The text that I’ve chosen for this assignment is Yes! We are Latinos: Poems and Prose about the Latino Experience written by Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy (2016). It consists of poems on thirteen Latino/as with a glimpse into their life while they are living in the United States and how their identity as Latino/as affects their experiences. Each poem is based on each person’s experience in the United States, their heritage, family’s cultural identities and their future as a Latino American. Each poem differs from each other such as ethnicity, racial background, religion, language, living situation, and family. Following each poem is a historical reference based on the person’s poem, including the significant background, history, events, …show more content…
Her father first immigrated to the United States to look for work, which is relatively common in many Latinx families. Latinx is a gender-neutral term in placed of Latino and Latina. Monica’s family has been making a plan to reunite the family once again in the United States. Monica’s aunt, Tia Vicky, worked with a family in Texas and was able to cross the border without a trouble due to being married to a Texan man, which naturally made her become an American citizen. Tia Vicky made a request to the family to help immigrate Monica to America as a “relative”. Monica’s mother shortly followed and took Tia Vicky’s identity to diminish any suspicion from the border control. Both risky moves were a success and now they have been reunited with the father in Houston and trying to become documented immigrants and not having to fear about the deportation, which would split the family …show more content…
In her short poem, she expressed about her sister’s quinces and the rite of passage of becoming a full-grown woman. Her sister’s quinceanera is the only thing that her family has been talking about. Gladys, on the other hand, is simply happy that there is a party that she would dance all night. However, in her lingering thought, she knew that her family would change focus to Gladys’ quinces soon. However, Gladys does not want an elaborated quinceanera that would signify her rite of passage of becoming a woman. Her wish is for her family’s support of her going to college. That is what she truly wants. She does not want to fall into the traditional role of being a wife and mother without getting a chance of getting into the college. She has been speaking with the counselor about it and received resources that would help her financially. She just simply wants her family to support her dream of going to
In today’s society, a huge issue that resonates across cultures is the idea of racially stereotyping an individual or a culture as a whole. Some might join in and take these stereotypes as a joke, and others might believe that these “jokes” are entirely offensive and inappropriate. Although Americans insist on pursuing negative stereotypes associated with Hispanics; because a lot of Latinos are not able to speak fluent English, so they are labeled as “uneducated.” Another common stereotype for Hispanics is that they are all extremely poor and living in poverty because images are constantly seen of them in large groups piling into small vehicles and residences; Hispanics argue that these stereotypes are demeaning and unfair to their culture, because not every Latino is uneducated and living in poverty.
Through the view of a young girl, this story really captures what it’s like to feel like immigration is the only option for a family. In the story, set in the 1960’s, Anita lives in the Dominican Republic, a country with a dictator named el jefe. One day at school, Anita’s cousin is called out of class, and Anita is asked to go with. She finds out that her
In Quinceanera, the concept of growing up is surrounded by cultural lies. In Latin culture, the celebration of when a girl turns 15 symbolizes the transition to adulthood. In the poem, we see the narrator showing resistance to the act of growing up. She expresses her emotions by saying, “My dolls have been put away like dead children,” to put away her dolls who are not supposed to be “dead” to her. She needs to move on from any tangible objects that have any
The novel “The Color of Family Ties”, by Naomi Gerstel and Natalia Sarkisian, through their research they found out that the ratio of disorganized family for Black and Latino/a families are higher than White families. That white families are more nuclear, which means a couple with their dependent children. In contrast, Black and Latino/a families has a high ratio that they often live with their extended families (Naomi and Sarkisian 47). This novel ties in to the “Looking for Work” novel because Gerstel and Sarkisian shows a research regarding how Latino families are disorganized, and the way how Mexican families lives are just like Gary’s family, the extended family. We know that Gary’s family are disorganized, but nevertheless, Gary has extended families members who he lives together with. Gary’s family showed solidarity love by just help each other out and spending time together. “We ran home for my bike and when my sister found out that we were going swimming, she started to cry because she didn’t have fifteen cents but only an empty Coke bottle”(24 Soto). This is Gary’s cousin Debra who needs fifteen cents to go to the swimming pool, of course Gary and his friend helped Debra out. Other time that showed Gary’s family love is that Gary’s mother always let Gary’s play with his friends outside, not because she does not love Gary is because
A quinceañera is an event that is celebrated worldwide. The term “quinceañera” means fifteenth years in English. It’s an extravagant birthday bash for a young lady turning the age of fifteen.”Celebrating my quince años meant beginning a life of a new adult. It has also given me much more responsibility for my own actions” (Xochitl Comparan, Victoria, Texas). This event is celebrated differently by many diverse cultures, and as time goes by some of the traditions change. Even though the traditions may alter, the whole point for this eventful activity stays the same. The point for this event is to recognize the young lady’s transition from childhood to womanhood. This is also known as “the coming of age.” On this one day, it’s all about the girl, nothing else matters! Organizing one of these events is a very expensive and lengthy process. It takes a lot of time and dedication. There’s a lot to be incorporated in the huge event; such as planning the ceremony, every decoration detail for the reception, all the traditions that must happen during the day, and most importantly to figure out who will be a part of this ritual.
