Five Generations of a Mexican American Family in Los Angeles: The Fuentes StoryRowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2007 M04 9 - 198 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
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Page vii
... Hispanic or Latino exposes them to the same social and political treatment as Latino immigrants . In the eyes of society , the differences between later - generation and immigrant Chicanos / Latinos warrant no difference in treatment ...
... Hispanic or Latino exposes them to the same social and political treatment as Latino immigrants . In the eyes of society , the differences between later - generation and immigrant Chicanos / Latinos warrant no difference in treatment ...
Page viii
... Mexican immigrants . Because Latinos are the fastest growing minority , I argue that research on later - generation Chicanos be recognized and undertaken and where possible , in relation to their immigrant counterparts . The increase in ...
... Mexican immigrants . Because Latinos are the fastest growing minority , I argue that research on later - generation Chicanos be recognized and undertaken and where possible , in relation to their immigrant counterparts . The increase in ...
Page ix
... immigrants ' or ethnic peoples ' experience and population but also to account for those experi- ences from the immigrant / ethnic perspective . In other words , if given the chance to speak for themselves , how might immigrant / ethnic ...
... immigrants ' or ethnic peoples ' experience and population but also to account for those experi- ences from the immigrant / ethnic perspective . In other words , if given the chance to speak for themselves , how might immigrant / ethnic ...
Page 2
... Mexican immigrant with a junior - high education who excelled in math , helped my older siblings with their schoolwork . Mom would ask if my siblings and I did our homework or she would direct us to do homework when we arrived home . To ...
... Mexican immigrant with a junior - high education who excelled in math , helped my older siblings with their schoolwork . Mom would ask if my siblings and I did our homework or she would direct us to do homework when we arrived home . To ...
Page 8
... immigrant populations , Latinos are continually perceived through their immigrant roots and perceived in a perpetual state of assimilation or acculturation . In other words , it is the in- fluence of the Mexican culture , its lack of ...
... immigrant populations , Latinos are continually perceived through their immigrant roots and perceived in a perpetual state of assimilation or acculturation . In other words , it is the in- fluence of the Mexican culture , its lack of ...
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Common terms and phrases
African Americans Anglo attended barrio brother buena educación Carlos Fuentes Chávez Chicano English Chicano movement chil child children's schooling claimed cohort counselor Cristian daughter despite Dora eleventh grade Elisa encouraged English Erica 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 high school Hispanic homework Isabel Ivan junior high Katarina kids labor market language Latino families Latino students Laura 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 race racial recalled responsibility role Samuel San Fernando Valley school experience second-generation Fuentes second-generation members siblings Simon sister social Spanish Spanish language story success teachers third-generation members Timothy tion tracks Valley wanted workers working-class younger Yvette