Intellectually Entertaining. Socially Relevant.
by Yessenia Gutierrez Asians have surpassed Hispanics in percentage of new immigrants. They are more likely to come legally, hold college degrees, and have higher incomes than the general population, “despite being predominantly first-generation immigrants.” There will be those who use this information to say to Hispanics, you need to get yourselves together, get college Read More
“This documentary is dedicated to all undocumented kids – of all nationalities and from all walks of life – living in the United States. We see you.” So reads the dedication for Illegal, a short documentary film on the hardships faced by young men and women who, despite living in the United States for much Read More
By now, you’ve heard about the commencement speaker in Massachusetts who told graduating students, “None of you is special. You are not special. You are not exceptional.” The Internet was ablaze with comments, most of them positively gleeful. Many people believe that the speaker revealed harsh truths and deflated the younger generation’s supersized egos. Of Read More
When we look at the Latino experience in the States, we see so much diversity that it can be hard not to get lost or confused. Who are we, really? Depending on one’s physical appearance, it may be easier to identify with other groups who may or may not share a similar history of marginalization Read More
According to many sources, Dr. Carlos do Amaral Freire can speak more languages than anyone on the planet: 115. But before you feel too intimidated, keep in mind that the professor is fluent in a mere 30 or so. One has to wonder how balancing all those verb tenses and irregular conjugations has affected his Read More
Educated Latinos are essential to U.S. economic strength. Census data continues to show that black and Latino children make up the majority of babies born in the United States, yet they continually underperform their white peers. However, there is a silver lining to a booming minority population. Many issues facing these communities are going to Read More
Today, June 12, marks 45 years since the U.S. government decided to end laws that made interracial marriage illegal in the historic case of Loving v. Virginia. Marriage is certainly an institution that is a part of society, but it is a topic that people debate about constantly. For a union that occurs between two Read More
The national unemployment rate has been making news ever since the economic downturn of 2008. But, joblessness doesn’t affect all groups equally. This month, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics released a report showing that while the national average for unemployment is 8.2 percent, the rate is 11 percent for Latinos. For African-American, the unemployment Read More
In my previous article, I discussed a phenomenon that is often overlooked by policymakers and pundits: how the experience of poverty produces its own psychology. Living in constant poverty, for example, is detrimental to both the decision-making process and to overall memory function. Clinically, I often describe the experience of poverty as being similar to Read More
Whenever I teach Intro to Psychology, one of my favorite topics to cover is the cognitive revolution. During the continuing revolution, much attention has been paid to human decision-making processes. Most of us like to believe that our intellect, our experiences and our perceived expertise lead us to make rational and well-informed decisions. But, mountains Read More