Towards Understanding the Intercultural Relations of African Americans and Latinos: Tensions and Opportunities for Collaboration
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! AFRAZA- Towards Understanding the Intercultural Relations of African Americans and Latinos: Tensions and Opportunities for Collaboration by Guillermo Antonio Gómez Claremont Graduate University and San Diego State University 2014 © Guillermo Antonio Gómez All Rights Reserved ! APPROVAL OF THE REVIEW COMMITTEE This dissertation has been duly read, reviewed, and critiqued by the Committee listed below, which hereby approves the manuscript of Guillermo Antonio Gómez as fulfilling the scope and quality requirements for meriting the degree of Ph.D. Dr. Alberto Ochoa, Co-chair Dr. William Perez, Co-Chair San Diego State University Claremont Graduate University Ph.D. Ph.D. Dr. Karen Cadiero-Kaplan, Member San Diego State University Ph.D. Dr. Carl Cohn, Member Claremont Graduate University Ph.D. ! Abstract AFRAZA -Towards Understanding the Intercultural Relations of African Americans and Latinos: Tensions and Opportunities for Collaboration by Guillermo Antonio Gómez Claremont Graduate University: 2014 This study documents the perceptions of Latino and African American (AA) stakeholders over a 45-year period on the impact of demographic shifts one of San Diego’s political districts. In the 1970’s the AA community was the majority ethnic group; before the year 2000 the Latino community became the majority ethnic group. The study’s guiding research question are: What role do demographic shifts, socio-political legislation, institutional polices, and interest convergence play in understanding the issues of intercultural conflict or collaboration in a political district that was once majority African American and has shifted to a Latino majority community? To obtain this data, six African American and six Latino community stakeholders who have respectively participated for over 45 years in the selected political district were asked to tell their stories and shed light on how they perceived Black and Brown community relations over the 45 year period. The study employed a multi-contextual conceptual model for understanding the impact of the demographic shifts in the political district. Qualitative methods were used that included semi-structured interviews, indigenous practice of narrative medicine, case study methods, focus group, and non-statistical methods of analysis (Dedoose software), and secondary data reports. Using the 12 case study narratives, each of the 12 case studies were coded using the Dedoose software program. This yielded 512 statements that were clustered into eight themes ! that correlated with the five sub-questions of the study. The eight themes were: population makers, cultural/ethnic identity, trust, racism, power, conflict and tension, collaboration, and educational instrumentality. Six of the eight themes identified the existing social tensions in the selected political district and the last two pointed to ways to improve intercultural relations. The study contributes to our understanding of African American and Latino cultural, social, political and educational tensions as a consequence of demographic shifts and the need for a new order of social interaction. The study presents three possible options for inter- community collaboration and/or conflict, two are negative, and one positive that seeks a super ordinate goal (Sue, 2003) that can unite Latino and African American communities in creating win-win intercultural relations and community development. ! ! Acknowledgements This dissertation is dedicated to my family, especially mi madre Maria Teresa Gómez- Hernandez. Gracias por todos tus sacrificios, yo soy quien soy por ti. Te extraño y te quiero con toda my alma y corazón. Gracias a mis padres Guillermo Gómez, Rafael Hernandez y Nidia Gómez. A mis hermanas Susanita, Anita, y hermanos William y Anthony. I also want to dedicate this work to my familia en El Salvador and to the courageous people of El Salvador. Most of all I want to deeply thank my extraordinary wife Lisandra and to my beautiful, intelligent and radiant children Sarita, Teresita, In’lakech and to my future baby that will be coming to this world next year. I love you so much and thank you for your patience, support, and love these past few years. I am very fortunate to be your husband and father. I also want to thank my suegros the Honorable Roy Cazares and Maria “Nana” Cazares, to my beautiful and intelligent cuñadas Mixim, Andrea and Erica, and to my ugly and somewhat intelligent cuñados Derek, Peter and Chris. I also want to thank my brothers and sisters in the struggle from Union del Barrio, Base Lucio Cabañas, ARE and Lincoln High, especially Dr. Enrique “Kiki” Ochoa, Larry Thurman, Dr. Mandy Matas and Dr. Miguel Zavala. To all my dear