As a first generation Mexican-American and the first to go to college, I am also the proud son of two immigrants. My parents immigrated to the United States in the 1980s to give their children a better life than the ones they had. As I’ve searched for an identity of my own, I’ve become more committed to public service and what I can do to better the community. The unfortunate reality is that there are significant amount of individuals living in neighborhoods that have been diminished in quality and condition. Therefore, I propose instituting a statewide program modeled after the City of Reno’s initiative called the Neighborhood Renewal Program (NRP) in order to rebuild local-low income neighborhood communities, educational facilities, and other areas in need of repairs while at the same time strengthening the personal connection between individuals and their local city officials. For families that live in poor quality neighborhoods, the atmosphere around them affects their daily routine. Without the necessary infrastructure support, life around them can negatively impact not only their daily performance, but also their ability to feel safe in their own communities. These communities are not exclusive to neighborhoods; rather they include a broader scope of things including schools, …show more content…
In the face of adversity, they committed themselves to providing the best for their children. Despite growing up relatively poor in Mexico, they never complained because their community always had their back no matter the situation. The unity of their community was all they needed to take the steps in making the difficult journey of traveling to the United States. As a result, the significance of their life story is important to me because it demonstrates how a community can influence the character of a person and how that person chooses their path in
But when Mexico’s economy went down the gas station collapsed with his livelihood. His father had to sell it with almost no profit. After the gas station was sold the Quinones-Hinojosa family had to start making they profit with flour tortillas and homemade salsa. When he turned 14 he took short visits to a ranch in San Joaquin Valley, California where his uncle worked as a foreman to make money and bring back for his family by pulling weeds every two months. As a teenager Quinones-Hinojosa always thought he would be an elementary school teacher because of his excellent grades at teacher-training college however he was assigned in a remote, rural area; only that politically-connected affluent kids got good jobs in the city.
It appears as though his mother is the opposite of his father as his father likely encourages them to keep following their own path and working hand. While on the other hand, his mother reminisces about the past when her children didn’t have to worry or stress about any of that. Rodriguez shows how the idea of the American dream affected the quality family traditions. He does this by describing an experience while using language and details about different family members and even himself. Although different
Kids in the most disadvantaged neighborhood, with low family resources, bad schools, and neighborhoods characterized by violence are the ones who are being punished unfairly and are not given second chances. This is because of the discrimination and the bias of the criminal justice system against poor African-American communities, which represent a concentrated disadvantage in that case. Moreover it affirms the theory that the poor are more likely to get to prison because there is a bias in arrest such as the neighborhood social class that affects the presence of the police and their arrests. In that case 6th street is considered a neighborhood that represents communities that are disadvantaged, and therefore the presence of police is greater than necessary. Instead of having the resources from outside to ameliorate the conditions of the neighborhood and improve schools or academic institutions, the efforts and resources are being invested in the war against crimes, but without giving an alternative solution for their
He is very joyful for his sisters knowing that they are attending school. In school he knows that they will at least eat and have air condition. While in the other hand, there are days when migrant workers don’t even eat, much less have air conditioning. For him, he realized his parents were struggle and decided that he want to help them out as well which is why he goes to the fields to earn roughly around sixty dollars a day. In the same way Perla also has a difficult journey, but for Perla her journey beings in Weslaco, Texas.
