Discussing the transnational sociocultural system that has resulted in New York due to the influx of Caribbeans, Suttons organizes his analysis into five parts: The Caribbeanization of New York City, New York City as a Caribbean Crossroad, Caribbean Transnational cultural System, Caribbeans in New York City’s Race/Ethnic Hierarchy and Sociocultural Dimensions of Caribbean Life in New York City: Toward a Comparative Analysis. The Caribbeans are a unique immigrant group in New York City; one of their biggest claims to fame is that those from the Dominican Republic comprise the largest number of immigrants living in New York. An interesting contrast that Suttons points out is that European immigrants attempt to hide their culture and assimilate. Caribbean immigrants on the other hand, are very much public about their roots and do not attempt [as much] to blend in with their surrounding society. In fact, it would be difficult to put their past behind them and to forget their heritage because so many Caribbeans are constantly moving to New York. These fresh immigrants keep the “old” immigrants involved with and aware of the current culture of their native homeland.

It is also in their best interest to promote themselves as Caribbeans. Suttons notes that they are either characterized as Black or Hispanic. Yet both financially and hierarchically, they are doing better than the Black Americans and Puerto Ricans.

The most fascinating part of this reading for me was the description of the Caribbean women’s work. Most found themselves to be caretakers for middle class white mothers, who could then work professionally. By engaging in the informal economy, these immigrant Caribbean women are in fact facilitating the white woman’s ability to a higher paying, better job. The main point of immigrating to the United States and achieving the American dream is for them to secure these good jobs. Yet they are quite willing to work in lower paying jobs. In fact, Sutton states something that shocked me and made me feel that the Caribbeans in New York live a sad existence: “Although most of the women work dead end jobs, the majority of those interviewed regard themselves as middle class rather than working class.” I find it depressing that they are content with this way of life when they could be achieving something so much better for themselves and their families.