Hispanic Immigration Stereotypes

The media’s perspective of minority immigrants are usually seen in society’s viewpoint, and vice versa. Today, America is struggling with their take on immigration of Hispanic migrants into our country. With this, the idea that the general population has of Hispanic immigrants comes from the media, whose depiction of certain races and actual differences between the races are overgeneralized and usually negative. For example, today, Americans are divided on their feelings of Hispanic migrants through Mexico’s border, but negative portrayals of Hispanics in the media can sway society’s take on such issues. This is seen clearly when media presentations of Hispanic minorities are shown as violent criminals, low income labor workers, or uneducated

For example, in Viramontes’ Under the Feet of Jesus, Estrella never thought of a college education being a possibility in her future, because it was never something she knew about. For example, when Estrella attended school, her “teachers were more concerned about the dirt under her fingernails.” (Viramontes 24). Her teacher was more focused on her concern that Estrella was dirty, which rooted from the stereotypes of Hispanics, instead of Estrella’s drive to learn English, so that she could fit into society. Because the teacher was overpowered by the stereotype of dirty immigrants, it kept Estrella from learning to her fullest potential, and therefore fitting in to society. Not only this, but Viramontes refutes the idea that immigrants are uneducated or have no will of learning English by drawing attention to the to the power of words by comparing them to tools (Viramontes 24). The way that a crowbar and hammer are tools that let Estrella build houses, words are tools that let her to build her ideas and perspectives. Using words, Estrella argues with the nurse and explains to herself and the reader that it is not she who owes the nurse, it is the nurse who owes her when she is seeking help for Alejo. With this, Estrella is able to save Alejo’s life. So, without her education, Estrella would be stuck with no means of communication like Petra or Perfecto. In the novel, having an education is the key to changing one's life for the better, which further proves the stereotype of uneducated immigrants incorrect. This also shows that the incorrect stereotype of dirty uneducated immigrants keep Estrella from fitting into society. Not only this, but white privilege is a factor that also keeps poor Hispanic immigrants from fitting into society better. For example, McIntosh talks about how whites are taught to ignore the fact that