Youth: August 2009 Archives

Over the past few years, the phenomenon of youth gangs has spawned its own field of criminology—part social science, part political spectacle. Police have been declaring war on gangs for decades, officials have deployed social workers, teachers and "gang specialists" in the fight; think tanks have churned out reams of research on the sociology of gang violence... and yet gangs continue to proliferate and thrive.

Sarah Garland, in an article in the American Prospect (an excerpt of her book Gangs in Garden City), parses the roots of the gang boom, focusing on the burgeoning Latino community in Hempstead, Long Island. The story of Jessica begins with a stereotypical pathology:

Until middle school, Jessica had lived in a house that neighbors dubbed the "crack house" for its often drug-addled residents and visitors. Her uncles were members of Mara Salvatrucha, a gang originally formed in Los Angeles by refugees of Central America's civil wars, and Jessica's living room was one of their main hangouts.

They started with nothing, worked tirelessly, saved every penny, pushed their kids hard in school and sent them straight into middle-class suburban bliss. American Dream realized. The end.

New research from the Urban Institute paints a more complex picture of the old pull-yourself-up-by-your-boostraps ideal.

In a study commissioned by Health and Human Services, researchers analyzed youth growing up under tough circumstances, measuring them on a scale of “connectedness” to the labor market and education system.

At first glance, the data shows upward mobility among second-generation Latino youth. Latino youth (those with at least one immigrant parent) were more likely than their Black peers to be “consistently connected”--in school, working or both--and on par with whites.

Healthcare reform is supposed to expand coverage for all, but some advocates fear poor children will be left out.

The federal Children's Health Insurance Program, which Congress recently reauthorized, provides critical health coverage to poor children and pregnant women, including many kids whose parents don't qualify for Medicaid due to restrictions based on income or citizenship status. Historically, a large portion of enrollees have been Black and Latino children, often with poor health status.

The Democrat reform plan now in from House would essentially expand Medicaid, but also phase out CHIP. Within the next few years, reports Kaiser Health News, children in the program (now about 7 million) would be shifted into a health insurance exchange (a market-based system that might or might not include a public option).

By Ivan Maestre

I had the opportunity to ask tastemaker and trendsetter and Creative Chief of Project 2050, Bobbito Garcia, a few questions earlier this week about his political thoughts and what he’s been working on. He had a few great recommendations for me and other high school aged kids on how to get involved and stay motivated while keeping your primary community concerns at heart. We also talked about some of his interests and the experiences that led him to where he is today.

RaceWire: I understand you were just hired as Creative Chief for Project 2050. Can you tell me a little bit about what you’ve been up to and how you’ve been moving racial justice issues in our communities?

Bobbito Garcia: I’ve spent years and years of development in the community in terms of being a positive role model for Latinos in a very diverse, exposed media avenue, so I think that in and of itself sort of alleviates the ideals of our people to a captive audience that doesn’t necessarily always look at us in a positive manner. Anytime I’m on TV--ESPN, MSG Network--or in a magazine, in Japan or France or whatever, I’m always cognizant that for the majority of people there, the image that is depicted of Latinos has traditionally been really poor, i.e. a negative criminal in a movie, or someone who is not as bright as others or things to that extent.

Entertainment is extremely powerful. My thought has always been to accept roles if I’m doing a movie, or if I’m on TV, like yeah, I’ll be street and I’ll be hip hop, but I’ll also throw in some big words and show them a level of education, so people know that I, myself, am a multi-dimensional character, and that I reflect, not a minority in the Latino community, but a majority. I think that has been a long term, sort of subtle thing.

I remember when I was in college at Wesleyan. This women that I met there dead up told me, “Until I met you, I thought all Latinos were rapists and thieves,” and she was like, “I’m sorry.” She was very honest. She told me she grew up in Maine and watched TV and that’s all she ever saw on TV about Puerto Ricans. That was a great moment cause, to get her to reveal something on that level is not common, I think it was a blessing.

Love this oldie but goodie. I would buy anything the Queen sells--though maybe not the new line of perfume she's hawking--but I know we could all use us some Excedrin - Racial Tension Relief in our lives.

Happy Friday!

When 14 year-old Alfredo Lopez Sanchez arrived in Florida from Guatemala in 2001, he put an end to years of brutal abuse at home. But America was no safe harbor. Traumatized and hindered by a language barrier (he spoke only a Mayan dialect), Sanchez descended into an 18-month odyssey in detention, shuttling alone through several facilities, including one for adult criminal offenders. Despite clear evidence that he had suffered abuse, his asylum claim was initially denied. It was only after bringing the case to a Florida juvenile court that he was granted permission to remain in the country.

Sanchez's story, documented by the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, has a relatively happy ending. An unauthorized crossing into the United States is a dangerous feat for anyone, but the experience is all the more terrifying for the thousands of “unaccompanied minors” who have languished in federal custody.

When financial crisis hit, the California legislature didn't raise taxes, end tax giveaways, or cut corporate welfare. Instead, they cut services to the people made most vulnerable by the recession -- children, the elderly, the sick, victims of domestic violence, AIDS patients, and people just trying to get back to work. Now -- where could our legislature have learned their priorities? Too many movies? ColorLines' Darlene Pagano takes on the Governator in this new video.

Former California State Senator Sheila Kuehl has written an excellent essay detailing exactly who the cuts affect. Spoiler alert: it's not anyone who can bear the burden. Also check out this L.A. Times article that digs into the question of whether Schwarzenegger's last-minute vetoes were constitutional.