Blacks and Latinos, Baltimore's biggest racial group and its fastest growing ethnic body, are starting to mix it up.

Last week, a handful of African-American and Latino leaders met informally to begin building a coalition that would cross racial lines in the city.

Focusing on such social issues as education, youth and crime, the meeting was the first of what participants hope will be many.

"The Latino population is increasing every day, and they're here to stay, and the [African-American] community is large. I wanted us to get together," said Jose Ruiz, a community activist who organized the meeting. "I thought it was about time we started working together because we have so much in common."

Participants, who included the city's NAACP chapter president and the head of the Latino outreach organization Centro De La Comunidad, agreed.

They set another meeting for April 14.

On March 3, area ministers, community activists and educators gathered somewhat tentatively for Common Ground: Baltimore's African American and Latino Communities Creating Dialogue.

The meeting, held at the offices of the Southeast Community Organization on Wolfe Street in upper Fells Point, came about two weeks after Ruiz, who heads Education Based Latino Outreach in East Baltimore, called for it.

No one knew whether it would come together.

'They were surprised'

"They were surprised to see me at that meeting, and I was welcomed," said G. I. Johnson, president of the city branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

The dialogue began with each participant sharing experiences and outlining their communities' priorities.

Education, housing, jobs and youth emerged as common concerns.

Perhaps the most crucial theme was that both groups share experiences of discrimination and segregation.

"African-Americans, we know they suffer a lot of segregation in the United States. We have in common some discrimination and marginalization," said the Rev. Jose Reginaldo Andrietta, a Brazilian-born activist who heads the local office of Young Christian Workers and works mostly with Latino newcomers.

'A lot in common'

"We have a lot in common to share, to analyze, to judge under the veil of human dignity what can we do together to defend ourselves and contribute to local community," he said.

"It seems like our issues are basically the same," Johnson said. "Sometimes when we look at color we think that we're the only ones being treated differently. With Latinos, they say they may look white but the minute they open their mouths, it's a different story."

Underlying the discussion was the language barrier. Many of Baltimore's Latino residents are new immigrants still learning English.

"I think that's going to be a challenge, not just with African-Americans but with the entire community," said Haydee Rodriguez, executive director of the Centro De La Comunidad, a Latino outreach organization. "It's going to be hard dealing with this new phenomenon, this new brown mass . These people are here and they're not going anywhere."

Rodriguez estimates there are 45,000 Latinos in Baltimore, up from about 25,000 three years ago. As of 1997, the most recent year for which statistics are available, Baltimore had 429,650 African-Americans, about 65 percent of the city.

For the next meeting, Ruiz said, he hopes to include more African-Americans.

Of the dozen or so leaders present last week, only two were black, he said. But he has placed calls this week to other leaders to invite them to the next meeting.

"Down the road we're thinking of pulling together to support some legislation," he said, adding that they may set up grass-roots inter-ethnic groups. "Maybe we'll do a workshop, or go on retreat."

With a chuckle, he said, "We can eat some black-eyed peas and rice and beans. We can listen to some salsa and some rap, you know?"

Pub Date: 3/13/99