Among Dominicans In A New Destination By Leeif Jensen
In Leif Jensen’s article, “Ethnic Identities, Language, and Economic Outcomes among Dominicans in a New Destination,” Jensen observes Dominican immigrants, who migrated to Reading, Pennsylvania from the Dominican Republic, and how they identify themselves in America. He and his fellow researchers start their observations by giving some of the Dominicans, in Reading, surveys about their homes, health, stress, migration history, and other things. They find that 7.6 percent of Reading’s population is Hispanic, which is double Harrisburg’s percentage (Harrisburg is the community with the next closest percentage of Hispanics). They also used open-ended questions concerning race to give the respondents the opportunity to indicate how they classify
themselves and found that most of them use “ethnic” identifiers when classifying themselves racially. Jensen found that approximately 43 percent of them used an ethnic identifier (“Dominican/o/a”) and 42 percent used a panethnic identifier (“Hispanic/o/a/ and Latino”) (Jensen 7). Many of the Dominicans who had spent many years in the U.S used the panethnic identifier to identify themselves, and the Dominicans who had not been in the U.S very long used self-identifiers. Another thing that Jensen observed about the Dominican immigrants was that they did not like to be called black, even though they did identify themselves as very dark skinned, later on, however, some of them realized that many Americans considered them black. Interestingly enough, the panethnics had lighter skin tones than those who identified themselves as Dominicans. In the article, Jensen concluded that the panethnics not only were lighter than the self-identified Dominicans, but they were better educated, most likely employed, and had higher incomes and home-ownership rates (11).
themselves and found that most of them use “ethnic” identifiers when classifying themselves racially. Jensen found that approximately 43 percent of them used an ethnic identifier (“Dominican/o/a”) and 42 percent used a panethnic identifier (“Hispanic/o/a/ and Latino”) (Jensen 7). Many of the Dominicans who had spent many years in the U.S used the panethnic identifier to identify themselves, and the Dominicans who had not been in the U.S very long used self-identifiers. Another thing that Jensen observed about the Dominican immigrants was that they did not like to be called black, even though they did identify themselves as very dark skinned, later on, however, some of them realized that many Americans considered them black. Interestingly enough, the panethnics had lighter skin tones than those who identified themselves as Dominicans. In the article, Jensen concluded that the panethnics not only were lighter than the self-identified Dominicans, but they were better educated, most likely employed, and had higher incomes and home-ownership rates (11).