Several years ago my house was hit by a tornado in the Atlanta, GA area. The actual hit was fast and furious. It sounded like a train had hit the house. My home had around $100,000 worth of damage. One moment you are huddled up in a bathroom, the next moment looking up at the stars through your bedroom ceiling.
In life, we all experience storms that assail us. The storm itself is usually fast and many times furious. It's the recuperation on the backside that is so painful and requires so much patience.
I want to draw your attention to the overlooked effects of immigration raids on families and whole communities.
Back on May 12, we had the largest immigration raid in U.S. history in Pottsville, Iowa. This was their tornado. Families that had been established there for years; mostly Mexicans and Guatemalans. 389 Agriprocessor employees were detained. Around 60 (women with small children) were released pending court dates based on humanitarian grounds. As if small children don't need their fathers!
Many businesses in this small Iowa town are on the verge of collapse, both Latino and American owned.
Some people read this and say, "so what?" This is what they deserve.
I have a question for you. Please think about it and answer it honestly. Here's the question: If there were a famine or deeply distressing economic times (a depression) here and if there were good jobs and opportunities in Mexico, would you cross the border to give your children or family a better life? Be honest. The truth will set you free.
I have asked this question to many groups and when people are honest it is unanimous. Yes, I would cross. I love my family that much. Heads nod all over the room. Is your head nodding?
Our system of immigration is broken and needs to be fixed. There is no question about this. Until then, as a people, we should at the very least allow people to live in dignity and permit them the opportunity to provide for their families. This is the goal of the vast majority of Latinos in this country. If you are on the side of "well that's the law, they deserve what they get" I can only pray for you that when your time comes (and it will) that you will find mercy in the eyes of those around you.
This may surprise you but 50 percent of Cubans under 30 are now registered Democrats. The Republican stronghold on the Cuban community is loosening. Amazingly, two congressional seats are considered open contests in the Cuban community of South Florida. Democrats Joe García and Raúl Martínez both actually have a chance at winning against their Republican counterparts.
The old guard is changing in Little Havana. This is reality. The embargo has not worked and many Cubans are questioning American policy on Cuba. They want to be able to bless their families back home. Many of them want to travel back and forth to Cuba. Of course, there is the obvious fact that after nearly 50 years of embargo and sanctions, Cuba has remained the same.
If the Cubans split their vote or go 60/40 (McCain 60, Obama 40) Sen. Obama will win Florida and thus the presidency. Couple this with a strong group of Puerto Ricans who vote Democrat in Central Florida and this is a realistic scenario.
My advice to the Republicans? You must shore up the Cuban vote or you will be out in the House, the Senate and the Presidency. The status quo isn't working and the Republican party needs to speak to other needs outside of the standard "embargo speak." As Bill O'Reilly says, "And that's the memo."
Hard hit by lack of newspaper advertising and mismanagement, Puerto Rico's major newspaper is being forced to close its Orlando publication. I know this story well and I think we can all learn from it.
El Nuevo Día is owned by the Ferre family in Puerto Rico. They are of Cuban anscestry. This newspaper is very strong in Puerto Rico and is either subscription based or you pay for it mostly at the local "panaderías" (bakeries) or "farmacias" (drug stores).
Spanish language newspapers in the United States are free. You can pick them up at Latino owned stores, etc. The point is that they are free and the public is used to getting them free. El Nuevo Día ownership didn't understand American Spanish Language newspaper consumer habits. They thought that Latinos here would pay for their newspaper in Spanish — especially Puerto Ricans since they do on the island. They were wrong.
They found out quickly that their model wouldn't work, switched to a "free" version but the damage was done. I have often said that you don't get many chances with the Latino consumer. You get it right and enjoy great brand loyalty or you simply will fail. Central Florida has several other local Spanish language newspapers who are holding their own during these challenging economic times.
This is a great example because it shows that even Latinos can misunderstand their own culture within the United States. Latinos here are not like Latinos in Latin America. Business models are different; at the least they are culturally affected by our environment in this country. So, if Latinos who know Latinos can misunderstand Latinos in this country how much more do Americans need help with this culture?
I've had a lot of American business owners tell me, "business is business" or "people are people." Really? Tell that to the owners of El Nuevo Día who have to take their multi-million dollar investment back to the island.
If you want to have serious success in the Latino market, get help from an expert who knows how to help you. There are simply too many cultural mine fields out there to leave it to chance. Of course, it would be a privilege to help you but if you don't seek me out, find someone else who really knows what they are talking about!
El Nuevo Día didn't and paid for it dearly both financially and in brand image. Imagine how many Puerto Ricans in Orlando (around 300,000) are telling their families in Puerto Rico, "oye, aquí no pudo esa gente poderosa." ("Hey, those powerful people couldn't make it here.)
The U.S. Census Bureau came out with a report that says that Latinos will go from 46.7 million today to 132.8 million by 2050. This is an amazing number but in total keeping with reality when one considers present birth rates and immigration rates. By the way, white Anglos will only be 46 percent of the population of the United States by 2050. This is a changing country my friends.
