Coming Of Age For Hispanics

January 07, 2000

Whether it's Jennifer Lopez' curves, Ricky Martin's wiggles, or the puffing and posing of yuppies at cigar bars--like Latin guerrillas in Armani suits--Hispanic influence in the United States at the turn of the century has gone from exotic to familiar to ubiquitous.

Census numbers explain the phenomenon and guarantee that it's not ephemeral. Between 1990 and 1998, the number of Hispanics increased by 35.1 percent, compared to 8.3 percent for the overall U.S. population. At that rate, Hispanics will be the country's largest minority group by 2005.

The estimated 30.8 million Hispanics in the U.S. in 1998 (about 11.4 percent of the population) also were young: Their median age was 26.6 years, compared to 36.4 years and 30 years for whites and African-Americans, respectively. Nearly 36 percent of Hispanics were under 18 years of age in 1997, a higher figure than for blacks or whites.

Yet Hispanics' statistical roar has not translated into comparable economic and political bite. Gross population numbers add up to big purchasing power, but the 27 percent poverty rate among Hispanic families is equivalent to that for African-Americans and much higher than the 11 percent rate for whites. Hispanic median family income was $26,628 in 1997, a bit higher than that for blacks but way below the nearly $39,000 for whites.

Politically, Hispanics also remain on the margins. In 1998, they constituted 5 percent of the national voter turnout, the best showing ever but still below the potential suggested by their growing population.

Racism and exclusionary politics are partly to blame: White Americans at times seemed to embrace everything Hispanic except too many of them living nearby. Accordingly, anti-immigrant campaigns launched by California Republicans in the early 1990s at times sounded like a Brown Peril hysteria.

Hispanics' youth and relatively recent arrival, often illegally, also work against naturalization and political empowerment. So do differing agendas among Puerto Ricans, Cubans and Mexicans.

Moreover, Mexicans, who make up nearly two-thirds of the U.S. Hispanic population, have had generally lower naturalization rates than other immigrants. Mexico is a short plane hop away and phones, moneygrams and a steady stream of TV and radio programming keep alive the ties to the homeland.

Economic and political self-interest are beginning to reverse that. Recent anti-immigrant crusades had an ironic effect. They created a potent mix of resentment and fear among immigrants that led to naturalization in record numbers.

Registration and voting followed, mostly favoring the Democrats. In 1996, Hispanics contributed to Bill Clinton's wins in California, Florida and Arizona. Even conservative macho man Bob Dornan lost his Orange County, Calif., congressional seat to a Mexican-American Democrat--and a woman to boot. !Ay!

Mexico's and Latin America's rapid economic integration with the U.S.--Mexico has become one of our top trading partners, along with Canada and Japan--will continue to fuel the growth of both the Hispanic population and its influence on the U.S.

Like previous immigrants, Hispanics will enrich American society with their unique contributions. At least in cuisine, integration seems to be here already: Without a hint of irony, a recent survey declared tacos and burritos to be among the favorite "American" foods.