For many of us, coming to the United States is an awakening because many conversations on systemic racism \u2014 and pushing for diversity and inclusive language \u2014 are only beginning in our home countries. Coming to the United States is often a culture shock that requires that we redefine our identities. Learning, understanding, and adjusting our behaviors takes time, particularly given the unique position Latino Americans \u2014 who are, according to Pew Research<\/a>, the second-most discriminated against ethnic group in the United States, after African Americans \u2014 often find themselves in when immigrating here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nearly 1 in 3 people in federal prisons are Latinos, and Latino men are twice as likely<\/a> to be incarcerated for drug-related offenses than white men, despite equal offense rates. At the same time, Latinas earn 54 cents<\/a>, and Black women earn 62 cents for every dollar earned by a white man. And yet, Latinx people still enjoy many privileges in American society that our Black brothers and sisters do not. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lina Boothby-Zapata, a Colombian immigrant, Baha\u2019i, and social worker living in Massachusetts, finds that her Colombian heritage helps her in her daily work. \u201cWhen I\u2019m working with Latino families, I feel more empathy from them; we speak the same language, understand our culture, know our needs, and we know that there are Latin American countries where there is a lot of poverty. We also both know the immigration process, so they know I\u2019m aware of what they\u2019re talking about.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Lina also works with families from many other cultures, including European immigrants and African American families. \u201cI feel the [cultural] differences more then,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen I speak English, people immediately perceive my accent.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n She uses her story as a way to connect with them and establish trust. She notes, however, that interactions can still come with tense moments. African American families are often suspicious of government agencies due to the racial injustice that persists in the system<\/a>, particularly when it comes to child protective services. Even as a social worker with a sincere desire to assist these families, Lina sometimes struggles to build trust with them in the face of a long history of inequality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even in diverse communities of color across Latin America, prejudice still manifests itself, says Eugenio Marcano, a Dominican geography and soil science professor living in Massachusetts. \u201cMy culture is a happy and open-arms culture,\u201d says Eugenio. \u201cDominicans live with the doors of our homes open, and everybody is welcome to visit at any moment, no appointments needed. But many Dominicans, unfortunately, do have some xenophobic feelings against Haitians caused by historical and political disputes between the two countries.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n For Eugenio, the Baha\u2019i Faith\u2019s complete rejection of any form of prejudice offered a vision of how a spiritual approach can begin to heal these ancient wounds. \u201cThe Baha\u2019i Faith is clear about equality of races, gender, nationalities,\u201d Eugenio says. \u201cI just loved the Faith even more when I saw how much it emphasizes this. Dominicans would benefit enormously in understanding these principles of equality to deal with the xenophobic issues we have against our Haitians brothers and sisters.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n In California, Rubi Pacheco-Rivera finds that the Baha\u2019i Writings have helped her understand this complex relationship between Indigenous, African, and Spanish heritage in a spiritual light \u2014 and see how that history affects where her family comes from. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPuerto Ricans have African ancestry in addition to Spanish and Native Taino,\u201d she tells me. \u201cWe have a long history of colonization, and although residents are U.S citizens, the island remains greatly forgotten and under-resourced. This tiny island, which is only 110 miles wide by 35 miles long, has been devastated recently by Hurricane Maria and almost daily earthquakes since December 2020.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rubi looks to the Baha\u2019i Writings to explore the spiritual significance of Puerto Rico\u2019s culture \u2014 particularly in relation to its African ancestry. Baha\u2019u\u2019llah, the prophet and founder of the Baha\u2019i Faith, compared <\/a>Black people \u201cto the black pupil of the eye surrounded by the white. \u2018In this black pupil you see the reflection of that which is before it, and through it the light of the Spirit shines forth.\u2019\u201d<\/strong> In 1953, Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha\u2019i Faith, described Black people as \u201cpure-hearted and the spiritually receptive.”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Rubi](\"https:\/\/media.bahaiteachings.org\/2020\/10\/11741158_10153072836316448_4253024651748974204_o-720x720.jpg\")