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Some people refer to the United States as a "melting pot" because of its many kinds of people. Others, such as the noted actor Edward James Olmos, refer to the United States as a "salad bowl". If you were preparing a delicious tossed salad, according to Mr. Olmos, you would want to use ingredients that, when tossed together, would provide you with nutrition, good flavor and be attractive to look at. You would want to include vegetables of different colors and textures.
A good bowl of salad needs more than just green lettuce to make it especially good. Vegetables such as tomatoes, radishes, carrots, or olives add color. Cauliflower, broccoli, and celery add texture and flavor.
Just like the salad described above, each of us contributes in some fashion to the “flavor,” “nutrition,” and “attractiveness” of our national "salad bowl".
We are enriched as a nation by the special ethnic qualities and unique cultural attributes we all contribute to the fabric of America. We share and respect differences in language, religion, foods, dress, music, and opinions. We understand and honor traditions and holidays unique to different cultures. Our country is strong and prosperous because of the rich heritage of all its people.
Latinos currently make up about 12.5 percent of the population of the United States. Some people use the name Hispanics instead of Latinos. We have chosen to use the term Latinos for this supplement.
Many Latinos have been in the United States for several generations while others are more recently arrived from a number of Latin American countries.
Latinos in the United States include native-born Americans of Mexican, Central and South American, and Caribbean Island ancestry as well as people who have immigrated, or moved from Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean Islands.
Although there are several Caribbean Island countries, the largest groups of Latinos with ties to the Caribbean include Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and Dominicans.
The United States has experienced a growing presence of Latinos and Latino culture. From music to food to sports, from business leaders to public officials, Latino people and styles have become part of the diverse American tapestry.
With the population of Latinos growing at a faster rate than the general population, futurists predict a larger role for Americans of Latino background.
Look in the first section, the entertainment
section, or the sports section of your newspaper.
I) Find an article about a Latino.
2) Find a photograph of a Latino.
3) Find an article about a Central or South American country, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, or another Caribbean Island.
4) Find an article or advertisement about Latino food.
5) Find an article that has Spanish words in it.
Share your findings with your teacher or a classmate. |
