference, will we then be able to take a step towards common humanity. Also it is an
accelerated process as compared to going through politics, ensuring that people are well aware of
this culture and their impact on the community. The hispanic culture offers the United States by
offering national stability, ("/ Diversity at Appalachian / Appalachian State University"). Instead
of intolerance towards this minority group, the people of the American Nation should be
informed and help celebrate the beauty of an ethnic group they may not understand.
Hispanics, Latin Americans, and chicanos are all groups of people affected by the racial,
cultural, and ethnic prejudices;blocking their pathway to their success as residence within the
nation. Legislation has proven ineffective towards immediate reform in putting an end to
prejudice. The more immediate form of action that can directly impact a community is a cultural
festival which will in turn educate the masses on the importance of diversity, Celebrating our

differences, as well as our common interests, helps unite and educate us,(2006). It will not be
until people become aware that hispanics are human, that the Nation as a whole will be able to
coincide with not only hispanics but all racial and ethnic groups.

Work Cited
"HISPANICS IN AMERICA Population Gains Bring Opportunities and Challenges | IN
FOCUS, 6.2." HISPANICS IN AMERICA Population Gains Bring Opportunities and Challenges
| IN FOCUS, 6.2. In Focus, 2006. Web. 04 May 2016.

"IIP Digital | U.S. Department of State." Decades of Change. IIP Digital, 05 Apr. 2008.
Web. 04 May 2016.
"Why Celebrate Diversity?" / Diversity at Appalachian / Appalachian State University.
Appalachian State University. Web. 04 May 2016.