Best Of Friends Worlds Apart Analysis

Race and ethnicity as socially-constructed categories separates friends from the same background. In the article “Best of Friends, Worlds Apart,” Cuban immigrant Joel Ruiz finds himself stuck between two worlds after landing on American soil. Ruiz’s childhood friend Valdes traveled to the United States together and settled down near one another. Valdes lives a well-off life in the Caucasian community as a Cuban. On the other hand, Ruiz identify himself as Cuban, yet, whites see him simply as black. African-American dismisses him as Hispanic; therefore, Ruiz refer himself as Afro-Cuban. Living in two worlds, Ruiz ended up writing a label on himself, which often evoke a feeling that American has made no place for him. Because of the social construction

With Ruiz, the melting pot did not welcome him for his outer appearance comparing to his friend Valdes. Their “friendship was cemented through school and sport. They stood up for each other against troublemakers” (Ojito, 2000), but they now hold two different lives due to the color of their skin. Although sharing the same ethnicity, the colors of their appearance separate the two best friends. In other words, by biological mean, they are “differentiated by physical characteristics” (Senior & Bhopal, 1994) according to an epidemiological research. Even though Ruiz and Valdes share the same origins, culture, traditions, identity, and common language, each receives unequal opportunity and was treated very differently. The Cuban man Ruiz could not feel connected to the American culture and identity like Valdes. Ruiz “had learned how a person with dark skin should behave in this country: if an officer is following your car, do not turn your head; the police don't like it… [and] pays bills in cash because… the bank officer… told him… ‘Your kind likes to spend the money, not save it’” (Ojito, 2000). Meanwhile, Valdes “drives the car he likes, a 1998 Nissan that he plans to trade in soon for a newer model… and had to learn about punctuality and paying bills on time” (Ojito, 2000). The difference could allow Ruiz to scorn his looks

Ruiz identifies himself as Afro-Cuban “embracing, the ways of his black neighbors. He enjoys black food,… listens to rhythm and blues,… and mimics black Miamians” (Ojito, 2000). In other words. He adapted to the culture of African-Americans sharing similarities in social environment, tradition, world view, and lifestyle. This could also mean he generally believed in segregation as a part of his life and has accepted a “powerful lens of race” (Freeman, 2003) that “ create false assumptions that may result in serious harm to members of some racial and ethnic groups” (Freeman, 2003). This also refers as racial profiling. The assumption made for African American and Cuban hindered Ruiz from going forward to his dream of becoming a physical therapist. As said, “Blacks, especially black Cubans, lack economic and political power and resent the white Cubans who have so much of both. Steadily, relentlessly, the problems of Miami's poor have become Mr. Ruiz's, too” (Ojito, 2000). Freeman considers the lens of race as a cause to prevalent poverty level of the African-American and Cuban immigrants communities. Many individuals like Ruiz struggles to achieve far, for they are highly monitored and given little to no opportunity to thrive toward the American dream. All the above happens simply because the majority has no intention to accept a different ethnicity,