Title: Boston Globe Across The Divide for February 29, 2008

" Print humans them. Welcome to another episode of across the divide. It podcast -- focus on people of color absolutely. In this episode. Getting an eight. They stop that senator John Kent and got to let it dented and it got -- need. And it's just templates they found to be. I'm not possible India -- Yemen since 1960 presidential candidates happen some former fashion on after the Latino vote. The 2008 race it's no different -- this time the Latino vote may be decisive role in who might win the democratic nomination for president. It can also played significant role in the general election. Texas primary voters will polls march 4 along with voters in Ohio Rhode Island and Vermont. But Texas represents a big prize for delegates. And Latino vote in the lone star state and they've been role. In California New York senator Hillary Clinton to win at 60% at the Latino vote compared to around 30% for Illinois senator Barack Obama. But Texas may be different story that's because the state's Latino population has had -- longer but complex history with African Americans. Still some Latino immigrant voters may not vote for Barack Obama out of racism. Across the divide spoke with optional Mineola about the Latino vote taxes he's director of the center for Mexican American studies at the University of Houston. And an expert on black brown relations in Texas."

" I think California. You go to an -- in Los Angeles especially in southern California -- the largest opera many blacks in California again without can be concentrated in the LA area. And so there and and immigrants there. Have moved into black neighborhoods there's a lot and the blue -- you know government now flooding the the traditionally black neighborhood basically black school who has been a lot of conflict epic gangs you know what's interesting is that in California as well as here occasionally. A lot of conflict surfaces around. -- that my dole. Mexican Independence Day is celebrated in the schools you know stand. There's just a lot of conflict are gangs -- well we haven't had been since you've had some strain and tension around. Include a -- holidays there's been some concern that traditional black schools to be had taken all about implement but it hasn't. It it doesn't -- look. There what's going on in LA and black brown conflict doesn't Houston doesn't even compare what's been going on ballots for the last 250. God thank the atmosphere here in the racial atmosphere here is -- Between blacks and browns it is in California. A blanket squad but that the quality native difference. To me -- that strikes. That that is very very prominent you know when I'm I'm going to be an art -- first ran for mayor in LA he got defeated because blacks. But the second time you ran he worked real hard to get them any carry them. He carried in the second consulate possible can offer nothing but make inroads and in into the African American community. Unfortunately in all of everybody looks down all blacks and and and the Mexican population has no different. So the question is always is what portion. You know what proportion of Latinos just -- racist attitudes that are not vulnerable they're not -- for an African American they don't -- it's -- themselves you know. We don't know to what are you know we don't know how larger group is little our extensive -- so important song. So we're just gonna gonna play out I think. Personally I think that everywhere -- Obama been able to. Spent some time in Latino community and made headway unnoticed for example last panel TV that somebody -- Maryland or Virginia they were talking about it he carried the Latino vote in Virginia or Maryland but my question that what kind of let -- rather. All of it Mexican you know are there other South American bird sent you know what I mean I think that makes a big difference. The researcher at an astronaut did on black brown relations showed that emigrants. That there was more social distance. Between immigrants and blacks and between chicanos and blacks the emigrants for their part for example we had a question -- the first. Three words that come to your mind when you think of African Americans. And they tended to use more negative -- characters -- Mexico and America. Conversely blacks in the to have more positive views about the group in general. Compared to -- about him. About immigrants and Chicago's little the government said the most negative view daughters and a kick out of not as negative for quite did not necessarily have a negative view about the the community as a whole. Of them the other interesting thing that we found and it is that moment okay let's take the negative group just find out who in the immigrant group of them in the in the black group notes low income black -- and it tends to be female. It can to be black females in immigrant females who had the most negative views toward the other group. Yes and -- that we had to deal with is that. Most immigrants also on in the in the survey indicated that they had little if any contact with the African Americans at all. Let raised the question while the -- and Hillary get negative views so that -- negative views. It would finally came down on the issue eight international. Black people or people of color in general worldwide and it -- to have tend to be seen negatively. And it's an anecdotal because those discuss some of the circle we did it was in my class for example and a lot of it's several of the students who were born in Mexico and Campbell the internship well. You know we picked up. All all I've never had contact with -- African Americans don't know anything about what I'd learned about them that's what we pick up. Two American media. That is you know films in this that the children Mexico. She says but we also have had you know we did not we didn't certainly competent thank -- very -- either but they're really you know so we believe hypothesize. They're they're picking up Baltic that you don't have to contact with a one and held this coming on the line. One girl that for example usable and I came from Mexico's is that -- and I came out really scared that one of the reasons they wanted to come to Houston. Because there was just so many somebody African Americans here but it warned you know -- kind of stared but she -- in the -- based -- you know what they had -- TV in Mexico what -- pop culture that translated -- instead -- Mexico you know."

" We -- Americans Houston has history with Mexican Americans and African Americans voting. And working in coalitions. Yes there have and they and they have voted for African American candidates pastor. That's right that they have no problem crossing over so to speak to vote for -- who is African American."

