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. |
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Page 102
I remember that . Just the kids from our own neighborhood . I don't even remember even having kids in my own class that were Mexican . " Discrimination in school was not limited to a single branch of the family .
I remember that . Just the kids from our own neighborhood . I don't even remember even having kids in my own class that were Mexican . " Discrimination in school was not limited to a single branch of the family .
Page 115
Nevertheless , with Noemi's bleak description of her experience in the classroom , it is no wonder marriage was more appealing than graduating : I remember that I didn't ask many questions . I remember they did not pick on me either ...
Nevertheless , with Noemi's bleak description of her experience in the classroom , it is no wonder marriage was more appealing than graduating : I remember that I didn't ask many questions . I remember they did not pick on me either ...
Page 129
Cristian was the only member to remember his parents ' writing activities . Cristian was uncertain how well his mother read but knew that when she wanted to write a letter she called on his father : " I don't know how my father learned ...
Cristian was the only member to remember his parents ' writing activities . Cristian was uncertain how well his mother read but knew that when she wanted to write a letter she called on his father : " I don't know how my father learned ...
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Contents
An Overview across Generations | 15 |
The Original Fuentes Home | 39 |
LaterGeneration Fuentes Homes | 57 |
Copyright | |
8 other sections not shown
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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
Bibliographic information
| Title | Five Generations of a Mexican American Family in Los Angeles G - Reference,Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects Series |
| Author | Christina Chávez |
| Edition | illustrated, reprint |
| Publisher | Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2007 |
| Original from | the University of Wisconsin - Madison |
| Digitized | 16 Oct 2007 |
| ISBN | 0742538818, 9780742538818 |
| Length | 183 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |