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 2
... eleventh grade education , raised three children , and once they were school - aged , worked part - time as an assembler in a fac- tory and eventually as a janitor for the public schools . If there was time left over from their day , my ...
... eleventh grade education , raised three children , and once they were school - aged , worked part - time as an assembler in a fac- tory and eventually as a janitor for the public schools . If there was time left over from their day , my ...
Page 27
... Eleventh grade ( 3 ) ; High school graduate ( 8 ) ; Associate degree ( 1 ) ; Bachelor degree and master of business administration degree ( 1 ) Eleventh grade ( 1 ) , High school graduate ( 7 ) ; some community college courses ( 6 ) ...
... Eleventh grade ( 3 ) ; High school graduate ( 8 ) ; Associate degree ( 1 ) ; Bachelor degree and master of business administration degree ( 1 ) Eleventh grade ( 1 ) , High school graduate ( 7 ) ; some community college courses ( 6 ) ...
Page 29
... eleventh grade to help the family . In her later life , Katarina , quiet but highly respected , worked as a hostess at a restau- rant to stay active , a characteristic Fuentes trait . Michael Fuentes - Like his older sister , Michael's ...
... eleventh grade to help the family . In her later life , Katarina , quiet but highly respected , worked as a hostess at a restau- rant to stay active , a characteristic Fuentes trait . Michael Fuentes - Like his older sister , Michael's ...
Page 31
... eleventh grade to marry a boy from the barrio , she lived as housewife and mother of four . When money was tight Yvette worked as a migrant or factory worker . She eventually divorced her husband and supported her youngest son as a ...
... eleventh grade to marry a boy from the barrio , she lived as housewife and mother of four . When money was tight Yvette worked as a migrant or factory worker . She eventually divorced her husband and supported her youngest son as a ...
Page 32
... eleventh grade education and few job skills , Noemi raised her three children working in food service . Now , sixty years old , a manager of a public elementary school cafeteria , she has remarried and takes tremendous pride in her ...
... eleventh grade education and few job skills , Noemi raised her three children working in food service . Now , sixty years old , a manager of a public elementary school cafeteria , she has remarried and takes tremendous pride in her ...
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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