Latinos: finally recognized as an ethnic minority

The Prisma Newspaper

Last week, Southwark Council officially recognized the community as an ethnic minority living in the area. This event amounts to the first step for them to resolve theirs problems and for their contribution to British society to be valued. We examine the significance of this success with two of the leaders of LARC (Latin American Recognition Campaign). Miriam Valero In spite of the fact that there has been a Latin-Amercian community living, working and contributing their taxes in the UK for over 40 years, their needs have been invisible until now. From this month that has changed. The community which spent 2 years fighting for recognition as an ethnic minority has won their first battle. Southwark Council, which manages one of the areas where the largest number of Latin Americans live, Elephant and Castle – has recognized them as an ethnic minority group living in their community, which menas that from now on they will have to be included in studies of the needs of the population. And it will be the first step towards making their problems visible and resolving them. This recognition will help to achieve the integration of the community, and will be able to ensure things as important as good education for Latino children, the safety of women who have been abused, or that community members obtain decent housing. The Prisma spoke to the present coordinator of LARC, Lucila Granada and her predecessor in charge, Gladys Medina, about why this recognition as Latin-Americans is a success for the community. The two of them, and others, have led the campaign for this recognition together with the whole community. What has Southwark Council done by taking this step? Gladys Medina: The Council has recognized our community as an ethnic minority and has decided that from now on, it will be included on all the forms used in research and monitoring. This means that the Council will instruct their departments to include the category ‘Latin-American’ officially. And from now on, we as members of that community can register a complaint if we are not included. How will local residents benefit? GM: They will benefit in terms of the resources that will be allocated to them. For example if the Council has to budget for a health project, they will have to take into account the number of Latin-Americans that need the service. Lucila Granada: From the statistics that they will obtain in studies of Latin-Americans, they will be able to identify the problems of the community, and hence find out which services Latin-Americans do not have access to. In addition, from now on whatever actions are required will be treated as official problems. That will also be a great help to community organizations working in the area, who will be able to use these official figures to justify the work they are doing. And it will also have a big impact on the visibility and integration of the community. For example, a simple situation such as a parent taking their child to school, and now being able to say that they are Latin-American, will help the integration process. People are going to identify themselves as Latin-American on application forms, and so they will qualify for certain rights. Which problems that Latin-Americans have can begin to be put right? GM: A lot. For example, there is a lack of English classes, because when people arrive without knowing the language, this kind of assistance is fundamental. After the recognition, the number of Latin-American people in need of this service will be known, and the benefit will be that the Council will be obliged to do something to provide it. LG: Another of their needs is that there are many Latin-American children without places in schools. People arriving do not understand the system, and find themselves facing the difficult situation that there are no places, and that they have to wait for months. Another problem is that of immigrants going to Employment Centres and coming back without anything. There is a lack of awareness about what is happening. Is it a question of discrimination? Is it because they don’t understand the system? Is it a lack of information in Spanish? GM: Or housing problems. Most people who have arrived in recent years live in overcrowded conditions. From now on, for example, the Council will have to carry out more regular inspections where they live, to check whether landlords are fulfilling their obligations to keep their accommodation in a good state of repair. A lot of Latin-Americans do not have the documents to permit them to live here legally. Will this step help them too? LG: Recognition as an ethnic minority will bring more openness and more information. Until now undocumented Latin-Americans have been living in situations of social isolation and lack of information. There are many services and rights available, but they don’t apply for them out of fear, or because they don’t know about them. The education of their children for example. This is a right for everyone, and it includes all children, whether their parents have legal status here or not. How important is it for Latin-Americans to recognize themselves as such? GM: The category is important, because it defines us also as people with a similar culture and history. Besides that, we have concluded that this category was the most appropriate, taking into account the current situation in this country. Do Latin-Americans feel that they belong to this category over and above their nationalities? GM: For some members of the community it is difficult to understand why it is important for them to be classified in this way. I think that this comes about because these classifications don’t exist in our countries. I come from Bolivia and we are not classified officially by origin or ethnicity. When someone explains why it is important, people begin to accept it and recognize it as a bigger category. And they see it is important that there should be a common category for everybody. In my case for example, I would like to call myself by my Quechua or Aymara origins. But what significance does that have in England? None . ‘Latin-American’ was the most suitable choice at the present time. After this first success, what will the next steps be for LARC? GM: This achievement is only the beginning. From now on social services will function better. The campaign is going to continue its work because recognition is more than just a category on an official form. And at the same time we are going to other local councils, like Lambeth and Islington, where there are many Latin-Americans, and we will ask for the same thing there. Later we will do it at the national level. Another task for the medium term is to work on the Census, and to contact the National Statistical Office, so that we can be included in the next count. Who can take credit for this victory? GM: It has been years of solitary effort by people like us who have worked with the community, which has made us realize the effects of not belonging to an official category. Also the campaign by LARC and other organizations who have called for recognition and supported the campaign. It is an achievement for the whole community. LG: The biggest Latin-American carnival in Europe takes place in Southwark, and there is the shopping centre at the Elephant and Castle. I think that these initiatives have made the participation of the community more visible. All of them, and those who have worked hard and paid their taxes and developed infrastructures in the community. They have all contributed and created such a high profile that the Council has recognized it. Does this step offer hope of achieving full integration? LG: We hope that other councils will listen to our request, and that this decision will not just be implemented quickly, but that it will also become a motive for other councils to do the same. It is a commitment that they have made, and this gives us hope. That means that many other councils may adopt a similar policy. GM: And that is a big step and an important achievement for the whole community.

