lifecourseblog

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WHO DON OMAR AND TEGO CALDERON BECAME

This is an interview that was had 6 years after their collaboration in Bandoleros speaking on their current collaboration in the film Fast 5. They continued to succeed and branched out into acting. Their Love and friendship grew throughout the years as musicians and as individuals who share the same lived experience. Their inclusion as the first Afro-Latino men to be featured in the Fast & Furious movie series was profound because many of their lines were not scripted, they brought the true essence of Caribbean Latinidad. This was a huge moment for the Afro-Latino community. Don Omar and Tego were two of the most influential musicians in Reggaeton. Their legacy is crucial as it paved way for many other Afro-Latinos within the genre to thrive in the United States.

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Conclusion

The Afro-Latino experience is one deserves to be amplified and discussed as this population faces many societal obstacles. For Afro-Latino men Institutionalized racism and stigmas carry a lasting psychological affect and violently impacts their quality of life even after they've achieved economic success. Analyzing the relationship between Institutional and societal factors that affect the life structure ultimately impacting their trajectories and the conditions in which they transition through young adulthood is vital. This understanding will allow us to have more empathy, understanding, and increased awareness for the obstacles they face throughout the rest of their life course. Considering this lens will allows us to be more innovative in our trauma informed approaches intended to support our clients. Bandoleros by Don Omar (ft. Tego Calderon) is a testament to the experiences of many young Afro-Latino men before and after they achieve success. An experience we should continue to shed light on and work to understand as we aid our communities in psychological and spiritual liberation. 

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RELEVANCE FOR SOCIAL WORK

This theoretical analysis is relevant in social work because we are often preparing as professionals to support some of the most vulnerable populations. However considering the experience of those who have left the state of survival and reached levels of success are not highlighted as much for us throughout our academic journey in becoming social workers. It is known that as a Black person in America despite achieving higher economic status the stigmas are not eradicated. However listening and amplifying the experience of those who have achieved significant success is important. There are multiple ways in which Black people in American are forced into physiological states of survival. Once success is met one often reflects on all the ways it can be taken away, there is a constant threat to ones livelihood. Understanding the ways in which stigmas and criminalization of Black people have psychological affects that carry throughout the life course despite achievements and financial security are important if we wish to assist our clients in their psychological and spiritual liberation. 

What I have taken away from this assignment that I will integrate into my role as a social worker is ensuring that along the way I shed light on the strengths in my clients and in our communities aside from their accomplishments that many times feel fleeting. It was a beautiful opportunity to be able to take on this assignment being able to share such a personal piece from my childhood that In many ways reminds me that I am in the right field. I am passionate about my community, about my roots and all the factors that made me the person I am today and the professional that I will become in the field of social worker. 

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THEORETICAL ANALYSIS

The art piece chosen addresses young adulthood along the life course. The typical chronological ages for young adulthood are considered to be 23-39 though the textbook Dimensions of Human Behavior The changing life course considered it to be 18-40. The four common types of adulthood transitions are leaving home, finding a job, getting married and becoming a parent. In recent times these markers have been known to be met later in life. Many factors can influence when a young adult meets these transitional milestones. Through the life course perspective it is more useful to analyze social role transitions, important life events, and significant turning points. The themes identified here are racial stigmas and the policing of Afro-latino men. If we analyze these themes through the Levinson's Theory we would address the impacts stigmas and hyper policing would have on the life structure. The life structure is described as the outcome resulting from specific decisions and choices made along the life course (Hutchison, 2019). Research that builds on this theory considers societal factors that affect the life structure choices during young adulthood by limiting or creating opportunities during that time. Some examples of this can be socioeconomic status, parental expectations, having role models, neighborhood conditions, peer/group pressures. These factors can also impact a young person's alternative choices during this time therefore redefining their life structure. Factors such as wealth transfer and being able to pay for a child's college education can limit a young adult's opportunities for education and employment (Hutchison, 2019). Don Omar and Tego Calderon both grew up in poverty, not having many opportunities to pursue higher education in Puerto Rico. They both did not grow up with role models who would push them to achieve a higher education. Their early childhood and adolescence was shaped by survival. These factors impacted their options which resulted in their previous life structure before they reached economic and musical success in their careers. Don Omar and Tego Calderon, like many black men in our communities, chose to pursue their skill and passion within the music industry and that became their way out of the conditions they grew up in.

