Five Generations of a Mexican American Family in Los AngelesDespite 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 educación 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 80
Page 11
Like many of the other Fuentes members , the world of work was a place where I , from an early age , exercised my independence , but it was also a direct means to subsistence and modest luxury . While I may have made it in school ...
Like many of the other Fuentes members , the world of work was a place where I , from an early age , exercised my independence , but it was also a direct means to subsistence and modest luxury . While I may have made it in school ...
Page 12
However , in Fuentes members ' eyes , the family is successful . Despite the historical discrimination and social injustices against Mexican Americans , the Fuentes family has over the course of five generations focused on raising good ...
However , in Fuentes members ' eyes , the family is successful . Despite the historical discrimination and social injustices against Mexican Americans , the Fuentes family has over the course of five generations focused on raising good ...
Page 85
The second - generation members began to work between the ages of fourteen and twenty - nine as factory workers or laborers . In the third generation , Fuentes members began to work as early as twelve ( usually with a paper route ) and ...
The second - generation members began to work between the ages of fourteen and twenty - nine as factory workers or laborers . In the third generation , Fuentes members began to work as early as twelve ( usually with a paper route ) and ...
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
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 activities Angeles asked attended became better brother Chicanos child claimed complete culture daughter described Despite effect encouraged English ethnic example expected experience experienced fact family's father Florencia fourth-generation Francis friends Fuentes family Fuentes members Fuentes parents Gerald given grade graduate groups hard high school immigrants important individuals involvement kids labor market language Latino learned literacy lives Lydia major Manuela Mario married Mexican American minority mother moved never Noemi noted older participants percent performance play practice race racial raised recalled remember respect responsibility result role Samuel saving second-generation siblings Simon sister skilled social Spanish speak stay story success talk teachers tended things third third-generation tion told tracks understand Valley wanted workers working-class younger