I'm going to keep this short and sweet. If you are an American who doesn't speak Spanish or doesn't understand the Latino culture you must take this seriously now. Your business will depend on your ability to communicate with Latinos in this country.
Here's a link to the best Spanish training in the country: go here.
If you need cultural management or leadership skills, contact me. I'll give you a free orientation to this exciting business opportunity. You can decide from there if you think I can make you money. I am sure I can but I want to prove it to you.
More than 25 percent of Hispanics in the United States do not have a regular medical provider.
The report goes on to say that a significant number of Hispanics, up to 8 in 10, are receiving their medical advice from sources such as television and radio.
The least likely group of people to have health care are young, poorly educated, men.
41 percent of the people (the largest group) said that they didn't have health insurance because they were seldom sick. 50 percent of people without health care have a high school degree, 30 percent were born in the United States and amazingly, 45 percent do have health insurance. This report was done by the Pew Hispanic Center.
How does this apply to business? There are a few things here to consider:
1. At least twice a year companies who give safety talks should bring in a medical professional to speak with their employee base. They should talk about the major health concerns but also explain the health care system here in the United States. Health care in Latin America is mostly socialized so the system here is foreign to many people.
2.
Although not referenced in this study, the percentage of Latinos in this country without health insurance, is higher than any other group of people in the country. The disparity is real. As a business leader, I want to encourage you to not only offer health insurance to your Hispanic workforce but also to explain it to them so they understand how to get the most benefit from the plan.
We've looked at some of the elements of classism in the Latino culture in the previous two posts. Now, I would like to be very specific and give you the main three things that classism causes and how to counteract them in the Latino community.
1.
Classism causes some people to not value training of their employees. I have seen both Latino managers and owners over the years who have actually stated that they don't want to train "those" people. Unfortunately, one of the offshoots of classism is the lack of desire to elevate subordinates. This may be due to fear of future competition, loss of power or influence or just a lack of human concern. I remember years ago, promoting an English learning program to a very large hotel chain. The Anglo management was all for it but when they went to their highest level Latino supervisor, the person was not favorable to the program and gave all kinds of reasons to suppress the initiative. The real reason was that this person was the "go to" person on all things Latino and didn't want to lose her influence. How do you combat this? You absolutely must teach and train a leadership model that is based in service and social responsibility.
2. Classism causes some people to reject others of less status. We have seen over and over the angst of classism against people of a lower socioeconomic class. Do not assume that just because someone is educated and "professional" that they will make a good manager, supervisor or superintendent over the labor force. You must insure that outside of possessing the necessary professional skills that they also have a favorable attitude towards the people in the labor force. If you do not, you will get a domineering and demeaning type of leadership that will actually create more turnover. We have also seen this many times. How do you combat this? You absolutely must teach and train a leadership model that is based in service and social responsibility.
3. Classism causes some people to not want to assume leadership position. I mentioned this in my first post but it bears repeating. We have seen many people who would, in fact, make excellent supervisors or managers, reject the idea of being in a leadership role. Most of the time, this is due to them being concerned about having to broker between Anglo management and their family, friends or countrymen. It puts them in a very uncomfortable social position. These people must be nurtured over time. They must be taught the benefits of being in a leadership position and how this can actually help their family, friends and countrymen. You should train them in leadership skills before you ask them to be a leader. You let that desire grow in them through professional leadership training that will allow them to see the true benefits of service.
I believe that classism is a serious flaw in the Latino culture and it keeps us from achieving all that we are purposed to be in both this country and in Latin America. The way to change this is through teaching a leadership model of service that strives to elevate and educate the people. When this happens, classism will be dealt a serious blow in the Latino culture and our people will be even more productive and profitable.
You may be interested to know that at the behest of Certainteed Corporation, we developed an outstanding leadership training course for Latinos that is totally in Spanish. It is designed to teach Latinos how to properly lead in the American organization. It really is a fantastic course and I would like to see how we could show you how this course could benefit you and your organization. If you have an interest, let me know by contacting me here.
My father was one of 27 children from the mountains of Puerto Rico. He left Puerto Rico at 16 years of age with an eight grade education. He went to the south side of Chicago, the side where bad, bad Leroy Brown hung out in Jim Croce's famous ballad. It wasn't a good situation. He had no English, very little education and was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
My father essentially retired when he was 45 after a successful (and legitimate) business venture! Only in America my friend.
That's one of the main differences between the United States and Latin America. The United States has a liquid class. If you work hard and educate yourself, even if it is in something like a restaurant business, which is what my dad did, you can really get ahead in this country.
The same cannot be said of Latin America. Classist roots run deep.
One of the greatest struggles for Latinos is to break free from these roots of classism. The tendency to not invest heavily in the progress and education of our own people is a reality. The fear of competition is very real and keeps many people from committing to the training and elevation of our own people. This is not true of every Latino, there are some wonderful exceptions. It is, however, generally true and it is due to classism in our culture.
