June 27, 2001 ï lj e ^lartlan h (Dbseruer Page B5 g Let’s Close the Hispanic Educational Divide T he P ortland O bserve « I work as a Youth and Family A dvocate for the Oregon C oun­ cil for Hispanic Advancem ent at B innsm ead M iddle School in so u th e a st P o rtlan d . The s tu ­ dents at Binnsm ead affection­ ately know me as the “ Spanish guy” and Latino parents know me as m aestro, or teacher in En­ glish. In my profession, it is easy to see there is a great divide here in the C ity o f Roses. There are people who have access to suc­ cess here in Portland, and there are people who are given public in stitu tio n s who cannot serve them, and public servants who can­ not speak their language. If we as Portlanders really want to create ajust and democratic city, we need to assess its current fail­ ures. For those o f us who do not speak a second language, this as­ sessment may be hard to develop. I hope this anecdote provides for a richer understanding o f why our society sets up Latinos for failure instead o f success. Recently, a young man of 14 stepped into my office. He didn’t inquire about college counseling or help on homework Instead, he asked me if he knew where he could start working. He told me his older sister, who used to attend Marshall High School, dropped out. She left school to start working two jobs to pay the rent and put food on the table. He also told me that his m other and father both work full time jobs. Everyone in the family makes minimum wage and the threat o f bankruptcy is always present. He told me he wants to stay in school, but he cannot afford to. This is the reality that so many o f our Latino brothers and sisters face. Latinos work the toughest jobs and get paid the least. Their inability to speak English inhibits them from filing tax returns and receiving heath care. In many in­ stances, they pay double the taxes and receive little or no social ser­ vices. Without a good education and an ability to speak English, they are confined to this destruc­ tive “circle.” To keep off the streets, many have no time for getting edu­ cated. Education is not a luxury but an inherent right We must change the laws o f Portland to ensure that right exists. A living wage of $ 10.00 an hour would allow parents to pay bills, participate in theirchildren’s education, and spend more time with their families New jobs for bilingual adults in public educa­ tion and health care would ensure accessibility to our public insti­ tutions and decrease unemploy­ ment. In short, this goes beyond a Latino issue; it describes the tac­ tics o f divide and conquer war­ fare. If our neighbors are treated Looking f on without justice and we do not speak up, then we invite the same injustice upon ourselves at a later date. As long as we articulate the us/them mentality, politicians will continue to divide the multicultural majority whose interests are the same, and give welfare to the very rich. If you are interested in giving a greater voice to the Latino popula­ tion o f Portland, give me a call at 503/248-7909. W h a t P a rt-tim e jo b w ill p a y y o u * - e x c e I I e n t p a rt tim e J Q Q ? up to $ 7 0 0 . 0 0 p e r m o n t h fo r o n ly tw o d a y s w o rth o f w o rk ? 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If Havana denies an exit Y u s n i e 1 The boy had lived almost all visa to Yusniel, he will stay in Hernandez, 11, ap­ his life with Cordova, and Cuba with his birth father. pears calm despite all would that is miss his half sister Although Yusniel knows his happening: his mother died last Giselle if the 4-year-old goes mother died, he is excited by weekend, he has moved in with to the United States without the possibility of living with his birth father, and the step­ him, Hernandez said. his ste p fa th e r in M iam i, Piense: Su hijo es inteligente, father he lived with for nearly But Yusniel’s trip to Miami Hernandez said. saludable y encabeza la lista a decade wants him to live is far from certain. iselle, meanwhile, para ir a la universidad. Le with him in the United States. The communist government lives with her aunt encanta la trayectoria que su Y usniel’s stepfather, Dr. has not commented on the in a com m unity c a rre ra h a to m a d o . Está Leonel Cordova, made a dra­ case since Gonzalez’s death west of Havana. The girl does haciendo muchas de las cosas matic defection to the United and there has been no indica­ not know that her mother his que planeó y hasta otras que no había planeado. Vivir States last year after aban­ tion whether authorities will dead and speaks with her fa­ la vida en plenitud es fácil cuando tiene una familia que doning a Cuban medical mis­ grant the authorization needed ther in Miami several times a lo respalda American Family Mutual Insurance Llame sion in Zimbabwe, and now for Giselle and Yusniel to leave week, said Tania Cordova, ahora mismo y platique con nuestros agentes amables. lives in Miami. Cuba. who is Cordova’s sister. Cordova had been working on g etting U.S. visas for Y usniel, Y usniel’s mother Comprobará por qué constantemente nos mantenemos Rosalba Gonzalez, and a 4- en el rango A+ (Superior, según A. M. 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