LAMBETH BOROUGH COMMANDERS COMMENDATION

Following an Adjudication Panel to consider the Quality of Service Reports submitted
for the Borough Commander's Commendation, The Forum's commitee are pleased to inform that Myriam Hay has been awarded a Lambeth Borough Commander's Commendation.

The Panel learnt that Myriam has volunteered for the Borough since 2008 in a Spanish Community Liaison role and she is a very dedicated and hardworking volunteer who has done much to help the Spanish speaking community. On a regular basis spanish speakers can call and ask for police information, advice in their native tongue.
This service has worked very well and without the commitment of you it would not be possible.

The Panel appreciated the fact that without her efforts we would not understand this large and influential minority group on the Borough.
Myriam has been given this award for her exceptional level of commitment and dedication and she is an excellent ambassador for Lambeth Borough Police.
On behalf of the Panel, I would like to take this opportunity to say well done and congratulations on her award.

HATE CRIME- THIRD PARTY REPORT

O distrito de Lambeth, procura em parceria com as comunidades de linguas portuguesa e espanhola, identificar situações que possam ser passíveis de denuncia em diversos patamares de onde ressalta o crime de "ódio".
O crime de ódio, é definido como qualquer tipo de incidente que possa ser conotado com o preconceito sob as suas mais diversas formas.

Identificam-se quatro tipos de crime de ódio; raça, credo, deficiência ou homofóbico. Dentro deste leque, desdobram-se as situações em que possam acontecer ataques físicos, intimidação, comportamentos ameaçadores, cartas ofensivas, abuso verbal e "bullyng" na escola ou no emprego.
As autoridades informam que o crime de "ódio" pode ter um efeito desvastador sobre a vítima, na sua qualidade de vida. Ao mesmo tempo, o alastramento deste crime, pode levar comunidades inteiras a viver sob a pressão do medo. Atentos ao aumento deste crime em Londres ainda que pouco denunciado, as autoridades apelam para a denuncia mesmo que possam parecer apenas pequenos indícios.

A hora e o local em que o crime acontece, podem constituir dados interessantes para as autoridades poderem cruzar informações com outros relatos e poderem assim ajudar a prevenir novos episódios.
Através destas denuncias, as autoridades podem monitorizar a situações, criar padrões de comportamento e identificar áreas de atuação obtendo uma melhor compreensão deste género de crime público.

As autoridades de Lambet, pretendem através desta cooperação com os cidadãos criar ferramentas para que Lambeth seja um lugar mais seguro para viver.
As autoridades afirmam que a identidade do denunciante será mantida secreta a menos que haja crianças em risco. "As informações não serão compartilhadas com a Polícia sem pedir permissão primeiro" afirma o comunicado.