One of the most concerning things happening in the Latino culture today is an incredibly high dropout rate among our high school students. It is hovering around 50 percent nationally. This is simply unacceptable and we Latinos must do more about it. It is our problem. Those of us who have "made it" in this country absolutely must put away our classist tendencies and elevate the rest of our people. We must work closely with the less fortunate in our Latino community to bring them to a higher purpose and social standing.
The former Consul of Mexico for the Southeastern Region of the United States, Teodoro Maus told me the following story, "There was an old man sitting by the seaside. He had two cans sitting next to him. A little boy walked by and asked the old man, 'hey, what's in the cans?' The old man said, 'crabs.' 'Crabs? Well, why does one have a lid on it and the other one doesn't?' 'Oh that's easy,' said the old man, 'the can with the lid on it is full of Asian, Australian, Russian and European crabs. If it doesn't have a lid on it they will all scatter. They are very independent crabs.' The boy looked puzzled and asked him, 'well, why doesn't the other can have a lid on it?' The old man gazed at him and said, 'Oh, those are Mexican crabs. They don't need a lid on them, as soon as one tries to get out, the other ones pull him right back down in.'"
Classism works both ways my friends. From the top, it is people who are at the upper echelons of society who consciously or unconsciously work to keep other people out of their class system. This is especially true in Latin America where a strong middle class does not exist. This is due to classism in the culture. Those of us who have been privileged need to make a more concerted effort to lift up those who have not had the same opportunities. We must not despise or abuse the poor or underprivileged.
However, part of the problem is also from the lower socioeconomic parts of society which makes it hard for people to get out. Family members, friends, etc. sometimes make it very difficult. This is one reason why many Latinos do not aspire to leadership in their jobs. To take a leadership position is to be effectively moved out of their class system. People are then forced to choose between their companies and their countrymen, friends and sometimes even their own family members. It can be a difficult choice to say the least.
We'll continue this discussion in the next post. It is very important to understand the real dynamics of classism in the Latino culture.
According to a report by the Center for Immigration Studies, there are 1.3 million less undocumented now than there were last August.
If this trend continues, in five years, the undocumented population would be cut in half from the estimated 12 million or so now in the country.
We know that in some major cities, Latino businesses are down from 50 to 60 percent and many have been forced to close due to lack of business. Thousands of workers are out of jobs, others are working jobs far beneath the pay they were receiving just a few years ago and many are simply leaving the country.
In a related development, the Bush Administration is now offering for people who have received deportation orders (around 572,000) to leave the country voluntarily under a program called, "Operation Scheduled Departure." These people can walk into an ICE office, not be jailed as is customary and will be deported without tracking devices. They will then get up to 90 days to make arrangements with family and other institutions.
This program was first announced through the Univision television network. The window of opportunity for this program is August 22, 2008 when it will no longer be offered.
When the economy picks up again we should all be aware that we may see a serious labor shortage in the trade industries. My advice is to secure your best laborers and supervisors now. Invest in their training, them learning English (will be a requirement under any new immigration reform plan) and in helping them to remain stable during this time period.
Vladamir Putin was quoted on Interfax that he feels that Russia should regain its position of influence in Cuba. Does this mean that Russia is considering a military presence in Cuba? We are not sure at this point.
Russia's Vice Premier, Igor Sechin, did have a meeting with Cuba's leadership recently and they did discuss possible cooperatives between the two countries.
Here's an quote we should consider as quoted in an Associated Press article about the subject: "It is not a secret that the West is creating a 'buffer zone' around Russia, involving countries in central Europe, the Caucasus, the Baltic states and Ukraine," the agency quoted Leonid Ivashov, the head of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems, as saying. "In response, we may expand our military presence abroad, including in Cuba."
"We may expand our military presence abroad, including in Cuba."
WXTV in New York has the highest rated newscast with viewers under 49 years of age. It is in Spanish and runs on the Univision network. In Los Angeles, KMEX led the market ratings among all age groups in June.
One of the questions is if this is due to language. By the accounts of even the station executives the ratings rise is more about the stories reported, than the language used in the reporting. Spanish language stations focus on stories about Latinos, their triumphs and their struggles. They are normally emotional in nature and whether or not one understands English, the cultural element resonates.
Here's the point; understand that it is not primarily language that reaches people, it is a clear understanding and empathy with their culture and lifestyle that reaches them. Remember this is all your labor systems, marketing and sales with Latinos.
He's back at it again. Mr. Chávez has recently pushed through 26 government decrees giving him even more power over the people of Venezuela.
These decrees include the creation of neighborhood militias, increase in state control over agriculture and a host of things designed to forward the socialist agenda.
Here's the real lesson. Business leaders were surprised. Were they lulled to sleep by the recent flurry of victories for Colombia's president Uribe? Perhaps. Did they really believe that the narrow defeat of Chávez' socialist agenda in December of 2007 would mean the end to his demands on further power? One would think not but it appears that perhaps this was the case.
