Race, ethnicity and aging

This assignment is a response to the following query:

Explain why diversity within the Hispanic older community leads to different experiences of aging for members of different subgroups. Give specific examples of the diverse responses to aging within the Hispanic American minority group. (Novak, 2009, p. 186)

Breaking down a demographic group such as Hispanic or Latino¹ into smaller subgroups, such as by nation of origin as illustrated in Novak (2009, pp. 174–178), allows a more nuanced understanding of the group based upon differing trends within each subgroup. Useful examples are the relatively lower poverty rates and higher rates of independent living for Cuban Americans compared with other Latino American subgroups (Novak, 2009, pp. 176–178).

It is essential to keep in mind, however, that within any given demographic group is an innumerable multitude of diversity which the overarching label does not account for. While labeling populations can be useful for gaining a better understanding of their needs, it is dangerous to view any group, or subgroup, as monolithic.

The overarching label of “Latino” includes people who identify as white and of color; people who were born inside and outside the United States; people who are fluent and not fluent in English; people who are fluent and not fluent in Spanish; people who descend primarily from Aboriginal North, Central and South Americans; people who descend primarily from European settlers and countless combinations of the two groups and others; etc.

These statistics and generalizations can help librarians to better prepare to meet the information needs of their communities at large and combat inequalities in information access. However, to assume we already know something of the lives of the people we meet based upon these anecdotes and statistical trends is to risk further alienating the individuals we are trying to serve.

Footnotes

¹ After considering the two terms and discussing their meanings with friends and colleagues who identify as part of this demographic, I have chosen to use the term “Latino” rather than “Hispanic.” A well-framed discussion of the connotations of each term can be found in Vázquez (N.d.).

References

Novak, M. (2009). Issues in aging (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson.

Vázquez, R. L. (n.d.). ¿Hispanic or Latino? las Culturas. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.lasculturas.com/aa/aa070501a.htm