“Hispanic” Heritage Month started out as Hispanic Heritage week with legislation signed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968. Twenty years later, on August 17, 1988, President Ronald Reagan authorized PL-100-402, establishing the month-long celebration—September 15-October 15. The intent is to recognize and celebrate the contributions of persons of Latinx-heritage in the U.S.
Though the terms Hispanic and Latina/o are still used, in contemporary discourse, Latinx is the recommended term because it is a gender-neutral term conveying inclusivity. Latinx also affirms the socio-cultural and political awareness of the youth and young adults who represent the future of higher education and the workforce. A few facts highlight these Latinx realities.
- In 2017, the population reached 58.6 million, making Latinx the second largest cultural group in the U.S. This is 17.6% of the total population (Census, 2017).
- Though immigration has leveled off, birthrates have not. From 2016-2017, the country’s population increased by 2.2 million and Latinx accounted for 51% of that growth.
- 35.9 million Latinx individuals were born in the U.S. in 2014 (Pew, 2016).
- The largest distribution is the under-18 age group. In 2014, 17.9 million (roughly 32%) were under 18 compared to roughly 19% of white youth under 18. 94% of Hispanic youth were born in the U.S. (Pew, 2014).
- The median age for Latinx is 27.6 years whereas the overall median age for the U.S. is 37.3 years (Pew, 2012).
- In 2012, the percentage of Latinx attending college surpassed that of White students for the first time. With the age factor, Latinx are the majority of future college students (Pew, 2014).
The last few weeks have given discourse to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Calculations have been reported about the money lost to the country over the next 10 years if the 800,000 are sent away. The amount is staggering. In the largest study conducted on the progress of DACA recipients and changes in their employment, earnings and educational status, remarkable results were found among the 3,063 participants in 46 states and the District of Colombia. Among the positive results: 72% of respondents were employed by the 25 top Fortune 500 companies; 97% of respondents were enrolled in school or employed; 36% of respondents 25 years and older have a bachelor’s degree or higher; and of those currently attending college, 94% reported that they are in college because of DACA (Wong et al., 2017). Finally, it has widely been reported that should the program be eliminated, the economic loss to the US over the next ten years would be $460.3 billion of the gross domestic product (American Dental Education Association; ADEA, 2017).
Although not all DACA designees are Latinx, the vast majority are (Krishnakumar, Fox, & Levine, 2017). Many are attending college or are in high school planning to improve their lives and those of their families through college attendance (Wong et al., 2017). Employers across industry sectors recognize the value-added. More than one-fourth of the 800,000 DACA recipients reside in California – the end of DACA is estimated to result in an $11.6 billion loss in GDP for the state (Krishnakumar et al., 2017).
The reality is that Latinx children and youth are an increasing demographic in the U.S. Another reality is the diversity among the Latinx community. That of national origin, bilingual ability, range of educational degrees, and skill sets brought or acquired here. Not to be overlooked are the hard work ethic and respect for family values that persist across generations. As has often been said, talent is “color-blind.”
References
American Dental Education Association (ADEA). (2017). DHS pushed for September showdown over DACA. ADEA Washington Update, 15(9), 5–6.
Census. (2017). Hispanic heritage month 2017. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/newsroom/facts-for-features/2017/cb17-ff17.pdf
Krishnakumar, P., Fox, J., & Levine, A. (2017). What’s next for DACA and the nearly 800,000 people protected by it. LA Times. Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-na-pol-daca-future/
Pew Research Center. (2012). Median age for Hispanics is lower than median age for total U.S. population. Retrieved from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2012/07/02/median-age-for-hispanics-is-lower-than-median-age-for-total-u-s-population/
Pew Research Center. (2014). More Hispanics, Blacks enrolling in college, but lag in bachelor’s degrees. Retrieved from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/04/24/more-hispanics-blacks-enrolling-in-college-but-lag-in-bachelors-degrees/
Pew Research Center. (2014). The nation’s Latino population is defined by its youth. Retrieved from http://www.pewhispanic.org/2016/04/20/the-nations-latino-population-is-defined-by-its-youth/
Pew Research Center. (2016). Statistical portrait of Hispanics in the United States. Retrieved from http://www.pewhispanic.org/2016/04/19/statistical-portrait-of-hispanics-in-the-united-states-key-charts/#hispanic-pop
Wong T. K., Martinez Rosas, G., Luna, A., Manning, H., Reyna, A., O’Shea, P., Jawetz, T., & Wolgin, P.E. (2017). DACA Recipients’ Economic and Educational Gains Continue to Grow. Center for American Progress. Retrieved from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/news/2017/08/28/437956/daca-recipients-economic-educational-gains-continue-grow/