If business leaders do not cooperate with the decrees they can face up to 10 years in jail. According the decree, the government can "restrict or prohibit the import, export, distribution, exchange or sale" of certain foods or agricultural products and "take over distribution activities when considered necessary."
Those are pretty broad terms. Other than the obvious, don't consider business in Venezuela now, which we all know, there is a larger lesson. Our freedoms can be taken from us by the State. Venezuela was a free and democratic country not too long ago. We must all guard our freedoms and our free enterprise market system in this country. Are you willing to engage in this battle? We are not immune in this country and there are strong forces towards a socialist movement here. Let's learn from history and from our friends in Venezuela.
56 percent of Latinos in the United States are now active internet users. This is higher than most experts had been saying. A new report by eMarketer says that there are now 23 million Latinos online in the United States. They are forecasting that 29 million will be online by the end of 2010. Personally, I think it will be higher when you combine the social push towards the internet with internal population growth and the relative youth of the Latino populace in this country.
The report also says, ""To reach Hispanic consumers online, marketers must take a more nuanced approach, going beyond language preference to target niches within this demographic." Remember that Latinos are from 20 different countries and there are different cultures within the overarching "Hispanic" populace in this country.
Here's another quote from the report, "Online campaigns that target local markets with local references will resonate more than a one-size-fits-all approach."
If you need help, contact us and we'll guide you.
The investment is worth it. The numbers are there my friends.
Manuel Castillo thought he spoke English well enough to not get a ticket. Truckers are required by federal law to be able to communicate "well" in English with police officers if they hold a commercial drivers license.
Instead of returning to Alabama to fight the ticket and demonstrate his English abilities he decided to pay the $500 fine.
Below are a few questions to consider:
1. If the U.S. is going to have a law like this then they should also have an objective verifiable test that each police officer can administer. This would eliminate any sense that the ticket is due to racism. It is ironic, one might think, that Manuel got the ticket in Alabama.
2. Truckers must learn English well. Make sure your commercial drivers can all communicate well enough in English to be able to speak with a police officer.
3. By all accounts, the federal government is trying to tighten the law so that commercial drivers tests are given only in English; including during the road test and vehicle inspection. This is not presently the case.
According to the AP article, more than 17 percent of truck drivers in this country are Spanish-speaking. Out of 3.4 million drivers, that is 578,000. Also, 11 percent of bus drivers are primarily Spanish speaking. That's another 63,580 drivers. That's a lot of drivers on the road who are going to be affected by this law.
Here's my big deal with this; if you are going to have the law, then you MUST have a test that is objective and fair for all people of all nationalities. This cannot be random for each police officer to decide by his own "language" standards. That would be fundamentally unfair and leave too much room for racial profiling which we all want and need to avoid.
In a move intended to put the U.S. on alert, Hugo Chávez is in Russia today purchasing 30 fighter jets and 30 helicopters along with 100,000 AK-103 Assault Rifles. U.S. manufacturers are banned from making these types of deals with Venezuela.
Perhaps even more disturbing is that Venezuela is looking to purchase licensing rights to manufacture the assault rifles in their own country.
Most likely, Chávez is seeking to regain some of the attention he has recently lost in South America to his rival (unless politically necessary) neighbor, President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia.
This move has gotten him some attention from U.S. officials who had tried to dissuade Russia from making military deals with Venezuela. No doubt, it will get the attention of the rest of Latin America as well.
Like it or not, Mr. Chávez is back in the news! Ironically, Chávez' stated purpose for the trip to Russia which also includes Belarus, Qatar, Iran, Vietnam and Mali is to lobby for Venezuela to be given a seat on the UN Security Council.
This could render the border fence obsolete very quickly. A drug smuggling submarine was caught off of Mexico's shore. These make-shift subs are capable of carrying up to 10 tons of cargo and are hard to spot. Colombian smugglers have been using this type of submarine for some time. According to a Reuters report, "Some experts think it is only a matter of time befiore the smuggling gangs figure out how to make a fully-fledged sub."
You can easily imagine these subs being used to smuggle humans. I have often said that even if a wall is built along the U.S. / Mexico border that people would find a way in to the country via sea. The Cubans, with no money or technology, have been doing it for years.
Let's stop this silly and ridiculous expense of building a wall and let's get comprehensive immigration reform that creates a winning formula for both the United States and our Latin American neighbors.
Would you like fries with that order of 58 hires of undocumented people?
The problem here wasn't the hiring of 58 people without proper legal documentation. The problem was that the employer did it "knowingly". Not only did this Nevada company do this knowingly, they actually helped people get false papers!
Moral of the Story? Don't ever knowingly hire people you know do not have proper documentation and never, never ever help someone get false documentation.
By the way, the VP of this particular company is also facing a possible jail sentence of up to five years for helping people get false documentation.
Remember, get all the required information from the I-9 and if the documentation looks authentic you must accept it. This whole immigrations mess will get cleared up in 2009 with a new McCain or Obama administration. Be patient and get ready to start doing some serious English training for your Hispanic workers!