The community I grew up in central Texas celebrated my heritage, honored differences in culture, and fostered personal growth and self-discovery. My parents, with the strong work ethic they developed on their family’s farms in Ghana, encouraged my brother and me to work hard and find ways to use our skills to be of service to others, which wasn’t hard to do growing up in Austin with its many avenues to become involved and take care of the community, whether it was helping to direct families through the Trail of Lights at Zilker Park during the winter or raise money for educational programs for underprivileged kids in the area through working the concession stands at the University of Texas at Austin. It was this collaborative mindset that Austin
The students learned why their culture was important at meetings they created and they would sit and listen to mariachi music and poems such as the one “I am Joaquin” by “Corky” Gonzalez Boxer (Herlihy). Chicano students such as Paula Crisostomo living in America realized that things weren’t as good for them as they could be so they were encouraged by Sal Castro and UMA’S at Ucla so they all got together and, called for change and protested against the ways they were being mistreated
For example, “ holding a pencil over a small notepad ready to write down anything I had to say. I don’t know. Things about our basic rights, like we’re free to walk here- we’re US citizens.” This shows that her passion for standing up for herself and all the other Mexican families caused the kids to treat her differently. This conflict helps enhance the theme by showing that some people have to deal with unimaginable
Many stories embody the cultural aspects of Mexican-Americans and their struggles with living in a discriminatory society. Stories like With
There has to be a realistic solution that can be put into motion to benefit everyone involved. Referring again to his article “Is Gentrification All Bad?” Davidson argues that urban renewal, if done right, is not a monstrous custom that it is painted to be; nevertheless, he reasons that gentrification depends on who does it, how they do it, and why they do it. As a resident in New York, a city where gentrification is as widespread as the common cold in winter, Davidson speculates that those who go into a neighborhood with the intention to renovate houses, or abandoned buildings ought to have a good reason for it. The author points out that “Gentrification does not have to be something that one group inflicts on another…” (Davidson 349), rather, he suggests that everyone, the gentrifiers and the locals, be on the same page when it comes to developing their
The immigrants entering the United States throughout its history have always had a profound effect on American culture. However, the identity of immigrant groups has been fundamentally challenged and shaped as they attempt to integrate into U.S. society. The influx of Mexicans into the United States has become a controversial political issue that necessitates a comprehensive understanding of their cultural themes and sense of identity. The film Mi Familia (or My Family) covers the journey and experiences of one Mexican-American (or “Chicano”) family from Mexico as they start a new life in the United States. Throughout the course of the film, the same essential conflicts and themes that epitomize Chicano identity in other works of literature
Situated near the U.S.-Mexico border during the early twentieth century is the fictional setting of Fort Jones, the outskirts of which is where Americo Paredes’ short story “Macaria’s Daughter” takes place. Emblematic of the disappropriation of Mexican land, as well as the increased marginalization of the Mexican people, the overbearing presence of Fort Jones reveals the struggle for preservation that characterizes the Mexican-American community of the story. “Macaria’s Daughter” is the tragic account of what happens in a small community when the upholding of Mexican values and institutions, and opposition to Anglo-American culture, become more important than a young woman’s life. In this essay, I will argue that “Macaria’s Daughter” is a text
The Power of Hope Gary Soto brings the impoverished, crime filled streets of the Mexican-American communities where he grew up to life by “evoking the harsh forces that often shape the life for Chicanos” (“‘Gary Soto’: Poetry Foundation” p. 1). He combines an archetypal young love poem with the concept of poverty to create the powerful poem: “Oranges” (1985). Soto also works with the notion of old age and the importance of life in his somber poem: “The Seventieth Year” (1986).
Title: Gentrifying Chicago neighborhoods. General Purpose: To inform my audience of Gentrification in the Norther part of Chicago around the 1960s. Specific Purpose: At the end of my speech, the audience will understand the meaning of gentrification, how Puerto Rican families in the Northern part of Chicago lost their homes to Gentrification, how they fought against gentrification, and how gentrification is now occurring to Mexican families in the Southern part of Chicago. Thesis: Puerto Rican families lost their homes in the 1960s when Lincoln Park was gentrified despites their best efforts, and today Mexican families are losing their homes in Pilsen to gentrification. Introduction I. Attention: What would you risk in order to continue having a home?
Family is an important component when it comes to the Mexican culture. In many Mexican families, we have the “abuelos and abuelas”, these
This consisted of safe schools and neighborhoods, teachers, neighbors, churches, civic organizations, and public institutions (Chriss, 2013). It is just like the saying, “it takes a village to raise a child”. Why does it take a village? Research indicated that young people need adults to be involved with them like adults in their neighborhoods, their schools, the stores they frequent, and the organizations they join, not just their own parents or other family members (Scales, Benson, Roehlkepartain, Hintz, Sullivan, Mannes, (2001). Studies have also shown that adult connection with and caring for children and youth was consistent with positive outcomes among them (Scales et al, 2001).