Then negative stigmas around Black men in America and in Latin America are linked to being criminals, bandits (as Don Omar said), dangerous, and second class citizens. These stigmas limit the opportunities for Black men within the work force and within educational systems. People in higher positions of privilege weaponize these stigmas and perpetuate ongoing social and racial inequities, these stigmas also contribute to self-fulfilling prophecies in educational settings and beyond. This occurs when a perceiver’s false belief influences the perceiver’s treatment of a target which, in turn, shapes the target’s behavior, ultimately impacting the life structure (Guyll et al., 2010). This happens in steps; “First, a perceiver must hold a false belief about a target, as when a teacher underestimates a student’s true potential. Second, the perceiver must treat the target in a manner that is consistent with the false belief, such as if a teacher presents easier material to low-expectancy students. Finally, the target must confirm the originally false belief, as when a low-expectancy student underperforms” (Guyll et al., 2010). The self-fulfilling prophecy has historically been linked to social problems due to its ability to create social inequality, decrease academic achievement of minority students, and fuel discrimination (Guyll et al., 2010). The criminalization of Afro latino boys can also lead to social death, Don Omar and Tego make this point as they express the hurt they experience from the narratives created about them on their journeys to becoming accomplished black men. Social death is the social suffering that results from both criminalization and dehumanization (Medina Falzone, 2021). In social death youth are treated as if, due to their inherent criminal nature, they may commit or have already committed a crime. This leads to policing tactics that include surveillance and searches at any place and any time. These become tools for the school and justice system to punish a crime (Medina Falzone, 2021). This kind of trauma begins in earlier stages taking place in an educational setting, and carries on throughout the lives of black men. “The school system and the Justice system are part of an overarching system of criminalization and punishment targeting youth of color and low-income youth”(Medina Falzone, 2021). These factors ultimately lead to aspects of the lived experience Don Omar and Tego wrote about in this song and their previous life structures before their success. The following lyrics depict the core themes discussed in this analysis. The lived experience, societal and psychological strain as an Afro-Latino man. This piece in its complete form also speaks to the will to persevere and thrive despite these circumstances. One of our most proud anthems as  Afro-Latino/Latino people.

[Don Omar verse]

damn what a situation...

i caught a case and then they pointed the finger

i was no longer the king of perreo >>>{perreo refers to the genre of music}

now i was tecato>>> {tecato is a drug user}

and another possible offender

two people said that they should throw me in prison

and i dont see it right.

i dont believe in their ungrateful reform system

i got arrested by to pigs just for hanging out >>> {pigs means cops}

and im here gritting my teeth, enduring , and keeping silent

if no one is perfect then tell me why are you judging me

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POSITIONALITY

I chose this art piece because it is a song that was a staple in my childhood, growing up in the Bronx around the early 2000s Reggaeton surged in the U.S and for a lot of latino and afro latinos many of these songs became anthems. Anthems to our identity, to our struggles. These songs were symbolic to our sense of overcoming and resilience. As a child growing up in the Bronx I never felt disconnected to the realities of poverty, gang violence, and hyper policing. Local drug dealers were friends to my family, they watched over us and Ive always understood the sense of pride we had to come from where we came from. When our community men were taken or charged with crimes we knew they committed we took it harshly. I understood as a young girl that the men in our communities were taken by police for committing crimes or not having legal documentation. I understood that they may be targetted for affiliation or for former affiliation. This song became a survivors anthem and we would blast it every summer since its release. It was at every birthday party, baby shower, block party or community event. As an adult I understand why we as a community held this song so close. This song tells the story of young men who overcame and describes a system that has never intended to give them a chance nor a second one. A system that does not believe in redemption but further criminalization of the poor. One that continues to punish our men despite their strides in a system designed to kill them. 

Young immigrant Afro latino men in low socioeconomic status are represented in this art piece. Tego Calderon being featured in the song is from an older generation speaks to the generational trauma that young Afro-latino men experience. 

