Another thought about Carrillo's poem

So I've had a second thought for Jo Carrillo's poem, "And When You Leave, Take Your Pictures With You", floating around my head. I asked a question in class, and Celia gave an answer, but it's still been in my head.

My question had to do with the fact that Carrillo points out that the "white sisters" only see a part of reality when they look at the pictures. I asked if perhaps the reverse could also be true, that when they look into the white world, they only see parts of it. Celia said that this is unlikely, because their survival is dependent on their understanding of the other half. And I can understand that in some contexts. For example, in the Old South, with slavery. I've read stories of household help knowing all the secrets of their mistresses, and so I can see Celia's point.

But I guess I was thinking more along modern day, and on the international level. Do workers in Honduras, who make clothing for the more well to do in the United States, have to have an understanding of how the white people live? From my own experience, I've had people in Haiti and the Dominican make comments about how being white means being rich and not having to work. And from their perspectives, perhaps this is true. However, many Americans work for their money, doing real work- teaching, farm work, trash collecting. This is valid work, to earn a valid wage. I wonder if sometimes, the US is portrayed as too rosy.