Introduction
Hispanic women remain behind non-Hispanic women in education. There is also a tendency among Hispanic women who have gotten education to abandon Hispanic culture. These are twin problems that can be solved. How can this be done?
In raising levels of education among Hispanic women, early marriages should be discouraged as a way of giving these women a chance to get education first. Then there should be financial incentives to help bright girls from needy backgrounds access education. Role models should also be availed for purposes of inspiration towards academic achievement.
On culture, organizing cultural events where the important elements of the Hispanic culture are on display will help keep cultural values in the minds of Hispanic women. And lastly, reminding them other groups have kept their cultural aspects too will make them have pride in their culture.
Main text
It is a fact that Hispanic women are becoming increasingly visible due to the strides they have made in education. Whereas this is commendable, there is still more that needs to be done since the female Hispanic population that is yet to access education is high compared to whites and African Americans. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, 36.9% of Hispanic women in the United States have not been able to access high school education. This is too high compared to non-Hispanic women. Only between 9% and 11% non-Hispanic women have not gone to high school in the United States (Gonzales 2008,p.1).There is also the fact that the Hispanic women who have managed to go to school do not demonstrate a strong attachment to the Hispanic culture (Collard & Reynolds, 2005,pp.43-44).Hispanic families that have daughters and sons who have managed to acquire education have lost the cohesion that is nearly synonymous with Hispanic families (Garcia 2001,pp.23-24).With this type of scenario at hand, what can be done to ensure that Hispanic women are able to attain higher educational achievements while maintaining their culture? There are steps that can be taken to this effect.
To start with, one of the best methods to improve academic achievement among Hispanic women in the United States is to discourage early marriages. Early marriages are not an educational problem among African American women and white women. This is partially why these two groups are ahead of Hispanic women in education, even among Native born Hispanics, whereby only 46 % have managed to go to college (Gonzales 2008, p.1).Putting an end to early marriages and encouraging these young women to remain in school will enable them attain higher levels of education. Note that this is meant to boost levels of education only and not culture.
Besides the discouragement of early marriages, Hispanic women can be enabled to attain higher levels of education through sufficient financial support. Like most women from minority groups, Hispanic women face financial challenges not just in education but generally in their lives in the United States. Therefore availing the finances that can enable parents to take their girls to school can make a difference. In some cases, if scholarships are established, parents who do not take their bright girls to school due to the cultural influences that pay little education to girl education will be overcome. This is because the bright Hispanic girl who is willing to go to school will not have to rely on her reluctant father or mother to pay her fees. The scholarship will have already made the way for this girl to access education. This will be a huge step forward in enabling Hispanic women access education beyond high school, and even beyond a first degree.
Still on education, exposing Hispanic women to the realities of life and the need for education will make them aim higher in terms of education. Stressing the fact that lack of education gives one a sure way of leading a bad life will make these women do what it takes to lead the good life. Exposing them to role models in the form of Hispanic women who have attained higher levels of education such as the Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor will inspire them to pursue education with all their ability.
Far from the above, culture is very important, and the organization of cultural events whereby the outstanding features of the Hispanic culture are displayed will play a very important role in ensuring that Hispanic women do not abandon their culture. During such events, the Hispanic women should be encouraged to participate. Important elements that should not miss at such events include Hispanic music, Hispanic food, Hispanic attire and Hispanic artifacts. Organizing these events will act as reminders to the Hispanic women that they have a unique culture that is part of their identity and therefore they cannot afford to lose it. Organizing these events on a regular basis and ensuring that the Hispanic women who cannot afford travel expenses are assisted to attend will make a huge difference in keeping the Hispanic culture arrive among Hispanic women.
Conclusion
Far from the cultural events, it is very important that Hispanic women be reminded from time to time that as much as the United States is a melting pot, most ethnic groups have done their best to keep elements of their culture. Even groups that were subjected to persecution such as Jews and African Americans have maintained their positive cultural elements (Bernstein 2009, pp.6-7).Only the negative ones have been dropped and new more beneficial ones have been adopted from other groups. This should act as a confidence booster as far as having a unique culture is concerned. Allowing people from other ethnic groups to attend such functions will also be significant as it will show these women that other people appreciate their culture too, and therefore there is no need to run away from it.
References
Bernstein, M., (2009). Screening a Lynching: The Leo Frank Case on Film and Television. Athens: University of Georgia Press.
Collard J., & Reynolds, C. (2005). Leadership, Gender And Culture In Education: Male And Female Perspectives. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Garcia, E. E. (2001). Hispanic education in the United States:New York: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Gonzales, F. (2008). Hispanic women in the United States, 2007. Fact sheet. Washington, DC: Pew Hispanic Center.