This song interprets institutionalized racism directly while simultaneously being very nuanced. As it speaks to the current state of life for Afro-latino/Black men and the psychological state they live in while they are struggling to become and when they’ve reached their desired state of being. The song includes many of the frequent stigmas associated to black men and the ruthless ways in which institutions continue to criminalize and stigmatize them for the color of their skin and criminal history despite achieving higher economic status. The art piece touches on the ability to get through life despite the stigmas attached and giving grace to god for all the ways in which we as people prosper despite. It touches on being called racial slurs associated with the American Black man and not being phased because they're partners in related crimes but most importantly in their experience as black men. Tego speaks on political crime more importantly the crimes within institutions that criminalize them and calls out the hypocrisy within society and institutions. He also speaks on the tabs that are kept on him as if to catch him in suspected crimes and society’s push to have him incarcerated. The song describes the experience of Afro-latino men who are trying to correct their mistakes and are in pursuit of all the things most people want, to live a fruitful life, indulge in pleasures. There is an emphasis on being just like any other common man, guilty of his mistakes but deserving of redemption. One of the most powerful lines in this song is “Our father watches everything from above; the only one that judges the black man without discrimination” which is followed by the last line “withholding judgment is appreciated the benefit of a doubt is deserved by anybody”

My positionality allows me to understand this song as a person who grew up around the same circumstances. I don’t share the experience of an Afro-latino man coming from a low socioeconomic status. My understanding of the art piece comes from what I’ve witnessed in my lived experience and my proximity to their experience. I have the insight of a brown woman who has watched the men in my community be affected and ultimately lost them to prison or the fate many of them meet in urban areas like the Bronx. It comes from my understanding of the systems in place that were built so that neither of us could thrive in healthy homes, healthy communities, and build stable family structures for our children and threaten our livelihood. 

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BANDOLEROS - DON OMAR (FT. TEGO CALDERON) (TRANSLATED LYRICS)

YO! Tego Calderon, Don omar, the bandits

[chorus]

even though they say I'm a bandit wherever i go

i still give thanks to god for being where i am today

and im going to keep my {tumbao}>>>> {style of walking related to gangsters or swag}

and with my eyes bloodshot red

{with my cats activated} >>>>> {meaning friends ready for anything}

you guys have given it all to me

[Tego Calderon verse]

hey i dont care what they say about that nigga...

william landron and i are partners from the avenue

im a bandit just like that Mr politician

who stole all the money and was elected again {as if nothing}

now if it had been Calde or Don Omar

they would have given us conspiracy

and thrown away the key

and im not an example.

my respects to the tempo

hiss only crime was to have talent

what do you want me to write?

giberish and lies

about how the D.E.A has me in there sights

im clear and clean

all my taxes paid

and if i have no job they criticizes me that im lazy

i give first rate

and they treat me like im second

but just like that they love it

how this negro zumba >>> {Zumba.. to dish out: in this case rhymes or music }

i am your cuco >>> {cuco is similar to boogieman}

i have the Trabuco>>> (trabuco is a kind of pistol)

im know worldwide as the bad one

[chorus]

even though they say I'm a bandit wherever i go

i still give thanks to god for being where i am today

and im going to keep my {tumbao}>>>> {style of walking related to gangsters}

and with my eyes bloodshot red

{with my cats activated} >>>>> {meaning friends ready for anything}

you guys have given it all to me

(look)

[Don Omar verse]

damn what a situation...

i caught a case and then they pointed the finger

i was no longer the king of perreo >>>{perreo refers to the genre of music}

now i was tecato>>> {tecato is a drug user}

and another possible offender

two people said that they should throw me in prison

and i dont see it right.

i dont believe in their ungrateful reform system

i got arrested by to pigs just for hanging out >>> {pigs means cops}

and im here gritting my teeth, enduring , and keeping silent

if no one is perfect then tell me why are you judging me

i live my life just like anyone else would...

do what you like.. and take part in its pleasures

my people! im no different then you are

and if today i am a singer its because you made me...

they threw me on the front pages

"they caught a rapper if marijuana ,guns, and suspicious stuff"

it will only make sense in your mind

when you grow up where i grew up

and you are raised where they raised me

man.. so much gossip hurts me

so much gossip hurts ...

if you dont judge me id appreciate it

the benefit of a doubt is deserved by anybody

.............

