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 1
... , she intro- duced me to her family . " Come here . I want you to meet my star student , ” she said to her husband and daughter . I was as surprised as they were to hear I was her star student . Up to that 1 Introduction.
... , she intro- duced me to her family . " Come here . I want you to meet my star student , ” she said to her husband and daughter . I was as surprised as they were to hear I was her star student . Up to that 1 Introduction.
Page 13
... daughter , or cousin ) and identities ( student and teacher ) that participants perceived of me . I also felt the ease at being an in- sider researcher in that I understand the cognitive , emotional , and psychological precepts of ...
... daughter , or cousin ) and identities ( student and teacher ) that participants perceived of me . I also felt the ease at being an in- sider researcher in that I understand the cognitive , emotional , and psychological precepts of ...
Page 18
... . Sons enlisted or were drafted into war ; and daughters found spouses and married . As a consequence of the postwar economic boom experienced in the nation , Mario was able to change professions from stoop labor to 18 Chapter 1.
... . Sons enlisted or were drafted into war ; and daughters found spouses and married . As a consequence of the postwar economic boom experienced in the nation , Mario was able to change professions from stoop labor to 18 Chapter 1.
Page 19
... daughters quit school to work to support the family or to marry . After they married , they lived with their parents or other relatives for short periods of time to save money to purchase homes . They tended to stay home to raise ...
... daughters quit school to work to support the family or to marry . After they married , they lived with their parents or other relatives for short periods of time to save money to purchase homes . They tended to stay home to raise ...
Page 20
... daughters of the second - generation Fuentes family found spouses through community - sponsored events and personal net- works , which were often outside the scope of their parents ' circle of friends . Likewise , their homes were ...
... daughters of the second - generation Fuentes family found spouses through community - sponsored events and personal net- works , which were often outside the scope of their parents ' circle of friends . Likewise , their homes were ...
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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