Diversity in Brief - June 1 Edition
Report shows majority of Hispanics and Latinos prefer to be identified by their country of origin instead; experts worried about whether older Americans will turn out to vote and more.
Latino or Hispanic? Country of Origin Is Preferred
Few immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries like being called Hispanic, according to a report by the Pew Hispanic Center. Fewer still prefer the term Latino. Immigrants like being identified by the country of origin, according to the report.
Read more here.
Salutatorian Gets Visa to Return for Graduation
An 18-year-old honors student from Mexico who has lived in Indiana since she was 4 years old was told earlier this month that she could not return to the U.S. for three years unless she qualified for an expedited visa, according to the Indiana Star. The teen had missed a deadline by one day. The U.S. government eventually did issue a visa after her attorney filed a 400-page appeal.
Read more here.
Hispanic Homebuyers on the Rise
First time homebuyers will increasingly be Hispanic, according to a report by Forbes. Currently, Hispanics represent 11 percent of all first-time homebuyer -- a 38 percent increase over 2010 figures. The majority -- 75 percent -- of first -time home buyers today are white. Between now and 2020, Hispanics will account for 50 percent of new home buyers, according to the report.
Read more here.
Report, Poll Shows Older Americans Are Unemployed and Unengaged
More than 20 percent of unemployed Americans are between the ages of 50 and 64, according to the monthly jobs report released by the Labor Department Friday morning. The staggering numbers are causing a string of consequences for both the economy -- including lower levels of federal individual income tax revenues -- and the unemployed themselves.
A poll also shows that people aged 50 to 64 are by far more pessimistic about the country’s direction than the national average: 63 percent said the country was “off on the wrong track,” compared to 58 percent of all U.S. respondents. This has some experts wondering whether the older cohort’s loss of faith will lead to a historically low turnout for this year’s presidential election.
Read more here.
California Close to Being the First State to Ban Gay Reversal Therapy
The California State Senate approved a bill that would ban the use of conversion therapy among minors, the Huffington Post reported Thursday. Conversion therapy is a type of psychotherapy designed to turn LGBT people straight. The bill is now headed to the Assembly.
Read more here.
Internet Meme Rebecca Black Weighs In on Mexican Presidential Election
Rebecca Black supports PRI party candidate Enrique Pena Nieto, according to a video posted to the web Monday by his supporters, Univision reports.
Black, a Latina whose mother is from Mexico, voiced her support during a PRI event in Morelos, Mexico. Black is known for her infamous “Friday” song.
Read more here.
From The Atlantic Wire:
Five Best Friday Columns includes a summary of Maggie Severn's Washington Post column on teaching minority children.
