In The Community
Few words are as prominent as “gratitude,” especially in the Latino community. We’re constantly reminded to be grateful for everything we have. While the practice is encouraged as a habit for improved mental health and it’s indeed important to be grateful, there are healthy limits to how grateful one should be. Enter toxic gratitude, which isn’t defined by a genuine sense of thankfulness, but by a sense of forced obligation.
There isn’t much research about toxic gratitude amongst Latinos, but culturally speaking, it’s not uncommon for both non-U.S. born and U.S. born Latinos to be discouraged from asking for what they actually deserve in the workplace, or be told not to make any waves and avoid any potential problems.
Where does the Latino gratitude problem come from and how does it negatively impact Latino social, economic, and personal progress?
The toxic gratitude problem
The difference between gratitude and toxic gratitude lies in intention. Where gratitude comes naturally, stemming from a genuine sense of thankfulness, toxic gratitude is something we force on ourselves to either suppress negative emotions or ignore real problems. For example, you’re a Latino in the corporate world and you’ve been climbing that ladder. Lately, you’ve been working yourself even further to the bone because you’re aiming for a coveted promotion.
When the time comes, the promotion goes to your white co-worker, who happens to be well-connected and hasn’t put in even half the work you have. That would make you feel all kinds of frustrated, angry, exhausted, and sad. In turn, these emotions would make you want to do something, like talking to your manager about it or even considering looking for a job in a company that will value your efforts.
Instead of feeling those emotions and potentially taking action, the voice in your head goes: “Everything happens for a reason, I should just be grateful for what I have. Thank God I even have a job.” While that’s a seemingly harmless thought, it’s a form of self-repression. Not only are you telling yourself that it’s not okay to feel how you feel, but you’re also talking yourself out of advocating for what you know you deserve.
That voice in your head has probably been nurtured by your Latino parents and grandparents, who have taught you that you have to work for what you want, but you also have to keep your head down. If you prove yourself through your work, the people in power will notice and eventually lift you up. Your work will speak for you and your time will come, so you shouldn’t complain. These are usually the values instilled in us, but are they helpful in every context? If we’re always taking things on the chin instead of standing up for ourselves when it counts, how can change ever be made?
Where does the Latino gratitude problem stem from?
We consider there are two main reasons for the Latino gratitude problem. One reason is catholicism, which is the main religion in Latin America and in Latino communities around the world. While the number of Latinos without religious affiliations is growing, Catholics are still the largest religious group among Latinos in the U.S., according to an AP poll.
One of the core tenets of catholicism is that suffering is redemptive and it leads to salvation. With catholicism being so ingrained in Latino culture, we’re taught to believe that suffering is not a bad thing, it’s something to be offered to God and good things may come of it. That’s one of the reasons we’re told to be grateful for everything, even the injustices we may experience.
Another reason is that most Latinos, especially Latino immigrants who have moved to the U.S. or other countries in search of a better life, generally know how much worse things can be. Yes, you didn’t get the promotion you deserved, but are you starving? “Other people have it much worse than me” or “At least my situation is not as bad as someone else’s” are common thoughts, but they diminish our own experiences. We’re essentially telling ourselves that our problems aren’t significant enough to matter when compared to worse struggles.
It’s also the case that, most of the time, every single one of our victories and accomplishments is hard-won. Latinos in the U.S. have to work harder for the same opportunities, and that’s particularly true for Latinas. It’s understandable that, given all that hard work, we don’t want to fall into victimhood by whining about the things we don’t get or achieve. This is also something we learn from our parents and grandparents. However, it’s not victimhood if Latinos are consistently underpaid and unrecognized for their contributions.
Latino toxic gratitude is a personal and community disservice
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On April 14, gardeners and lucky people with green thumbs celebrated National Gardening Day. While it doesn’t usually garner a lot of attention, National Gardening Day is focused on encouraging others to get into some plants or into a garden to start their journey. We propose it should also be a time to honor the special skill and knowledge gardeners have, especially in the Latino community, where our connection to the earth is such a big part of the culture.
For far too long, gardening in the United States has been associated with Latinos, mostly Mexicans, in a very stereotypical way. While their work may be appreciated at a base level, there’s little to no recognition of the profound skill and dedication Latino gardeners bring to their craft.
After all, gardening isn’t just about trimming hedges or mowing lawns; it’s more complex than that, requiring a deep understanding of horticulture. Anyone who has done it will tell you that growing the kind of stunning garden that makes your neighbors jealous is hard work. It requires a certain kind of intelligence, known as naturalistic intelligence, which is the ability to understand and work with natural elements.
People with naturalistic intelligence are very sharp about identifying patterns and understanding what nature needs. This is why people who have this kind of intelligence are so good at not just gardening, but also farming, conservation, and more. Granted, gardening may not always be a calling for Latinos living in the U.S. Sometimes, it’s a means to an end, but there’s no denying that Latino gardeners have a connection to nature and know what they’re doing.
