Five Generations of a Mexican American Family in Los AngelesRowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2007 - 183 pages Despite their citizenship and English monolingualism, Mexican Americans have long been known to remain largely working class, which, academically, has meant that they tend to be mostly high school graduates, with low rates of college attendance and completion. Attempting to understand this phenomenon, Five Generations of a Mexican American Family in Los Angeles chronicles the home, work and school lives of the author's multigenerational family throughout the twentieth century. Using oral histories of 33 members across five generations, the Fuentes story illuminates the interaction between race, ethnicity and class at home, in the labor market and in schools, which circumscribe the opportunity and resources (or lack thereof) for academic success. Generally, findings show that these factors work together to reproduce the family's social standing over generations. Equally important, the analysis reveals how the persistence and strength of the Fuentes' heritage cultural values (buena educaci n and familism) have insulated them from the continued threat of racial discrimination and economic hardship in American life. The Fuentes story provides the reader with a keen view of the process by which Fuentes' moved from immigrants to ethnic Americans, and shows how they have gracefully survived the harsh and unpredictable nature of being of a racial minority and the working class. |
From inside the book
Results 1-3 of 21
Page 100
... tended to stay in school longer ( eleventh grade ) or receive a diploma or GED . Of the six with mixed attitudes , that is both liked or disliked school at various points in their scholastic careers , only one dropped out . Of the four ...
... tended to stay in school longer ( eleventh grade ) or receive a diploma or GED . Of the six with mixed attitudes , that is both liked or disliked school at various points in their scholastic careers , only one dropped out . Of the four ...
Page 104
... tended to refer to a circle of friends or particular individuals . In talking about how she met her first husband , Katarina ex- plained how she and her circle of female friends would sneak off to Reseda Park to meet boys , but she ...
... tended to refer to a circle of friends or particular individuals . In talking about how she met her first husband , Katarina ex- plained how she and her circle of female friends would sneak off to Reseda Park to meet boys , but she ...
Page 108
... tended to come from majority members as well as other Mexican Americans . Posi- tively , although ethnic groups tended to perform poorly , ethnicity gave some members a strong sense of ethnic pride and consciousness , a feeling of ...
... tended to come from majority members as well as other Mexican Americans . Posi- tively , although ethnic groups tended to perform poorly , ethnicity gave some members a strong sense of ethnic pride and consciousness , a feeling of ...
Contents
An Overview across Generations | 15 |
The Original Fuentes Home | 39 |
LaterGeneration Fuentes Homes | 57 |
Copyright | |
8 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
academic African American Anglo attended barrio buena educación Carlos Fuentes Chávez Chicano English chil children's schooling claimed counselor Cristian daughter despite Dora eleventh grade Elisa encouraged English ethnic experienced family's father fifth-generation Florencia fourth-generation members Francis Fuentes children Fuentes family Fuentes home Fuentes members Fuentes parents Fuentes's Gerald grade graduate groups Gus Tyler high school Hispanic homework Isabel Ivan Katarina kids labor market language Latino families Latino students learned literacy lives Los Angeles County Lydia Mario and Manuela married Mexican American families Mexican and Mexican Mexican immigrant middle-class mother Natalie Noemi older third-generation parental involvement percent Press race Race Lens racial recalled Research responsibility role Samuel San Fernando San Fernando Valley school experience second-generation Fuentes second-generation members siblings Simon social Spanish Spanish language success teachers third-generation members Timothy tion tracks University Valley wanted workers working-class York younger Yvette