Off the cuff, one would immediately think about Costa Rica or Mexico when considering retirement or business opportunities in Latin America, but certainly not Panama.
Is there something in Panama for you?
¡Absolutamente!
Right now, Panama is the fastest growing tourist destination in Latin America and there are ten great reasons for you to consider going there.
1. Many people already speak English.
2. Real Estate and services are still relatively inexpensive.
3. Crime rates are lower than in other countries.
4. There is less red tape to get things done.
5. There are no property taxes for 20 years.
6. The U.S. Dollar is legal currency.
7. Receive all kinds of discounts as a qualified "pensioner" which is easier to get than you might think.
8. Residents pay no income on foreign-earned income.
9. Tourism investments have 20 year tax exemptions.
10. Great location. You can easily get to both Central and South America.
I have a friend who owns a language school in Costa Rica who decided to pack it up for Panama. He loves it there! Says it is much better than Costa Rica right now. Costa Rica has seen significant increases in everything from crime to prices in real estate and services over the past 10 to 15 years.
If you are considering retiring in Latin America or looking for a great place for a business opportunity in the region, consider Panama.
This is really not a political post. It is a post about gaining trust with Latinos using a story in the news. Sen. McCain and Sen Obama have now made their rounds to NALEO , LULAC and NCLR, the three leading Latino advocacy organizations in the country. They have both now made all of their promises to solve immigration reform, overhaul education for Latinos, etc. They are both desperate to win the swing votes in Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Florida. Those states can easily be determined by the Latino vote.
The most telling thing that came out of those speeches, at least for me, was Sen. McCain's statement at La Raza's convention that he feels he has earned the trust of Latinos regarding the immigrations issue. See a wrap up of his comments in the following video:
The question here is two-fold:
1. Has he gained the trust of Latinos?
2. How do you gain the trust of Latinos?
Has he gained the trust of Latinos? It certainly doesn't appear to be the case. Polls have him down to Sen. Obama with Latinos by a margin of 2:1 to 3:1 depending on which poll you read. Keep in mind that this is the same Sen. Obama who lost the Latino vote to Sen. Clinton by the same margins. One thing is for sure, John McCain saying he has earned their trust and them giving it are two entirely different things.
Second question. How do you really gain
trust with Latinos. The answer is you tell them you are going to do something and then do it. Also, and very important, you do not do one or two BIG things and then expect that to gain you trust. You must do many smaller things over time to gain trust. Again, promise something (not necessarily a big thing), do it and then look for another opportunity to promise something. You have to tell them first, not just do it or it may look manipulative. The whole point is that you develop the identity that your word can be trusted.
Exactly here is Sen. McCain's problem. At least from what most Latinos know, he has only one big thing he has tried to do for Latinos and that failed. To top it off, no matter what he says now, he did say in a debate that he wouldn't vote for his own bill again. You and I understand political gyrations but this one is costing him. I feel for him because I believe in his heart he really does want comprehensive immigration reform. He would be better off giving a laundry list of all the things he has tried to do for Latinos over the years — if such a list exists.
Anyway, here's the point; to gain trust with Latinos you must keep your word with them on many small things over time. Forget the one big thing. It usually will feel like political or corporate expediency to them. Go for many small things that you can consistently fulfill. Always tell them first, then do what you say. If you do this you will truly gain their trust. Always remember, when Latinos trust a brand or person, they are very loyal.
By the way, Obama is not holding this lead based on his own brand or because they trust him. He is holding it based on the perception in much of the Latino community (developed over time) that Democrats have done more for them. Whether this is true or not is not the point here. Sen. McCain should find a way to do several little things for the Latino community quickly if he wants to reverse this trend. Also, in these speeches, he needs to highlight a whole list of his accomplishments for Latinos. He is, after all, a Senator from Arizona!
Almost all turnover, for example, can be traced back to a lack of trust in management. Trust is a big deal for Latinos. We are from countries where trust does not exist. Trust me on this advice.
There are over 4 million Latinos in the United States who make over $75,000 annually. In Latin America, there are millions more. Yes, there is a classist divide in Latin America and most Americans think "laborers" when they think "Latinos" but let's not forget that there are millions of wealthy Latinos.
The other day I was speaking with the owner of a construction related company in California and he mentioned to me that he did not do any marketing to Latinos in Southern California because "that group of people wasn't his market." The inference was that they were too poor to need his service. Be careful about making this jump. 4 million out of 44 million Latinos in the country is nearly 10 percent who make over $75,000.
Purchasing power, now estimated anywhere from $800 billion to $1 trillion annually for Hispanics in the United States, is on the rise. Obviously, there are wealthy Latinos. Just don't forget them! The greatest rise in entrepreneurship in the 2000's in the United States has been among Hispanics.
How do you reach these people? First and foremost by not treating them as if they were a typical "Latino laborer." This is the big hurdle for many Americans who think "Latino" and immediately think "laborer." Again, not the case.
