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 13
... interview known . Others , I contacted through relatives or over the telephone . These methods resulted in the primary data : sixty- six oral history interviews with thirty - three members . In accordance with the in- tent of oral ...
... interview known . Others , I contacted through relatives or over the telephone . These methods resulted in the primary data : sixty- six oral history interviews with thirty - three members . In accordance with the in- tent of oral ...
Page 14
... interviewing was not a practice in our family dynamic , the interviews themselves were much like conversations I might have had with members at gatherings . The atmosphere was relaxed as in- terviewees freely moved from topic to topic ...
... interviewing was not a practice in our family dynamic , the interviews themselves were much like conversations I might have had with members at gatherings . The atmosphere was relaxed as in- terviewees freely moved from topic to topic ...
Page 29
... interviews , she demonstrated her incredible clear mindedness , re- calling lucid and vivid details of her family's life in Mexico and immi- grant life in the United States . Amanda passed away in the spring of 1999 at the age of ninety ...
... interviews , she demonstrated her incredible clear mindedness , re- calling lucid and vivid details of her family's life in Mexico and immi- grant life in the United States . Amanda passed away in the spring of 1999 at the age of ninety ...
Page 37
... interviews and fieldnotes are not noted in the bibliography and are solely referenced in text by name of the participant or by date of the fieldnotes . 10. Despite America's economic prosperity in the mid - twentieth century , some ...
... interviews and fieldnotes are not noted in the bibliography and are solely referenced in text by name of the participant or by date of the fieldnotes . 10. Despite America's economic prosperity in the mid - twentieth century , some ...
Page 40
... interviews with second - generation members , this type of instruction ex- isted in the Fuentes home.3 Despite Manuela's demanding schedule and responsibilities , all second - generation members recalled advice their mother had given ...
... interviews with second - generation members , this type of instruction ex- isted in the Fuentes home.3 Despite Manuela's demanding schedule and responsibilities , all second - generation members recalled advice their mother had given ...
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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