TO THE EDITOR:
With the influx of Latinos to North Carolina, residents of this state have had to face the emergence of a new people and a new culture.
Many might think that because we speak the same language we are all the same - just another large group of immigrants coming to this country to try and get whatever we can of the American dream.
Well, we're NOT all the same. What we know of as Latin America consists of more than 20 different countries. Although many might share similarities, each is proud of the uniqueness of its culture and its people.
In a time when "diversity" is quickly becoming part of our everyday vocabulary, it is important that we understand the heterogeneity of the Latino population in North Carolina and in the United States.
If our efforts to embrace diversity are at all sincere, then we should make a concerted effort to understand ALL of the differences (and similarities) that might exist among us.
Discrimination and racism come in many different forms; stereotypes and generalizations are just less obvious ways that we express our biases and our hate.
Mary Santiago
Chapel Hill