[chorus]

even though they say I'm a bandit wherever i go

i still give thanks to god for being where i am today

and im going to keep my {tumbao}>>>> {style of walking related to gangsters}

and with my eyes bloodshot red

{with my cats activated} >>>>> {meaning friends ready for anything}

you guys have given it all to me

[Tego Calderon verse]

listen, people like to skin others alive

some as a profession, others just to spread some gossip {exclusive!}

leave you with out a bone

these social kiss asses

that make their living with the suffering of others.

i may not be a saint

but still i stay in clave >>> {in this sense clave means the top of my game}

im here paying for all my wrong doings

and im still here moving constantly forward

anyway that you put it i do less harm then i used to.

what really bothers you is that you doomed yourself

you tried to elevate yourself

but you forgot that

our father watches everything from above

the only one that judges the black man without discrimination

and iv never seen "al mannini van dog" >>> ( could be referring to a brand)

in the streets or in the alley its that bandit calderon

withholding judgment is appreciated

the benefit of a doubt is deserve by anybody

{Don Omar}

withholding judgment is appreciated

the benefit of a doubt is deserved by anybody

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INTRODUCTION

The topic I've chosen for this theoretical analysis is Institutionalized racism and its affects on young Afro-Latino men formerly incarcerated who have accomplished economic success as well as the stigmas associated with this population. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between Institutional and societal factors that affect life structure choices during young adulthood through Levinson's theory of Life Structure. It will address the way societal and economic factors affect the quality of life for individuals within this population, ultimately impacting their trajectories and the conditions in which they transition through this phase of development. The art piece chosen for this analysis is Bandoleros by Don Omar (ft. Tego Calderon)

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MIDTERM

The midterm begins at the bottom.

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Social Work & Multidisciplinary Teams

MACRO:

At the macro level I would do my best to find potential advocates with Hmong Communities and people who are involved in policy in order for the experiences of families like the Lees to be amplified and potentially considered as reason to look into policy amendments concerning culturally informed medical practices.

MEZO:

I would make sure to educate social workers and health care providers about the historical trauma faced by many Hmong people. Using an indigenist stress-coping model which explains how protective the role of identification with cultural beliefs and practices is for people across cultures as has been explored in Native American people. It has been discovered that “Identity attitudes, enculturation, spiritual coping, and traditional healing practices were conceptualized to disrupt the pathway between historical trauma and negative physical and psychological health outcomes” (Henderson et al., 2021).

MICRO:

At the micro level I would have built better relationships with the family by considering how I can act on my cultural competence skills. My new understanding of ​​Cultural competence as a complex know-act would lead me to take more time to reflect on myself and what aspects of my support require adjustment. Understanding that this act affects the cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and environmental dimensions of a person. Cultural competence  “involves knowledge, skills, and know-how that, when combined properly, lead to a culturally safe and effective series of actions” (Garneau & Pepin, 2014)

REFLECTION:

The hardest part for me as a social worker working at the hospital would be the language barrier and my conflicting views. As I've come to understand, Hmong people are very particular about the ways interactions should go especially when a woman is involved. I understand that a lot of my feminist beliefs would make me feel as though i am compromising the strides ive taken to liberate myself from patriarchal influences by complying to the methods of interaction. As much as I would understand that my role as a social worker is to accommodate my clients and work to support them, there is a small sense of self betrayal that may come.

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INSTITUTIONAL IMPACT

MACRO: Medical institution

The medical institution had the most major impact on Lia Lee's life in the most detrimental way. Throughout Lias medical history she had been prescribed many medications, many of which had really harsh side effects. There was no cure for her condition. A pediatric neurologist diagnosed Lia with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy accompanied by mental retardation and difficult-to-control seizures after she was returned from foster care. Throughout her foster care stay when her medication was being administered. Her seizures did not stop. The Lees wanted what they had wanted from the beginning, to tailor their daughters' care with a balance of some medicines the doctors advised and their own healing practices. This was never welcomed by medical staff.  Neil Ernst saw Lias parents' noncompliance as a form of child abuse, which is why he eventually notified Child Protective Services. Further down in her treatment when Lia had the big seizure which ultimately led to her vegatative state the doctors failed her, confirming that their knowledge is not exempt from errors. They gave her a high amount of medicine, no one checked her temperature or considered other unusual signs like diarrhea and a very low platelet count. Critical care specialist Maciej Kopacz diagnosed her condition as septic shock and she was later diagnosed brain dead. On the day of her final seizure the Lees decided to trust that an ambulance would ensure Lia got the care she needed quicker than if she ran to the hospital herself. In reality she could've had a different outcome had she taken her by foot as those minutes were critical. The severe distrust of the american medical system due to their inability to understand or respect the hmong is the root of how the medical system had such a detrimental impact but it continued by the constant inability to find common ground with the hmong and continue to hold western medicine as superior despite the reality that there is room for error.

