Everyone should question the purpose of cultural organizations. Is there a reason to organize the few Latinos on campus beyond being just that: a group of Latinos? What makes people "cultural enough" to be involved? Would it compromise the integrity of the Latino organization if the president was half Chinese - and didn't always check the ever-so-disputed "Hispanic/Latino" box?
How can students proactively address or gain awareness of disparities facing specific populations? The national high school graduation rate of Latinos is just breaking 50 percent, teen pregnancy is more than double that of Caucasians, prevalence of illicit drug abuse competes with the highest in the country and Latino representation at Hopkins has been stagnant for over five years; there are serious yet unaddressed issues facing this population - the most rapidly growing ethnic population in the United States.…
2008 Woodie Awards