friends, especially Ron Tulao and future Dr. Jaime Cuevas. I want to deeply thank Dr. Alberto Ochoa for guiding me in this process. Thank you for your patience, support and the countless hours that you spent working with me. I want to also thank my Uncle Roger and Aunt Norma Cazares for your expertise and guidance, you two were very instrumental in this study. I also want to thank my committee paisano Dr. William Perez, the wise Dr. Carl Cohn, and the wonderful Dr. Karen Cadeiro-Kaplan. You are all great role models and were extremely supportive of this work. I am also grateful to elders Dr. Armando Rodriguez, Dr. Carroll Waymon, David Valladolid, Honorable Leon Williams, Honorable Luis Natividad, Reverend George Walker Smith, Maria Garcia, Ernie McCray, Carlos and Linda LeGrette, Agin Shaheed, Norma Cazares and Ken Seaton-Msemaji. You were all very gracious, and thank you for volunteering to participate in this study, but most of all thank you for opening your homes, hearts and minds, and for trusting me with your stories. Finally, I dedicate this work to all my past and present students- you keep inspiring me to make this a better world for all of us. Thank you for letting me be your teacher...Your struggle is my struggle! ! v! ! Table of Contents Abstract………………………………………………………………………………….iii Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………....v List of Tables…………………………………………………………………………….ix List of Figures...…………………………………………………………………………xi CHAPTER 1: ...…………………………………………………………………………..1 Introduction……………………………………………………………………….1 Statement of the Problem…………………………………………………………2 Significance of the Problem………………………………………………………3 Conceptual Framework…………………………………………………………...4 Research Question………………………………………………………………...7 Assumptions of the Study…………………………………………………...........7 Study Limitations……………..…………………………………………………..9 Operational Definitions…………………………………………...........................8 CHAPTER 2: Literature Review…..…………………………………………………….12 Introduction…………………..……………………………………………….….12 The Question of Identity: A Building or Dividing Factor?.……………………...14 Demographic Social-Political Shifts……………………………………………..18 Nurturing Prejudice…………….………………………………………………...24 Institutional Practices and Policies: Why are Latinos A Threat to African-Americans?…………………………………………...............................28 Sociocultural Patterns and Structures……………………....................................30 Communitarism and Intercultural Collaboration…………...................................32 Synthesis……………………………………………………………....................35 CHAPTER 3: Methodology…..…………………………………………………………36 Introduction…………………..………………………………………………….36 Research Design…………..……………………………………………………..37 Description of Data Sources, Interview Approaches……………………………38 U.S. Census Bureau…………..………………………………………….38 CBEDS…………..………………………………………………………39 SANDAG…………..……………………………………………………39 Semi-Structured Interviews…………..………………………………….39 Focus Group…………..…………………………………………………40 Description of Research Process………………………………………………...42 vi! ! Selection of Study Participants (Phase I to III)…………………..........................43 Contact and Approval (Phase IV to V)……………………………………..........45 Interviews (Phase VI)………….…………..……………………..........................45 Consent Forms…………………………………………………..………..45 Confidentiality……………………………………………….…………...46 Approval of Transcript for Authenticity (Phase VII to VIII).…………………....47 Analysis of Common Themes (Phase IX)………………………………………..48 Focus Group and Super Ordinate Goal (Phase X)………………………………..49 Profile of Study Participants…………..……………………………………….....49 Data Organization Analysis…………..…………………………………….….....51 Content Analysis………………..………………………………………...51 Interview Protocols…………………………………………………….....51 Credibility and Reliability…………..………………………………………........52 Summary…………..……………………………………………………………..52 Chapter 4: Demographic Context of District 4 of the SD City Council………………...54 Introduction…………..………………………………………………………….54 Demographic Shifts and Trends of SDCC District 4: 50 Years…………………56 Education and School Attendance Patterns in SDCC District 4………………...60 Lincoln High School: A Microscopic Reflection of the Socio-Cultural Characteristics of SDCC District 4……………………………...62 Black and Latino Distrust of the San Diego Unified School District…………………………………………………………………………...66 Chapter 5: African American and Latino Case Studies…………………….…………...69 Introduction…………..………………………………………………………….69 Case Study 1: George Walker Smith……………………….…………………...72 Case Study 2: Armando Rodriguez……………………….…………………….81 Case Study 3: Carroll Waymon……………………….………………………...89 Case Study 4: Leon Williams……………………….………………………....100 Case Study 5: Luis Natividad……………………….………………………....113 Case Study 6: Ken Msemaji……………………….…………………………...124 Case Study 7: David Valladolid……………………….……………………….136 Case Study 8: Maria Garcia……………………….…………………………...146 Case Study 9: Ernie McCray……………………….…………………………..155 Case