preview

Latinos And The Latino Population

Good Essays

Introduction Latinos are an American community of considerable diversity of culture, race, ethnic, and national origin. It is a community on the forefront of significant demographic change and sociopolitical growth (Appleby, G.A., Colon, E., & Hamilton, J., 2011). Latinos in the United States are diverse, and collectively the second largest ethnic minority population in the country (Vigil, 1996). In the Latino population, culture represents a way of life that binds Latinos together through their language, values, beliefs, and practices that are considered appropriate and desirable. The population is an aggregation of several subgroups; Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central and South American and Dominicans. Some demographers suggest that …show more content…

Demographically, Latinos in the Unites States are relatively young due to immigration by younger people seeking work and to their high fertility rate (Appleby, G.A., Colon, E., & Hamilton, J., 2011). The Latino population is on the average eight years younger than that of Whites and two years than African Americans (Appleby, G.A., Colon, E., & Hamilton, J., 2011). B. Strengths and Resources Family life is important to Latino family interests are valued over individual well-being (Latinos, 2014). The structure of the Latino family tends to be patriarchal with great power and responsibility vested in the male head of household. The family is viewed as the focal point of mutual aid in the Latino community, based on the cultural norm of personalismo and the non-familial organizations are not generally trusted. Latinos depend more on the family for services, emotional support and advice than they do professionals. In the Latino culture, la familia (the family) and interdependence among its members are highly valued (Appleby, G.A., Colon, E., & Hamilton, J., 2011). C. Life Experiences Human behavior is affected both by genetic inheritance and by experience. The ways in which people develop are shaped by social experience and circumstances within the context of their inherited genetic potential. Each person is born into a social and

Get Access