Master Card recently launched a "Hispanic" campaign. Of course, they want some of this money. Makes sense. So, they use a professional wrestling figure named "Luchador" which basically means "fighter." This is a term also used for people who have to struggle to get somewhere in life, "una persona luchadora." Although I am sure they are well-intentioned, I sincerely doubt that wealthy Hispanics are much in tune with the professional wrestling figure, "Luchador." At least, I haven't been around wealthy Latinos who watch professional wrestling. They try to save it by having him get professional beauty services. I think they are the ones who will go to the mat on this one.
Here's the point. Don't forget the affluent Hispanics in your marketing. They are out there. It's your job to find them. If you want help, let me know here.
Frustrated people frequently write me. Sometimes they are frustrated with me about something I write, sometimes they are frustrated with Latinos and sometimes, at least I think, they are just frustrated people.
This lady is frustrated with Latinos and is using me as a sounding board. I want to respond. I think she deserves a response. Her email address and name are hidden to protect her privacy. Read on and let's learn together.
Click on the letter to open it.
I am simply going to highlight a few of her thoughts and respond. You can read the full letter. This is a healthy exercise for all of us. By the way, here is a link to the article she references in her letter.
Her: Although I can appreciate your viewpoint I have to tell you that I am fed up with the time and money wasted on trying to communicate with "Latinos".
Me: Several thoughts. 1. Many, if not most, "Latinos" in the United States speak English. 2. No one forces anyone to hire Latinos who do not speak English. It is a business decision on the part of every manager or owner. If a person doesn't want the language issues then simply don't hire them. It is really that simple. This has to be weighed against the value of the Latino labor force. 3. If we knowingly hire people who don't speak English, it is leadership's responsibility to communicate with them. Leaders lead and are responsible for communication in an organization. This is true both ethically and legally. We'll get to the "wasted" comment in a minute.
Her: You suggested in the article the following: "If your most skilled messenger does not speak Spanish, then by all means invest in a quality Spanish training course for this person". How about this Mr. Gonzalez, let's have "Latinos" that would like a job in the United States of America, California to be specific for my point, learn ENGLISH! Do you know how much time and money we waste because our "hire" does not understand simple ENGLISH directions? It's ridiculous! It costs businesses time and money!
Me: I'm all for Latinos learning English. To not do so is short-sighted and incredibly limiting. Bilingual America offers both English and Spanish training courses.
Again, no one is forcing anyone to hire people who don't speak English. At the very least, if you hire them with this knowledge, provide a quality English training course for them, set some standards for results and hold them to your expectations. This, I think, is fair.
Frankly, the problem here really isn't with the person who doesn't speak English, it's with the company that hires them knowing they don't speak English and then being frustrated by the fact that they don't speak English. You do see the irony here, don't you?
I stand by my comment, "If your most skilled messenger does not speak Spanish, then by all means invest in a quality Spanish training course for this person." That is, of course, if you are going to hire people who don't speak English.
Her: If they can't communicate in English on a basic level can you blame me or any company for not wanting to hire them?
Me. I think I am clear on this point. No one is expecting anything from anyone nor is anyone forcing anyone to hire anyone. These are business decisions. If companies would stop hiring them without English skills, then most likely more people would take learning English more seriously. Supply and demand my friends.
Her: It costs California tax payers millions of dollars to print brochures and booklets in English AND Spanish because the influx of Mexicans that come to this country who refuse to learn OUR language we speak here! Instead they come in large groups and start demanding that it's our fault that they can't function in this society.
Me: I am not sure where she gets her printing figures but for argument sake, let's accept the numbers. It does cost money to target people of another language. Ealier this person used the word "wasted" when referring to time and money put into trying to communicate with Latinos. This person never mentions, of course, either the purchasing power of Latinos (over $700 billion in the United States) or the monetary value that one would put on the work performed by Latinos in this country. I know a lot of Anglos who have enjoyed a great deal of financial success via the Latino workforce.
By the way, and responding to her "influx of Mexicans" comment, not to beat a worn drum but California actually did belong to Mexico less than 200 years ago and the treaty from the Mexican-American war clearly states that the Mexicans who stayed within the territory would have freedom to maintain their language and customs as they saw appropriate. The historical and real influx was that of Anglos moving into Mexican territory. Let's keep it real here!
Her:
Again, your article continues in this vain and I am sick of having to deal with this demanding, lazy attitude. Certainly your company, "Bilingual America" does not feed into this type of ignorant thinking? I should hope not!
Me: Now Latinos are "lazy?" I haven't heard that before. I doubt she really means this. Under her frustration, I can sense that there is a decent and fair-minded person here. I certainly hope we are not being "ignorant!" I don't think we are but I invite your feedback here.
Friends, I show you this letter to underscore how emotion can sometimes override objective thinking. Let's start thinking — all of us! I'm not advocating for Latino handouts, nor do most Latinos. I am advocating for respectful, mutually beneficial relations between Anglos and Latinos. Nothing more and nothing less.
