Being Cape-Verdean in a Northeastern State, USA (Part 1)

In these series I want to present the role that migration has played in the lives of the Cape-Verdean people, particularly their exodus to the northeastern United States. I analyze the racial identity development of these Cape-Verdeans and consider their immigration status by presenting the viewpoints of many individuals who were interviewed individually and as groups. All of them were assigned pseudonyms in order to protect their identities. I also examine both old and new segments of migration by presenting the perspective of Cape-Verdean immigrants with diverse background, social status, and aspirations.

Interesting themes emerge from this work such as the need for effective, pragmatic, and visionary leadership to lead Cape-Verdean immigrants to a better understanding of the American reality and to encourage them to become citizens of the United States which will permit them to participate more actively in both social and political arenas, and to take advantages of opportunities available to citizens of this country.

Gregorio is between 33 and 38 years old. He had been in America for approximately three months when we began our first interview. He came as an immigrant with a petition filed by his parents. In Cape Verde, he had completed his secondary education, and he was thinking about eventually going to college in the United States. In addition to his secondary school degree, he also was trained as a professional accountant and was working as an accountant in Cape Verde. That job is a dream job for many Cape-Verdeans because, in addition to very good pay, it also provides job security. Back home, one of his responsibilities was to pay local people remittances sent by their migrant families. I asked him if he was motivated to come to America because he was dealing with all the money sent by immigrants, his answer was negative. “I came so I can give my children a chance to succeed in this country.”

Since his arrival, he has kept a low profile and does not socialize with the overall community. In addition to being with his family almost exclusively, he works five and sometimes six days a week from 5:00 PM till 5:00 AM. When he gets home around 6 AM, he goes to bed until 3:30 PM when he gets ready to go back to his routine. 

Currently, despite the fact that his English skills are limited, he is driving. I asked him about the driver’s license, and he told me that the law of this state allows him to drive for six months with his Cape-Verdean driver license. It is evident that he is seeking information to facilitate his life. However, it appears that working and saving money are two of his top priorities because his life has been sleep-work-sleep.

He believes that being Cape-Verdean is a right and privilege from the time one is born. However, to maintain one’s “capeverdeanity”, it is necessary to retain traditions and customs, such as language, food, music, and other issues relevant to Cape-Verdeans, as well as have the ability to integrate, he added. He also believes that the meaning of being Cape-Verdean is synonymous with being an intelligent and hard-working person.

When we talked about racial identity, immigration, and Integration, he believes that Cape-Verdeans do negotiate their identity because success in America is not guaranteed due to some American-centered behavior that discourages immigrants’ progress. As examples, he said that Americans value American degrees and experience primarily, and immigrants are forced into low-paying jobs. One can see many qualified fellow Cape-Verdeans working as janitors. Therefore, he condemns those who have making money and acquiring materials as their primary goal. To him, racial identity is seen as an individual phenomenon, and many misconceptions such as we are all equal in America have surface in light of these arguments. However, he said that Cape-Verdeans need to be more honest in terms of making this country look like paradise because it is affecting all Cape-Verdeans, including those left behind.

Despite the fact that he is new to this country, he has experienced situations where men are better paid than women, he said. He is not against that. He believes that salary should be according to one’s ability to perform. Prior education is relevant for integration because it provides the ability to learn languages that could eventually foster integration. In conclusion, he believes that being educated, becoming a citizen, bringing family from Cape Verde to the United States, and purchasing property are fundamental for those seeking to integrate.

According to him, making money is the primary goal of many Cape-Verdeans, and consequently, they have no time to learn and integrate into the American culture. As a result, they blame America for what Cape-Verdeans are becoming. He feels that, in general, the Cape-Verdean community is uninformed and unorganized. He feels that there is a lack of vision or leadership to encourage others to go to school and achieve academic success instead of blaming the system. Also, he believes that to claim that the English language is a major barrier to success is an excuse because Cape-Verdean people have the ability to learn any language and that acquiring materials has more importance than family. Therefore, Cape-Verdeans have to work excessively. Gregorio believes that Cape-Verdeans are materialists because they came from a poor country. Despite the fact that some believe in integration, they are not seeking information that would lead to an effective integration. They need to become educated, obey laws, and embrace fundamental American values.

Gregorio feels strongly that Cape-Verdeans are misinformed in this country and they should seek help from those who are informed. He made it clear that he would rather be in a different part of America because he feels that Cape-Verdean immigrants are not united in this country. He said that some fellow Cape-Verdeans are egotistical. Often, they keep relevant information to themselves and do not share with others. “As a community, we should support each other,” he added. He also believes that very few Cape-Verdeans achieve academic success, and one of their excuses is the language barrier. They need to understand the importance of school, citizenship, and learning English to become independent.

Dr. Julio C de Carvalho