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Just reading a book Latinos, Biography Of The People, by Earl Shorris.
"Never before had there been a group of exiles quite like the Cuban exiles, not even the White Russians who carried out more royalist baggage, not even the German Jews who came to the U.S. during the 19th century; no group of newcomers had ever moved so quickly from penury to prosperity."
"The Cuban exiles, primarily middle- and upper middle-class, soon became middle and upper class once again."
"In Houston, as in Los Angeles, the Cubans rose quickly to become an elite among Latinos. Most of the Latin doctors are Cuban."
Understandably, when they were given asylum, the right to work, there was financial assistance from the federal government.
Is that why? As other Latin groups, not asylum seekers, didn't get the financial assistance the Cubans received? Other reasons? They help each other out more than other Latinos?
A few things: Castro-era Cuba had mandatory education, and escapees were greeted as heroic anti-Communists upon reaching the US rather than being economic migrants.
A few things: Castro-era Cuba had mandatory education, and escapees were greeted as heroic anti-Communists upon reaching the US rather than being economic migrants.
It was also mainly the merchant and professional class that was pushed out, rather than just self-selecting to flee. In other kinds of refugee situations you get a fairly broad mix of poor and non-poor - in the case of Cuba, because it was a socialist revolution, it was heavily skewed toward upper middle-class and above people who left Cuba, especially in the initial post-revolution wave of emigrants.
Another factor is that Cuba was a token between the Soviets and the U.S., so the U.S. wanted to give Cubans incentive to abandon Cuba to make a political point against communism and the Soviet way of life.
It was also mainly the merchant and professional class that was pushed out, rather than just self-selecting to flee. In other kinds of refugee situations you get a fairly broad mix of poor and non-poor - in the case of Cuba, because it was a socialist revolution, it was heavily skewed toward upper middle-class and above people who left Cuba, especially in the initial post-revolution wave of emigrants.
Another factor is that Cuba was a token between the Soviets and the U.S., so the U.S. wanted to give Cubans incentive to abandon Cuba to make a political point against communism and the Soviet way of life.
This. It was solidly middle- and upper-middle class people who came originally, so they already had a history of success. They were well-educated and highly intelligent. Also, they banded together and helped each other to a degree. None of those things are true of the other economic or political refugees from Latin America, generally.
Banding together, helping one another, I think that could be the case, in some respects, unlike the other Latin groups.
My Mexican handyman roommate of 17 years, latched onto a Cuban contractor, 15 years ago, and they've been joined at the hip eversince, and, all their clients are Cubans here in Las Vegas.
It works out well for my Mexican roommate, as he refuses to work for or live with other Mexicans, and the payback is much higher.
Let's also not forget that under the United States government policy there's no such thing as an illegal Cuban immigrant in this country. It seems to me that it's easier to advance economically when the INS helps you instead of hunts you.
Let's also not forget that under the United States government policy there's no such thing as an illegal Cuban immigrant in this country. It seems to me that it's easier to advance economically when the INS helps you instead of hunts you.
True. You can start legitimate above-board businesses, while illegals from Latin America (Mexicans aren't the only ones) can only ever hope to be cheap labor for others, or at best, have their own under-the-table gardening or odd job self-employment.,
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