MEZO: CPS/SW SERVICE PROVIDERS

Child Protective Services were called to have Lia Lee removed from her home as the Lees were accused of child abuse and failure to comply. This had a deep impact for the Lia as well as the Lees. Hmong people take great pride in caring for their children and being threatened with the removal of a child and labeled a child abuser had led many hmong families to threaten to kill themselves and in some cases even their children. The removal of a child is viewed as punishment to the parents for not complying with doctors and not as an attempt to care for the child or ensure her health was prioritized.

STRATEGIES

The strategies used by medical doctors were coercive at times, they did not spend enough time as a hospital working on effective translation services. At best they tried to make the administering of medications easier to understand, including stickers to indicate what times throughout the day to administer a pill, charts indicating the proper doses of pills to give, and a calendar with samples taped next to each sticker. They posed instructions as requirements and left no room for compromise. Very opposite from Jeanine who was Lia Lee's social worker, dedicated a lot of time to learning the Lees and Hmong culture, she spent a lot of time with the family, she listened to the stories of the Hmong, their history. She was the only one out of Lia's caregivers who had asked the family what they thought was the cause of Lia's illness and what they were doing to try to treat it. She advocated for the Lees and focused a lot on gaining a mutual sense of trust and respect. She was learned and in return was able to teach. This kind of approach really helped in bridge some of the disconnect between the doctors and the family.

SOCIAL SERVICE PROVISIONS

Culture and language were the factors that affected service provisions the most. The misunderstanding of Hmong culture made it impossible for medical staff to properly address the Lees, as many of american customs and mannerism alone can be very disrespectful to the Hmong. This made it difficult for doctors to make good first impressions. The language barrier made it difficult for the Lees to understand their rights, to understand how to navigate the medical system or how to understand the medications prescribed to Lia further enhancing their distrust in the medical system.  This language barrier made it difficult for them to know or inquire about many services that could have been possibly obtained.

