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Five Dimensions of African American - Immigrant Tension
The typical commentary reads: "African Americans and Immigrants - a natural coalition." But this commentary doesn't tell the full story.
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If we’re to advance true social justice and build multi-racial, multi-ethnic alliances in the process, we need to look deeper at the “tensions” that divide us. And don’t just acknowledge them. But talk about them. Sit with them. Work through them. DO NOT ignore them. |
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Notice the “tensions” over immigration have little to do with the technicalities of immigration – visa allocations, portability of work permits, etc. Sure, a few die hards and intellectuals approach immigration from this perspective, but not the vast majority. |
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Instead, the majority speak a subtext that has to do with issues of difference, fear and an inability to relate. This subtext is described below. |
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In general, people who see the African American - immigrant issue from a standpoint of “tension” check into the conversation from one or more of the below perspectives. These perspectives play out in four areas where African Americans and immigrants are converging but don’t have mechanisms for building healthy relationships: (1) schools; (2) prisons; (3) the workplace, and to some extent (4) communities. |
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Most of these perspectives can be addressed by creating structures and space that allow people who don’t look alike or talk alike to relate formally, but meaningfully, with one another. |
To successfully transform the societal structures that oppress us, we need to address the tensions that divide us.
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1. Culture & Language --
“Speak English, dammit!” One element of the African American-Immigrant “tension” is the inability to relate across lines of difference, including language and culture. But this challenge has little to do with immigration per se and more with diverse people sharing physical space - in cities and suburbs -- and not being able to relate.
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2. Stereotype & Bias
“But they are lazy.” You’ve heard the stereotypes: “Spanish people eat rice and beans, travel 8 in car, live 10 in a house.” “Blacks are lazy, talk loud, have attitudes and like to fight.” |
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3. Economics and Resources
“They’re draining our resources, taking our jobs.” The latter part of this quote suggests conspiracy. It suggests an offensive move by the other team to win the game, to “steal” ALL the jobs. The reality is more nuanced. It has to do with a multitude of factors including labor market trends, the global economy and the function of informal networks in finding work.
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4. Power & Recognition
“Why should they [immigrants] get theirs, we [African Americans] haven’t gotten ours?” To want power and recognition is to be human. Nothing wrong with it. We all want to be recognized as having something to contribute. We all want power -- the ability to act on our dreams. The discomfort with talking about power and recognition stems from the way society has perverted the words – If you want power, it’s because you want to dominate. If you want recognition, it’s because you want to be in the spotlight while others are in the shadows. However, there are two kinds of power – power over and power with. Those of us who believe in democratic justice believe in the latter. Power with demands that we not attempt to push other groups (i.e., African Americans or immigrants) away from the power table. But, instead, we create a big enough table at which ALL groups can sit. It’s about every group having the power to make their dreams and ambitions a reality.
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5. Race
“They’re bad people.” The old saying in the South was [and maybe still is] “If you’re white, you’re alright, if you’re brown, stick around, but if you’re black, get back”. Race IS a social construct but a political reality for people of a darker hue. It’s still the case that many people catch hell because of the complexion of their skin. The U.S. racial system (positively charged whiteness and negatively charged blackness) and how immigrants experience race in their home countries both feed this tension around race.
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