Latino gardeners, while often overlooked or underestimated, are responsible for making communities brighter and more beautiful by transforming ordinary spaces into thriving ones. Many of them have sharpened their skills through generations of family tradition, which makes their work even more special, having the skills passed down from their parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents and beyond.
Behind every meticulously manicured lawn or flourishing garden bed there are hours of hard work and passion for nurturing the earth. Latino gardeners often start their days before dawn, familiarizing themselves with every area they work with. Why? Because beautiful gardens are achieved by making the right choices not just for the land, but also for the owner.
Gardening is all about creating harmony and linking people to nature. If you really think about it, gardening is extremely focused on connection. The land is connected to the soil, the soil is connected to the plant, and the plant is connected to carers who help it thrive—not just the gardener but also the homeowners who continue the gardener’s work.
As we reflect on National Gardening Day, let’s take the opportunity to honor the invaluable contributions of Latino gardeners. Let’s recognize their expertise, their dedication, and their role in shaping our communities. In doing so, let’s also challenge the stereotypes that have marginalized them for far too long and celebrate the rich knowledge and culture they bring to the table.
Not to mention the love that many of them pour into the land; a land that isn’t their own, making that love even more worthy of appreciation.
So, here's to Latino gardeners blessed with green thumbs; the unsung heroes of many a garden across the United States!
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How Important is it to Speak Spanish as a Latino? New Findings Revealed
The question of whether the ability to speak Spanish fluently has any bearing on the legitimacy of Latino identity has long been a topic of contention in the U.S. Latino community. While a substantial majority of Latinos don't consider language proficiency a prerequisite for Latino identity, a recent Pew Research Center report found that regardless, many believe future generations of Latinos should retain the ability to speak Spanish.
The report focused on the perspectives and experiences of U.S. Latinos and the Spanish language. The study also revealed what too many second-generation and beyond Latinos know all too well - that a substantial portion of Latinos who don't speak Spanish proficiently, particularly among younger demographics, have been on the receiving end of criticism from fellow Latinos.
According to the report's findings, while 75% of the respondents say they can have a conversation fairly well in Spanish, another 78% of the respondents don't consider speaking Spanish an indispensable element of their Latino identity. In an interview with USA Today, Laura Muñoz, an assistant professor specializing in History and Ethnic Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, explains this divergence, saying, "There's a desire to maintain the language but a recognition that not all of us speak the language, so what are you going to do? Disqualify those people from participation?"
But that's exactly what some Latinos do when they criticize non-Spanish-speaking Latinos while readily using the term "no sabo" to describe Latinos who don't speak Spanish. The term is often used as an insult or with negative connotations, but recently, non-Spanish-speaking Latinos have been pushing back and embracing their status as "no sabo" kids as a way of taking back their story and their experiences.
@jaimunoz8 No sabo olympics continued #mexicantiktok #nosabo
Why Do Some Latinos Not Speak Spanish?
Losing language proficiency in the United States corresponds with generational growth among immigrant families. It's typical for the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of immigrants to lose their native languages and customs. Typically, the second generation becomes bilingual, while the third generation primarily adopts English as their primary language.
Discrimination often played a role in the erosion of Spanish within Latino families.
Efforts to suppress non-English languages, such as English literacy tests for voting and corporal punishment in public schools for Spanish-speaking children, were pervasive, particularly in the Southwest region of the United States. Spanish-language bias and discrimination persist despite Spanish continuing to influence American pop culture in areas like advertising, music, and film. A 2018 Pew report reported that approximately 22% of respondents reported experiencing criticism for speaking Spanish in public.
The Future of Bilingualism
Although the majority of Latinos don't equate Spanish proficiency with identity, there remains a strong appreciation for the language's importance. While the Pew report found that about two-thirds of the respondents consider it very or extremely important for future generations to speak Spanish, the desire to be bilingual diminishes as assimilation progresses. Of the survey respondents, Foreign-born Latinos, at 78%, place greater importance on future generations retaining Spanish proficiency compared to 51% of U.S.-born Latinos. Among U.S.-born Latinos, the importance of Spanish proficiency decreases from 62% among second-generation Latinos to 32% among those of the third generation or higher.
Ultimately, attitudes in the U.S. towards bilingualism will have to shift in order for language preservation and bilingualism or multilingualism to be considered culturally important. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 20% of Americans can converse in two or more languages compared with 56% of Europeans. Initiatives such as dual-language programs, which have been increasingly implemented in U.S. schools due to their positive impact on student performance, offer hope for a cultural shift.
Additionally, heritage learning programs such as Spanish Sin Pena are tailored for Latinos raised in bilingual households who want to learn Spanish or improve their proficiency and, as the name implies, wish to do so in a judgment-free space. These programs can effectively serve to instill pride in their language and cultural heritage.
The status of Spanish within the Latino identity is a multifaceted issue, reflecting the complex interplay of linguistic heritage, generational shifts, historical discrimination, and contemporary challenges. As the Latino community navigates these dynamics, efforts to preserve and promote Spanish language proficiency in future generations continue to evolve, as does the identity of Latino itself.
