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
... 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 support our family , both my parents worked eight- to ten - hour jobs in the service ...
... 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 support our family , both my parents worked eight- to ten - hour jobs in the service ...
Page 4
... siblings , and I moved back to Los Angeles to be around my mother's family — the Fuentes family . We had been away for seven years , and my siblings and I neither remem- bered the place nor the people . Nevertheless , knowing we were ...
... siblings , and I moved back to Los Angeles to be around my mother's family — the Fuentes family . We had been away for seven years , and my siblings and I neither remem- bered the place nor the people . Nevertheless , knowing we were ...
Page 17
... siblings ' clothes to be handed down to the younger ones . Seldom were items purchased from stores , and Fuentes children claimed there was no money for personal pleasures like toys and candy . Nevertheless , all second The Fuentes Family ...
... siblings ' clothes to be handed down to the younger ones . Seldom were items purchased from stores , and Fuentes children claimed there was no money for personal pleasures like toys and candy . Nevertheless , all second The Fuentes Family ...
Page 21
... siblings . They grew up with more affluence and stability than their parents but al- ways maintained a deep respect and admiration for their elders . Their world was Bobbie socks , cruising , car clubs , and Motown . They struggled with ...
... siblings . They grew up with more affluence and stability than their parents but al- ways maintained a deep respect and admiration for their elders . Their world was Bobbie socks , cruising , car clubs , and Motown . They struggled with ...
Page 23
... siblings and Fuentes cousins have tended to stay in and around the Valley area , and all but one live in Los Angeles . After graduation most re- mained in their parents home or experienced times on their own followed by a return to ...
... siblings and Fuentes cousins have tended to stay in and around the Valley area , and all but one live in Los Angeles . After graduation most re- mained in their parents home or experienced times on their own followed by a return to ...
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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