"D" is for Diversity

Latinos are the largest and fastest growing minorities and comprise 15% of the U.S. population but are only 1% of Kent State's student body. TV-2 reporter Jeannette Reyes finds out what it's like for Latinos to be a rarity on their college campus.
******************Transcript************************
[TAKE PACKAGE]

[LENGTH: 2:26]

[CG: TODD ALBA/FRESHMAN MEXICAN-AMERICAN STUDENT] [00:27]

[CG: JEANNETTE REYES/TV-2 REPORTER] [01:28]

[CG: DAVID GARCIA/VP OF ENROLLMENT] [01:58]


NAT SOUND

What would you do if you were the only person of your ethnicity or race in almost all of you classes? Sounds like its not a big deal but its something that affects the few minorities at Kent State, especially Latinos.



NAT SOUND

On an online study Kent State received a D+ for the lack of diversity in its student body.



NAT SOUND

Todd Alba is a Mexican-American 1st generation college student from Omaha, Nebraska, a city with a Latino population of more than 10%.

SOT: (Alba)

THERES A STREET CALLED 24TH STREET AND THEY BASICALLY CALL IT LITTLE MEXIO. EVERYTHING IS IMPORTED. IF YOU WANT TO GET ANYWHERE ON THE STREET, YOU HAVE SPEAK SPANISH.

Todd applied to 3 schools and was going to transfer because of the difficulty he had adjusting.

SOT: (Alba)

I THINK FIRST SEMESTER IN ALL OF MY CLASSES I WAS THE ONLY HISPANIC.

He says because of the lack of diversity he is often stereotyped.

SOT: (Alba)

YES MY EX-ROOMMATE ACTUALLY WHEN I USED TO LIVE IN BEAL. WHEN I FIRST MET HIM HE WAS REALLY SHY AND YOU KNOW DIDNT TALK TO ME THAT MUCH. I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE WE HAD JUST BEEN MEETING EACH OTHER. HE TOLD ME THAT THE REASON HE DIDNT COME UP TO ME THAT MUCH—TALK TO ME THAT MUCH IS BECAUSE HE DIDNT EXPECT ME TO SPEAK ENGLISH THAT WELL.

Like man Latinos the pressure to eliminate these stereotypes follows him into the classroom.

SOT: (Alba)

I HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT I THINK ABOUT MY QUESTION AHEAD OF TIME. AND MAKE SUREIT SOUNDS REALLY WELL AND MAYBE THROW IN A BIG WORD THAT I KNOW HOW TO USE CORRECTLY TO MAKE IT SOUND GOOD. SO THAT WAY PEOPLE ARE LIKE WOW YOU KNOW, HE ACTUALLY KNOWS WHAT HE TALKING ABOUT INSTEAD OF OH HE MUST NOT KNOW HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH THAT WELL.

STAND UP:

CULTURE SHOCK, STEREOTYPES AND PAYING FOR SCHOOL ALL WHILE BEING A FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT ARE PROBLEMS SOME LATINOS MUST FACE WHEN ATTENDING COLLEGE. WHICH MAY BE WHY LATINOS ARE HALF AS LIKELY TO GRADUATE AS THEIR WHITE PEERS, MAKING THE UNIVERSITYS MISSION TO DIVERSIFY THE CAMPUS A LITTLE HARDER TO ACHIEVE.

NAT SOUND

Associate VP of enrollment David Garcia is working on enrolling more qualified Latino applicants to Kent State but says its easier said than done.

SOT: (Garcia)

WE NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING HERE AT KENT STATE THAT IS SYMBOLIC FOR LATINOS. THERES NOTHING HERE ON OUR CAMPUS THAT SAYS THIS IS A PLACE FOR LATINOS.

NAT SOUND

All this takes time. Which means some students have to wait. But can they?

SOT: (Alba)

TIME WILL TELL. RIGHT NOW IM OKAY BUT THERES ONLY SO MUCH MORE I CAN TAKE.

For TV2 News Im Jeannette Reyes.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Diversity
• Latinos
• Kent State University
• KSU
• Jeannette Reyes
• Jeannette
• Jeanette
• Janet
• Reyes
• Journalism
• Lack
• Todd Alba
• Hispanics

[jeannetterey89]

I have no idea what you are saying. But it sounds like you didn't really understand the purpose of the video. Nobody said having Whites around you is a bad thing. A lack of diversity anywhere, however, is a bad thing.

[parkerboggs89]

why is being white and having whites around you a bad thing. Why are whites promoting a mexican and asian invasion?