Final answer:
Cuban Americans rose in the U.S. hierarchy by actively engaging in American society, leveraging their higher socioeconomic standing upon arrival, and benefiting from U.S. immigration policies that granted them refugee status.
Step-by-step explanation:
How did the Cubans work up the hierarchy in the United States? The answer is C) By actively participating in American society. Cuban Americans often regarded as a model minority within the Hispanic demographic, have navigated the social hierarchy in the U.S. by engaging robustly with American societal structures. Many Cubans arrived with a higher socioeconomic status and were given a warm reception due to their anti-Communist stance — a factor that made them welcome refugees. Particularly in South Florida, Cuban Americans have played influential roles in local politics and professional spheres.
Their success is also due, in part, to the early waves of immigration being composed of many wealthy and educated individuals who left Cuba to avoid communist reforms under Fidel Castro. These immigrants leveraged their resources to establish strong community networks, particularly in Miami. Here, similar to other immigrant groups, they found strength in family networks and a vibrant community of fellow Cubans who supported each other, helping them to overcome prejudice and discrimination.
Additionally, the special immigration policies of the United States, like the Cuban Migration Agreement of 1995 and the 'wet foot/dry foot' policy, provided Cubans with a pathway to legal residency and access to social services, further aiding their integration and advancement in American society.