The Fight for Diversity and Equality

February 17, 2011

The Fight for Diversity and Equality

The state of Maryland, like many other states, has a rapidly changing population profile where an increasingly diverse number of Latinos and Hispanics have led to dramatic changes in the everyday life of neighborhoods and communities.

Progress and Publications:

The growth in the Hispanic and Latino community has soared over the past 10 years. According to the 2010 census numbers, the Hispanic and Latino population in Prince George's County more than doubled to roughly 130,000 residents, who now account for 15 percent of the county's 863,000 population. Dr. Judith N. Freidenberg of the University of Maryland of College Park in the Department of Anthropology is very familiar with this change and has dedicated her time to study these changes in Prince George’s County, as well as in Harlem, New York. She has contributed to and participated in numerous studies that helped promote positive dialogue about immigration and gave insight into the struggles of this growing sector of the population. In her book, “Growing Old in El Barrio,” as well as her other publications like, “Elderly Latinos of Langley Park: Retirement Issues,” she has found that the Hispanic and Latino communities are “usually not paid too much attention to” and have often felt “marginalized” by the outside community as well as the government.

Collaborations:

She also collaborated with the Smithsonian Center for Latino Initiatives and created an interactive virtual museum exhibit entitled, “Inside Out: Growing Old in the United States” which highlighted the impact of being an immigrant of the United States.  She established numerous other research programs aimed to project the voices of Latin and Hispanic Americans. And with her Anthropology of the Immigrant Life Course Research Program she has accomplished such goals.

Importance of Work:

Dr. Freidenberg, a native of Argentina, works every day to dispel the myths and negative stereotypes about Hispanic and Latino immigrants and to promote positive immigration discourse. When asked why she felt her findings were so important, she passionately replied, “a lot of the times we cover Latin Americans as a stereotype or in population studies…their personal experiences are not very well known...I get the personal experiences to share my findings.” With these findings, Dr. Freidenberg has become an activist for the Latin American community.

Others:

Yet for others like Dr. Freidenberg, this a change that is not only necessary, but well deserved. However, these thoughts are not shared by all individuals. When asked how he felt about the changes in diversity in Prince George’s County, Duane Hill Jr., a 20 year old black man who lives near Capitol Heights, he replied, “It’s ok…I just don’t like that they are taking a lot job opportunities for African American, especially young black African Americans.” This is an attitude shared by many individuals across the nation.

And although her work may not be able to change the hearts of individuals like Mr. Hill, her work is guaranteed to change the hearts of those in the Latin American community. Plus with an ever growing population and uniquely diverse society, change has become paramount.