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Theoretical analysis

The major themes that were observed throughout the book were cultural clashing, power, and love. In order to critically analyze these themes through the lens of post colonial theory we must first understand the theory. Post Colonial theory examines how colonizers racialized the people they were colonizing and the ways that a colonial mentality continues to influence how we think and talk about race and ethnicity, which ultimately reflects across systems. It argues that “contemporary western societies have created an image of themselves grounded in their encounter with colonized people, an image that nourishes and sustains western privilege and power” (Hutchison, 2019). The cultural clashing that takes place in Lia Lees’ story can be directly related to this theory because the lack of common ground is highly due to the medical institutions inability to consider the patient and families approach to treating illnesses and treating the individual spiritually. This was shown throughout her medical history. Certain aspects of Hmong culture like taboos regarding medical procedures, beliefs about the root of diseases, and power structures within the family and the clan conflicted with the culture of western medicine. This led to misunderstandings between the family and the doctors. The doctors assumed that "spirits" were somehow involved in the Lees' understanding of her epilepsy though it was far more complex. In addition early in her diagnosis and frequent hospital visits her father Nao was given instructions written in English. Instructing him  to administer the medicine and come back in ten days for a follow-up appointment, but since he could not speak or read English, he did not follow them. The language gap often went without solution and led to a lot of misunderstandings when it came to her treatment and instructions for her care at home. The doctors lack of interest in how the hmong viewed illnesses did not allow them to honor the ways in which they would like to go about Lia Lee's treatment. This is rooted in the western belief that western medicine is the sole superior medical lens. It does not consider other schools of medicine as credible enough to be integrated with that of western medicine. Western medicine and institutions have also established systems of power in regard to patient care and client care across institutions. This can be observed in Lia Lee's story as her parents were often labeled “non-compliant” and were viewed by hospital staff as uncooperative. The lee’s had previously been denied taking Lia home when they felt she should be treated at home and ultimately she was removed from her home and put into foster care so that she could receive the prescribed medication. This was a violent abuse of power on the medical staff's part because there were no alternative methods attempted before the removal of Lia Lee from her parents. This is just an extension of the abuse of power carried throughout history from colonial structures. Love is one of the most impactful themes in the book. As the love Lia Lee's parents shared for their daughter carried her through as the Hmong believed that children were the greatest gift and therefore showered her with love and affection. Jeanine Hilt , the social worker assigned to Lia when she was placed in foster care displayed a lot of love for the Lees’ and in return they expressed love for her. This resulted in the Lee’s gaining more trust and learned how to administer Lias medicine which allowed them to regain custody. Jeanine was the only caregiver who took an interest in learning the hmongs beliefs and customs. Neil Ernst and Peggy Philp Lias doctors liked the family but they did not express a love or interest for their belief systems. This is largely due to the western view of love and the difference between how hmong express love. In western culture love is often related to family friends and lovers and displays of this love don't have a particular focus on respect of will and customs. To the Hmong love is a strong combination of these things and for many western people it is hard to love who they do not respect, relate to or understand. Lia Lee's needs were met for the most part, if she was assessed through Ainsworth's theory of attachment she would most likely be identified as having a secure attachment to her mother/parents. Lia was a very happy and responsive baby, open to new people and playful. The meeting of her needs was disrupted often by environmental factors like the relationship between her family and doctors. As this was the source of instability that reflected in her health as well as the separation which ultimately disrupted her and caused trauma within the infant/toddler stage of development. The Korda family who fostered Lia  spoke no Hmong; the only thing they found that would comfort Lia was constant physical contact. Dee Korda carried her in a backpack; she let her sleep in her bed; and breastfed her along with her own baby. This didn't stop Lia from having tantrums, peeing and pooping on the floor, hurting other children, and meant that she required constant supervision.  There were all signs that Lia was experiencing trauma being removed from her family who met her needs with so much love.

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Introduction.

The book The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down By Anne Fadiman tells the moving and equally saddening story of a Hmong girl named Lia Lee suffering from epilepsy who experiences the unfortunate effects of the cultural divide between the Hmong and American medical system, in addition these circumstances severely affect her family throughout her development. The story reveals the flaws and short comings of western medicine in caring for patients who have non-western beliefs. As well as the physical spiritual and moral toll it takes on the families which can result in fatalities. A major theme identified within the book is Cultural Clashing, This theme can be observed in the macro,mezzo,micro level of care for Lia Lee. Medical institutions are not widely equipped to properly address the possibilities of detrimental outcomes when there is no cultural bridge built in regard to care in the medical field and other institutions. At the mezzo level Doctors and other practitioners fall under the established structures and ethics, which compromises the needed care for patients of other cultural backgrounds. At the micro level the usage of limiting language derived from this divide such as the repetitive usage of “noncompliance” by service providers, results in violent actions towards the Lee family. The lack of mutual understanding that persists throughout the story does not allow for the Lee family to feel secure in their positions of protectors nor does it allow for them to feel safe enough to trust western medicine. Power dynamics is also theme that arises throughout the story at all levels as Hmong refugees are limited in their freedom to follow their cultural practices in regard to their health and to live independently. In America there are systems of power that oversee and can inflict harsh punishments for what they perceive as a lack of compliance. This is something that trickles down through the Institutions within larger systems and service providers as well as government officials. Love is a theme flows consistently throughout the book particularly at the micro level between Lia Lees parents as well as well as the social worker Jeanine Hilt and Lia Lees temporary foster parent Dee. It was the fostering of these relationships rooted and love and mutual acceptance that contributed to the Lees attempts at administering medicines and considering the medical advice of Lia’s doctors.

The problem Identified in this story is lack of cultural competency resulting in a detrimental lack of cultural communications and conflict. This is relevant within the field of social work and human behavior within the social environment because the inability to properly establish mutual cultural understanding can result in a multitude of fatalities, ineffective client care, and an unethical lack of consideration for the rights of a client and support systems. The theory that will be used to better analyze the themes within the story is the postcolonial theory, this theory is rooted within the conflict perspective.