To my friend who wrote in, thank you for opening this dialogue for us.
See the video with his comments below and then mine follow.
This is not a political endorsement. I work very hard to remain objective in political commentaries regarding Latinos in this country. Many of you also know that I am a non-partisan consultant to Newt Gingrich on Latino affairs. Speaker Gingrich is also a student in our Spanish training program. If Sen. Obama would like to learn Spanish I would love to help him as well. I just keep it real with whomever I speak.
Sen. Obama is to be admired for keeping it real on this subject. At least he has the guts to say what most thinking people without a political agenda already recognize in this country. Ironically, he said this in Powder Springs, GA. This is Cobb County, the county that elected Newt Gingrich to the House of Representatives and the home of the recent Obama 08' T-shirt with Curious George on it that created such a flap.
Yes, immigrants should learn English and you and your kids should be bilingual (English and Spanish) to compete in the job market in the United States and Western Hemisphere. Language is not the issue, the issue is we live in a free market system and corporations will do whatever it takes to get and keep an edge in business. Unfortunately, the immigration debate has become a debate about language. How silly! Do any of us doubt the obvious benefit of being bilingual over being monolingual? Read more of my thoughts on language in the following post.
An interesting article was recently published by the Associated Press about English speaking people leaving Miami because they felt it was difficult to move around the city in English. Here's the link to the article I read and you can draw your own conclusions but I wanted to give you my thoughts on the matter.
1. Is it really easier to uproot your family, business, vocation, etc. than to learn another language? I doubt it. This type of a decision is an emotional decision based on anger or disgust about change in a regional society.
2.
Should Latinos learn English? Of course! There are, however, some real reasons why they do not and if you would like to know the main reasons, click here to request a FREE Special Report entitiled, "Why Don't Hispanics Learn English?" (Just click the link, and submit the request.)
3. Language is amoral. It is not right or wrong. It is simply a means of communication. It is what we communicate that makes it either moral or immoral. The language itself is completely amoral. It makes sense that if a region has a high population of a certain type of people who are more comfortable with one language over another, they will speak that language.
In reality, people who emigrate from areas with a high Spanish-speaking populace have exercised their free will to determine their own environment in this country. It is not wrong (or right!) for Hispanics to speak in Spanish no more than it is wrong (or right!) for Anglos to speak in English. We enjoy free speech in this country and that includes the language in which one chooses to communicate. Many of the very same people who rightfully defend the second amendment (the right to bear arms) are now trying to tear down the first amendment (among other things it grants the right to free speech). There is no doubt that the right to free speech includes the language in which one chooses to communicate.
Let's be consistent in the defense of both the First and Second Amendments of the Constitution of the United States of America.
(P.S. - I will be writing more over the next couple of weeks on language so come back again. This is a very important subject.)
Go to Univision.com, type in "Handyman" and you get this page. This is a series of training videos in Spanish on home improvement. They even have special invited Latino guests appear on the program.
Here's the quick lesson. Partner with entities that are already trusted and known in the Latino community. Even the huge Home Depot doesn't try to go it alone in the Latino community. Why build your brand alone? Piggy-back on the name recognition of others. Of course, Univision is one of the biggest names but in almost every community there are well-known local Latino businesses and personalities. Make and leverage these relationships.
Ok, let's be honest here, John McCain's trip to Latin America last week was pure political theatre. To be fair, Barack Obama's upcoming trip to Iraq will be the same. This being said, here are the questions we want to answer, "Why did he go to Latin America?" "What did he accomplish?" and "Will it help him here in the November elections with Latinos?"
Why did he go to Latin America? Clearly he knows he needs a certain percentage of the Latino vote to win the presidency. People underestimate how much people in Latin America influence the thinking of Latinos here in the United States. He also wanted to highlight a significant difference he has with Sen. Obama on Free Trade. His visit to Colombia was all about free trade although he probably benefitted from just being in Colombia during the marvelous rescue mission that included former Colombian Presidential Candidate and dual Colombian/French citizen Ingrid Betancourt.
What did he accomplish? In Colombia and Mexico ground work was laid for a future positive relationship with both countries. He will be able to now speak more intelligently to both the Mexican and Colombian people during the next four months. He did accomplish getting the blessing of the Monsignor of one of the Holiest Basilicas in Mexico, the Basilica de Guadalupe. By the way, he was with former Florida Governor Jeb Bush at the Basilica. If, as he hopes, President Calderón, begins to address the immigration issue in Mexico, it might just be a home run for him with the Mexicans. Also, if Mexico starts getting more vocal about Sen. Obama's stance on NAFTA and educates their people about it, it could swing a substantial amount of votes here in the United States. (Video in Spanish below.)
