Nuyorican Dream: A Film to Voice Connection

When evaluating new means of exploring my voice, I choose to select a film that helped depict a part of the Latino culture.  I came across a documentary, narrated by young man who spoke about his struggles of achieving a college degree and the current state of the fastest growing ethnic group in America.

Nuyorican Dreams focuses on the family of Robert Gutierrez, who has achieved a college degree and is now working in the education system in New York City.  The film maker introduces the viewer to his mother, who is raises many of her offsprings children, Robert's siblings who are either addicted to drugs, in a state of poverty, or in and out of prison.  The rare light of hope is Robert's sister, Milly, who he is determined to keep her on the right path.  For Robert, one of the main frustration's is that because of his job (through a college education) he has burdened himself to be a source of financial and emotional stability to the family.

Through Robert's family situtation of poverty may be extreme, he points out the state of Latinos around the country are drawn to the myth of the American dream.   It was said that 37% of all Latinos/Blacks are in a condition of poverty in American.  This financial disadvantage puts people at risk to use extreme means such as robbery, drug dealing, and other forms of crime to live day-to-day.  Using his brother, Danny, as an example, this causes a large majority of those in the ethnic minority to end up in prison.  Of the people currently in prison, over 65% come from that ethnic minority. 

One point that Robert experienced that my voice may would be the feeling of alienation.  A college education for a person who's environment does not merit this would find it especially difficult to make a connection back home.  Their friends, might not understand their new commitments to student activities, have little understanding for college classes, or may not be able to relate to as much as usual.  With their family, siblings might be angry that they did not have an educational chance or that they are losing their brother or sister to a profession or individual dream.  Parents may not be able to understand the avenues in which their child needs to go through in order to be successful.

Robert points out, like the student organization, an understated point in recieving a college education is that of service.  For Robert, it is important that he works with area Latino youth in providing them support, tutoring, and a role model.  Though not everyone is an educator or feels comfortable as a leader, it is important that people try to incorporate a value of service into their work.

For first year students, especially coming from poverty, student affairs professionals need to understand the major transition that takes place.  Nancy Schlossberg in her article, "Marginality and Mattering: Key Issues in Building Community", highlights how to create a connected community with students.  Like the strong leadership and role modeling that may have taken place for them, it is important that we give all students opportunities to be apart of something bigger than themselves.  With this personal responsibility, it creates them mattering to a group or organization.

Nuyorican Dreams highlighted the hardship of Latinos in this country and how students will come in with a wide variety of socioeconomic statuses, access to resources, and family experiences.  Robert, like many, show how hard it is to balance a college education with supporting and integrating family and friends.

Leguizamo, J. (Producer), & Collyer, L. (Producer/Director). (2000). Nuyorican Dream [Movie picture]. United States: California Newsreel.

Schlossberg, N. (1989). Marginality and mattering: Key issues in building community [Electronic Version]. New Directions for Student Services, 5-15. from Google Scholar.