As denuncias em português poderão ser feitas através do Mobile:07505 901 585e as informações serão encaminhadas para o Coordenador Hate Crime Lambeth que irá monitorizar a informação e encaminhar para as autoridades competentes.

London's Latin Americans 'face exploitation at work'

More than 40% of Latin Americans in London face "discrimination and work place abuse", a report has claimed.

The study commissioned by the charities Latin American Women's Rights Service and Trust for London found that 85% of the 113,500-strong community had jobs.

But it said half of these workers were stuck in low-skilled jobs and 11% were illegally paid below the minimum wage.

The study by Queen Mary, University of London, said the needs of the community were being "ignored".

The report - No Longer Invisible - said the community was comparable in size to the Polish community in London and had grown four-fold since 2001.

Researchers spoke to focus groups and 1,000 people in the city who have roots in 20 Latin American countries.

The study found that more than half of the population were employed in low-skilled jobs such as cleaning, catering and hospitality, although they had qualifications
in teaching, accountancy, engineering and social work.
More than four out of 10 workers said they faced "workplace abuse and exploitation".

Their take-up of public services and state benefits was also low, with one in five saying they had never seen a GP and only 20% saying they had received some form of state welfare benefit.

Almost 70% felt "discrimination to be a major barrier to improving their quality of life".

'Poverty and hardship'

Cindy Sanchez, 22, who came to London from Colombia, said her parents found it hard to integrate. The singer told the study she feels "different" at auditions.

Pedro Quispe who owned a leather business in Bolivia said he found work as a cleaner since coming to London five years ago.

Tania Bronstein, chairwoman of Latin American Women's Rights Service, said: "It is important we are counted, especially by government agencies, so that our contribution and needs are not ignored.

"It is only when we are visible that issues uncovered by this research, such as the low rate of registrations with GPs and dentists by Latin Americans, are identified and can be addressed.

Bharat Mehta, chief executive of Trust for London, said: "Although most of the capital's Latin American community are working hard, many are facing high levels of exploitation and abuse and as a result experiencing significant poverty and hardship.

"We are particularly concerned that such a large number of Latin American workers are being illegally paid below the National Minimum Wage. At 10 times the UK rate there is an urgent need for the government to enforce the law."

Publish post by Myriam Aguilar Hay

"OPERATION HANNAH" Extra Police for Lambeth's Streets

Crime is residents’ number one concern and Police reorganisation strategy, known as Operation Hannah, will go live from Monday February 14th. Over 100 extra police officers will be assigned to six areas, covering the whole borough, that will increase visible policing, get more officers on the beat and provide an even greater focus on local issues such as anti-social behaviour.


Cllr Rachel Heywood Lambeth cabinet member for Communities and Community Safety said “Operation Hannah will go a long way to help the fight against anti social behaviour in Lambeth and significantly enhance local neighbourhood policing at a time when police number are being cut across the rest of the UK. Ensuring safer communities in Lambeth is a key priority for Labour administration and the additional police constables will provide a visible presence and safety net as well as helping reassure residents across the borough.’


Under operation Hannah all 21 wards in Lambeth will be partnered with others to make 6 clusters, called Local Policing Teams, with each cluster receiving at least an additional 14 police constables. The LPTs will also be working alongside, boosting the Safer Neighbourhood Teams, who will remain committed to tackling crime in their wards

ANUAL GENERAL MEETING

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
=====================

We have the pleasure of inviting you to attend the Annual General Meeting of the Portuguese/
Spanish speaking community Safety Forum,which will be held on :

Saturday, 26th February at 15.00 hrs

At the premises of Stockwell Community Resource Centre, 1 Studley Road London SW4 6RA.
The General Meeting will be opened by the Chair Myriam Aguilar Hay. Printed copies of the
annual report and the annual accounts are available upon request prior to the Meeting.
Please write to : Portuguese.spanish@yahoo.co.uk or phone : 079 18 17 66 80.

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

!! HAPPY NEW YEAR !!