Will it help him here in the November elections with Latinos? His balancing act will continue as on one hand he must get at least 35% of the Latino vote or he cannot win this election, on the other hand, these types of actions will only serve to further alienate the anti-immigrant right-wing of the Republican party. How it plays out is anyone's guess right now. The particular states where Latinos can swing the election are Florida, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada. All of these states were narrowly won by President Bush in 2004. There is a significant and growing Colombian voting block in Florida that could put him over the top there. He better hope so because without Florida he simply has no chance to win the general election. The trip to Mexico may just put him in the White House, especially if he can talk about his experiences from the heart with the Mexican people. They hold the swing vote in Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada.
All in all, probably a trip that will be a real blessing to Sen. McCain.
There is no place on television that gets more air time than the space right behind home plate. Every pitch is followed.
The NY Yankees choose to use that highly coveted space to advertise yankees.com and yankeesbeisbol.com. By doing this they put equal weight to both the English and Spanish language websites.
I was watching the Yankees / Red Sox game Sunday night with my father who was in for a visit, saw the websites advertised behind the batter, hit the pause on the Tivo, got my digital camera and thus the picture you see is from my television set. The beauties of modern technology! My dad was like, "¿Qué haces?" (What are you doing?) He thought I was crazy taking a picture of the screen, especially since we are both life-long White Sox fans. This is how I justify having High Definition television for these pictures once in a while!
First, I am a bit surprised they didn't call it yanquisbeisbol.com or, better yet, "yanquis.com" since in most Latin American countries they are known as the "yanquis". (See example in first sentence.) Perhaps they just wanted to keep the brand name in tact which makes sense, just not as much as doing the whole thing in Spanish.
Second, they are to be commended for creating a completely separate website with a Spanish name. "Beisbol" means "baseball" by the way. I have low tolerance for the http://www.yoursite.com/espanol brand of Spanish language websites as so many mistakenly do.
Third, kudos to the Yankees for a robust Spanish language website with full navigation in Spanish, ads in Spanish, all copy in Spanish and even a "boletín" (newsletter) in Spanish.
Here's the bottom line. If you are going to hit a home run with your Spanish language website, do it like the Yankees at yankeesbeisbol.com and put it in a prominent place. You might even get a plug at gonzalezreport.com!
These are tough times for many Latinos, especially those in the construction industry. A report today in the Miami Herald says that up to 21,000 construction jobs have been lost since 2006 in South Florida. Pew Hispanic Research puts the national number up around 250,000.
If you employ Latino labor, now is the time to solidify your labor and leadership base. You are in the best position right now to set new systems and training processes without a significant backlash. This is true for two reasons:
1. It is simply easier to get change implemented when people NEED to keep their jobs. Back in the mid 2000's Latino laborers knew they could easily get a job somewhere else. This is no longer the case.
2. People are not as busy, so they have more time to devote to important training. The most important things Latinos must learn well are English, Computer Skills and Communication Skills if they aspire to leadership.
Don't abuse the situation, use the situation. Use this time when you will fully have their attention to make any necessary changes in processes, responsibilities, etc. Also, make sure to use this down time to do any significant training that perhaps you (or they) didn't have time to do in the "boom" times. The market will come back again, the question is, "Will you come back with it stronger than you were before?" You will if you follow today's advice.
Jet Blue gets an A for effort and a B- for execution of their Spanish language website they opened for business this past Monday.
Due to recent expansion in Florida and to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic they felt compelled to offer a Spanish language website; http://hola.jetblue.com.
(Open picture on left to follow analysis.)
To their credit, they didn't simply add "espanol" to the end of their .com as most companies mistakenly do. Also to their credit, the entire site, including navigation actually is in Spanish, something that is amazingly not true in many cases.
The theme is "hola." It is even in the address of the website. It is the central marketing message on the front page. In English it is "Jetting". Ok, not too clever but if that's it why not "volando" in Spanish? Hola? I don't quite get the "Hola" campaign. It just means "hi" or "hello". I have never seen an English language website make their lead marketing message, "hi". The message seems rather childish, and at least to me as a professional Latino a bit condescending.
There are several things I would have done differently but a major mistake is, (at least when I went to the site - see picture at time of analysis here.) highlighting trips from JFK to Long Beach, CA, New York to Orlando, and New York to Oakland. It would seem to me a better selection for their target market would be JFK to Puerto Rico, JFK to Dominican Republic, and MCO (Orlando) to Puerto Rico.
There are also a few translations that beg to be adjusted. "Chequea" is an anglicism and should be "Revisa". Always use correct Spanish. No one is offended by it. They also tell the viewer how proud they are to present the site. Why? Were they proud when they presented the English site. Personally, I also would have preferred the use of "usted" rather than "tu" which they denote in the word "presentarte." "Usted" denotes more respect and some people do not like to be referred to as "tu" in marketing. This is especially true for professional services.
The other thing I don't like about this site is that it is an exact replica of the English site as it relates to design, graphics and color scheme. Why not include a few pictures of countries of destinations for the target market? You know, ignite the passion of the homeland. Basically the site is simply a translation of the English site with very little marketing thought towards the target market outside of the translation which is good for the most part.