" But the Internet listing question because when. Wendy brown ran he had little trouble with the -- that was next liberals. He was able to get 45% of -- can't recall exactly -- wasn't there was little -- what wasn't smooth you know army but everybody you know he was able to get quite a few not bankers and other words if you want to go -- find instances. We're Latinos and blacks form coalitions he could find it Chicago one girl. Harold Washington got elected in LA -- on bone Nubian of course I got elected D brown picked up a substantial number of but in the -- here in Houston you can find evidence of coalition building. You can also find elements conflict I personally thank Russell that Hillary may be the choice. Of the Latino communities now females you know -- the sisterhood saying but I also blanket of Obama winds up being of the democratic nominee well that a vote for."

" That was stopped -- Mueller the director of the center for Mexican American studies at university at Houston. And an expert on black brown relations in taxes. Coming up a heated state representative race in the most let in a city in Massachusetts this is across the divide."

" Norton ghost -- it's do you go -- idea -- in November. KP of that Kennedy."

" In 2007 former city councilor marbles devers lost -- being twenty district sixteen state representative would -- he. It was a heated campaign to resulted in ever -- thrown off the ballot. On residency requirements. Devers -- sticker campaign afterwards but still lost to Antigua both men from the Dominican Republic and have been bitter rivals and points political scene. Point is -- city of around seven to 1000 people about 7% of the population is -- recently devers announced that he would be challenging -- again. Only this time he says it's Antigua who doesn't -- in the district the potential rematch between the command has generated excitement among Hispanics -- media in the area. Deborah says he's running against Antigua this time wait number of different reasons Mark with peppers."

" And I -- means that I can -- dress and maybe even common outlook ripped up property I in -- make believe that being help. What get that we also need -- To prove that what we like and that district digital from the press release that these two particularly to bitch about name's -- at least in the district for some months. Now Petra that's not -- hello. Yeah club leaving that district being I don't witnesses about seeing him. It's a web -- not quite as easily could be body. It would appear like largest -- about you you are from what the plot point toward any other point. Industry within the community who are let them -- the curriculum demonstrate. That immediate decision then -- being currently."

" For his apartment he says devers is wrong about his residence status. He welcomes their rematch."

" Oh well if you ever see you could hit adamant that minorities are -- I mean me I'm not she'll probably judicial corruption that would sort of but it the level we don't slump that. And also Washington but I'm not to debate -- Indonesian rule eight and -- broken Nicholas you know eat eat eat eat real equally -- here. -- an awfully small window without any knowledge mean they mean me political people crossing each and it is an economic problem in it you know you're not and Hillary prop. He cannot go -- unemployment and critical but it'll that orders all before and I'm sure they're ready pool -- This book you know pro -- frequency game when I'm -- so come -- and it's gonna Como. Swing it. In the the company dedicated market. The company like Italy -- they don't tonight -- I'm glad you go because -- is obligated to people."

" The race will be closely watch -- wins will become the high shrieking electing a political in the Commonwealth's most in the city for the Boston Globe. This is Russell contreras."

" About three years ago Concord academy math teacher George -- went to right with a plan. He wanted to build libraries and rural areas. Parents with they had few books and if you if you just read across the -- recently spoke with -- Larry about a project what we found is that in three years. He's got three libraries in working on a four so my name is George clarity. I'd like to study languages. I know one day in the shower the idea came to me oh wouldn't be cool. To start little libraries so they had Johnny apple seed planted trees -- UN it would be need to go to plan. Libraries -- and so I became interested in studying Spanish. And I found a little schooling Granada. Which is a beautiful colonial town. But though it was one day they took without horseback riding about half an hour outside of Granada and to a cooperative. And I fell in love with the area. This is beautiful rural environment the corporate is made up -- farmers. Just eking out a living certainly very poor and had a good time there -- you know -- could come back next summer and so one day I just on a bus. That area and I made my way back to the corporate remember where was and I. Found some guys working in the field had hit I would have today is that if I -- with an attribute your part of the cooperative with the I went horseback riding here. -- that you know I'd like to help out some way. At one point they -- him -- got this mean that we caller study room and we'd like to would like to be able to. How like a little book collection of some like oh my god that's the sort of project on active but the library. That's it I can get you books. So went down and we bought about the etiquette books. I would say about half of them are fiction a -- for kids I was particularly aiming for -- books that kids and then some of them nonfiction like this -- has. Effect of course emergencies and it -- receive a controlling a dictionary he's probably holding something on maybe civics in Nicaragua. So I got some like atlases books on. Kids books that kids levels on science history history of the world history Nicaragua you know ancient Rome and -- about that. And and then about the other half was like very books and fiction for kids. He mentioned that the whole idea sharing. It's keeps you going for what dusty -- project here personally. Oh I think I think it's. It says that personal transformation the same time. Responded there's there's a lot of learning Jack goes on. About person you know getting gaining a perspective when you deal with people who come from a very different culture. What sorts of things are very fundamental what's things are really to -- really matter. Whose universal things. You figure out what they are when you move into something very different table with his universal this is something that's appreciated both cultures for instance a smile a warm handshake a little bit of patience those sorts of things I learn better when I'm in those communities because. Baird because. Things are done differently based -- that thing is those fundamentals are there and I can see him I recognize them and so I know what they are better. Anti focus more on those and let the superficial stuff there. Ago by the wayside."

" Off today at a Boston Globe podcast please visit Boston dot com. It activities with another episode of across that divide. But the Boston Globe it just took pictures of Texaco"