Do We Control Our Destiny?

For many, hispacincs living in poor neighborhoods are stereotyped as being in gangs or gang affiliated. The media likes to reinforce these norms and paint hispanics as criminals. In movies they are seen full of tattoos selling drugs and dropping out of school more often than not. In the news they talk about illegal immigrants and the crimes they commit everyday. Every race has criminals, but the media makes it seem like every hispanic is a criminal when in reality only a very smart portion of hispanics are like the ones we see on TV. One series that also portrays hispanics as gang members is the Netflix show On My Block. Their pilot episode embodies the enforcement of norms by reinforcing these negative stereotypes of hispanic kids living in poverty are all gang members.
In the opening scene there is a party going on. A group of incoming freshmen are watching the party from over the fence that divides the yard from the alley. All of the kids are making comments about the female upperclassmen who are dressed somewhat inappropriately. A couple of hispanic gang members who are at the party overhear these comments and confront the kids, but quickly take it back when they realize that one of the kids, Cesar, is the younger brother of their gang leader. The group also finds out that Cesar’s brother will be out of jail at the end of the summer.
This scene is showing that all hispanic kids are in gangs. All of the hispanics who are at the party are dressed up in the same color wearing black bandanas meaning that they are all apart of the same gang. They also have face tattoos and talk in slang. The other troubling part about this scene is that they are showing that even the hispaincs who aren’t necessarily in a gang or dressing like a gangster are gang affiliated. Cesar is not apart of his brothers gang in any way and is a very normal kid. He is extremely intelligent, witty and smooth. He actually is trying to avoid being in a agang has dreams of making it out of poverty. The writers still make it very clear that his whole family is full of gangsters including his dad and grandpa. This is giving the perception that all hispanics have some sort of ties to gangs. Audiences may perceive hispanics as criminals and dangerous to society.
In a later scene, Cesar goes to his girlfriends house to hang out. They are talking about eh future and Cesar is convinced that all of his friends will go on to do great things, but for him he will be stuck in his gang riddled neighborhood. His girlfriend, Monse, tries to convince him that he is smart and determined like the rest of their friends and also has the potential to make it out of their hood. Cesar refutes this idea, and believes his fate is to become a gang member. He had previously made the promise to Monse that he would never join his brother’s gang but as Monse is taking off his shirt she realizes that Cesar was “beat in” to his brother’s gang and broke his promise.
Not only does this further supports the stereotype that all hispanic kids are in gangs, but it also sends the message that all hispanics will inevitably become gang members. This sends a poor message to not only society, but to other hispanic kids who may be trying to escape that life. If they see that in the show, a kid as perfect as Cesar can not make it out of the hood, then how can they possibly get make it out of poverty? These kids will be more likely to join gangs, which will further reinforce this negative stereotype.
Another scene shows one of Caesar’s friends, Ruby, try to talk to Caesar’s brother to try and get Cesar out of the gang. Ruby makes it much worse and Caesar’s brother makes Cesar start selling drugs. Hispanic viewers may perceive this scene as they can not turn to anyone for help. They are hopeless, and no one can save them from this life or help shield them from it. Other audience members will perceive this scene as hispanics are criminals and that even the kids are dangerous and contribute to the drug epidemic. This further reinforces the stereotype that hispanics are gang members and that is all they can ever be.
In conclusion, this serves as a poor piece of media because it reinforces cultural norms of hispanic kids. The media makes these kids that they have no choice but to become gang members and that no matter what they do or who they are they will not be able to escape that life. Furthermore, the other audience members of this show will continue to believe that all hispanics are criminals and are a danger to society. This leaves hispanics stuck and creates problems for hispanics who are not in gangs or don’t have any ties to gangs. Middle and upper class hispanics who have been contibuting positively to society will have to endure the negative stereotypes created by shows like On My Block, and will have to work harder to prove they are that what the media makes them out to be.
