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 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. |
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Page 80
... percent and were 20 percent of the six million inhabitants . The Spanish surnamed population increased 100.5 percent , its largest sector between the ages of five and thirty - five , and were overrepresented as field work- ers ...
... percent and were 20 percent of the six million inhabitants . The Spanish surnamed population increased 100.5 percent , its largest sector between the ages of five and thirty - five , and were overrepresented as field work- ers ...
Page 81
... percent since 1955 , adding over 51,000 jobs ; trade and government combined increased by 40 percent during the same period ; and construction grew by 10 percent ; but agriculture and forestry declined . Service industries were the ...
... percent since 1955 , adding over 51,000 jobs ; trade and government combined increased by 40 percent during the same period ; and construction grew by 10 percent ; but agriculture and forestry declined . Service industries were the ...
Page 97
... percent , by 86 percent in high school , by 78 percent in adult education , and by 98 percent in junior college . These figures indicate that Mexican American students in Los An- geles schools were enrolled in elementary more than in ...
... percent , by 86 percent in high school , by 78 percent in adult education , and by 98 percent in junior college . These figures indicate that Mexican American students in Los An- geles schools were enrolled in elementary more than in ...
Contents
An Overview across Generations | 15 |
The Original Fuentes Home | 39 |
LaterGeneration Fuentes Homes | 57 |
Copyright | |
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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 participants percent Press race 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 story success teachers third-generation members Timothy tion tracks University Valley wanted workers working-class York younger Yvette