Lost Hope.

This unfair treatment can many times find its way into the work place. When an employer discovers that a candidate is Hispanic, the candidate's opportunity to acquire the job diminishes. This has been occurring in the United State ever since Hispanics began to migrate to the country. Many with hopes of better job opportunities and dreams of economic prosperity, Hispanics migrated to the land of freedom and opportunity. After establishing themselves and their family, the next logical step was to search for a descent job, only to then confront prejudice and rejection. My brother in-law faced a similar situation. After working hard for four years in his studies at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez campus, he finally obtained his bachelors degree in Business. Striving for a better future of prosperity and economic wealth, he decided to move to the U.S. to search for a job, and after achieving economic stability, continuing his graduate studies. Now living in Philadelphia, he began his search for a job related to his business knowledge. Unfortunately, in every interview he confronted ignorance and prejudice. Many employers did not even know that there was a place called Puerto Rico. Full of ignorance, the employers would only notice that he was Hispanic and not acknowledge his achievements and his experience in the job field. Facing rejection in every interview, and even some racist remarks, he began to realize the inequality with which the "white Americans", the superior race, would treat him. He then noticed that wherever he went, people would look at him weird when they heard his accent and realized that he was Hispanic. He also received similar treatment from employers that would look down on him with the arrogant attitude that they were superior.

Although racism is illegal and frowned upon, it still affects many minority groups in the United States. It is evident that minority groups, in this case Hispanics, are sometimes treated with inequality and unfairness. Many Hispanics are not given the opportunity to acquire a respectable job just because of their ethnic background. Although it is illegal to be racist, the employers have the right to choose who they want to hire and therefore can reject anyone they might think of as inferior. Even though many deny it, racism is still prevalent in many parts of the United States.

Anthony Pérez Méndez Nov. 10, 2003

802-03-5689 Ing. 3103, Prof, Sandra Ríos