Assets

The following is an excerpt from the Blueprint for Latino Health in Montgomery County Maryland, 2008-2012:
“Nationally, immigrants are a net fiscal benefit to the country’s economy, pay more in taxes than they consume, contribute to the Social Security system, and create jobs. In 1997, the National Research Council stated that the average fiscal impact of immigrants is positive, and estimated that in the United States “the average immigrant pays nearly $1,800 more in taxes than he or she costs in benefits”. In a 2005 National Foundation for American Policy study, it was calculated that in the next 50 years, new documented immigrants to the United States will provide a net benefit of $407 billion in present value to the Social Security system.
Latinos in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area have a strong work ethic, are ready to take several jobs simultaneously and have an enormous potential to fuel the local economy through their contributions to the County’s economy, purchasing power and tax base. According to a 2006 Urban Institute study, immigrant households paid nearly $10 billion in taxes in 1999-2000, nearly 18% of all taxes paid in the Washington DC metro area, in rough proportion to their share of the population. We are strongly represented among business owners and entrepreneurs. We carry the highest growth in startups, revenue growth, and service to a thriving community.
The influx of Latino immigrants into Montgomery County over the last two decades has helped transform this County into the most diverse one in the State of Maryland. As the Latino population continues to grow, its contributions to the County’s cultural, social, political and economic growth will continue expanding accordingly.
Latinos come from many countries with unique histories, politics, climates, landscapes, foods and ways of living. While shared personal or family experiences of immigration are part of the Latino identity, many Latinos have a past rooted in the United States for several generations while others are recent arrivals. Many Latinos are bilingual, some only speak English, some only speak Spanish, while others may speak one of the hundreds of indigenous languages still existing in Latin America. Although the Latino community is heterogeneous and in constant flux it shares a strong sense of cultural identity and Spanish remains a common unifying bond.
Latinos want to preserve their unique cultural heritage and their language while adopting the American way of life as they settle in the United States. Latinos seek the American Dream too. As with other immigrants coming to the United States, Latinos are optimistic and hopeful. We have the courage to travel to new places and immerse ourselves in a new culture and language, are resourceful and do not hesitate to navigate and engage unfamiliar systems. We are ready to sacrifice our own comfort to give our children and extended families a chance at a better life. We seek to be financially self-sufficient, own a home, have a family, live in a safe environment, have access to a good education for our children, and lead a fruitful life.
Latinos want to become fully contributing and integrated members of society through participation, as shown by foreign-born individuals becoming citizens as time passes. The local Latino community enjoys an enormous capacity to enrich the County and strengthen basic institutions. Latinos have a strong work ethic and tend to have strong family values expressed by solid ties to nuclear and extended families and strong feelings of reciprocity and solidarity. The Latino vision is collective and people-centered stressing the significance of the personal over the individual. Many Latinos are willing to work for the betterment of the community and bring substantial experience in community organizing, trade unionism, manufacturing, education, business, law, scientific research, politics, communications, journalism, public relations, accounting, management, architecture, craftsmanship, art, music, entertainment and religion.
Most important, the Latino community has many trained and experienced health professionals who, although not licensed to practice yet in this country, present a great potential in providing culturally and linguistically competent health services. Immigrant doctors, nurses and other health care specialists frequently deliver care to underserved populations playing a critical role filling gaps in the country’s health care system.
At a community level, well-developed Spanish-language newspapers, radio, and television have wide audiences and the potential to facilitate the flow of health information through the community. Churches with large Latino congregations tend to play a strong supportive role for their members, one that goes far beyond religious and spiritual care. There are several Latino community-based organizations that are culturally and linguistically competent and are in a unique position to deliver services as a result of the high levels of trust they secured from the Latino community. The presence of influential leaders in the community represents great potential for expanding Latino participation in social and political arenas to help address health issues faced by the Latino community.”

Resources

© 2010 Latino Health Initiative of the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. All right reserved.