Many writers focus their works of written art on life situations. They focus on drugs, poverty, stereotypes, young adults living in a difficult world, and of course a topic that has been present for many years, male domination. Abraham Rodriguez Jr. in “The Boy Without a Flag” captures all these themes and more in his Tales of the South Bronx, that relate to the lives of many Hispanics and minority residents of the United States.
An important factor in facilitating Dominican migration to United States has been the 1965 Family Reunification Act, which has allowed many Dominicans to enter the United States through strong family networks, making these distinct elements of the Dominican male immigration context from the beginning. Interestingly, the Dominican community is considered a transnational community, where member maintain strong ties to the Dominican Republic and the United States, Rodriguez
"This (Illegal) American Life" In the story "This (Illegal) American Life" Maria Andreu explains the struggle of smuggling into the U.S. and living as an undocumented alien. Andreu's parents came into the U.S. in their early twenties, with baby Andreu at the time. Looking forward to having a better life here in the States. When Andreu turned six, her grandfather passed away. Andreu and her mother left the country and arrived in Argentina to attend the funeral.
...new right away I could relate it since English is my second language. In this poem there is a combination of the two languages I know, English and Spanish, which then converts into a new language Spanglish. Many Latino teenagers and children, like me, speak English at work and school and speak Spanish mostly when they are at home. Therefore, the way we Latino people speak is almost like the way Ms. Valdez wrote this poem. This poem is also a reality in the lives of those who migrate to the United States. Many immigrants see that everything is different and new. They also see that they have to slowly adapt to the new environment. Through Gina’s choice of words and imagery, she makes the Latino audience feel more serene with the American Language and culture. All of the humor, imagery, and similes used in this poem made this poem much more enjoyable and relatable.
The female, adolescent speaker helps the audience realize the prejudice that is present in a “melting-pot” neighborhood in Queens during the year 1983. With the setting placed in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement, the poem allows the audience to examine the experience of a young immigrant girl, and the inequality that is present during this time. Julia Alvarez in “Queens, 1963” employs poetic tools such as diction, figurative language, and irony to teach the reader that even though America is a place founded upon people who were strangers to the land, it is now home to immigrants to claim intolerance for other foreigners, despite the roots of America’s founding.
The Sanchez Family is a large family that emigrated to the United States of America from Mexico. The family is deeply rooted in the Catholic faith and retains their Mexican culture. The family members that this case analysis will focus on are Hector Sanchez and his daughter, Gloria Sanchez. This analysis will provide a review of the family members and how each lens and theory is related to the family member and their presenting concerns.
I will begin to examine the Mexican American ethnic group, probing the historical circumstances that impelled them to come to America, focusing on the structure and functioning of their family life to determine or, at least, to raise clues about how and why they have been able or unable to maintain an ethnic identification over the generations, and take a brief look ahead to being to speculate what the future endeavors are for this ethnic group and their constitutive families.
During this few days, the class focused on two poems Strange Fruit and Primping in the Rearview Mirror. Both poems had interesting stories and meaningful messages behind them. I particular liked reading Strange Fruit by Abel Meeropol. Even though the poem was heavy as it describes the horrendous lynching of black men in the South during the 1940s. I think the poem, both when it was originally written and now, allows it readers to truly think about the serious role that racism had in the American society.
The first poem that I chose was by the poet Julia Alvarez titled “Queens, 1963” this told the story of a family that has moved into in Queens, NY. The writer and narrator of this story is from the Dominican Republic. One year has passed for the family to finally settle into the neighborhood. This time an African American family has moved right across the street. The young girl notices how her neighbors have not treated this family with kindness and respect. More police have been seen patrolling through the neighborhood. When reading this poem my initial thoughts were that “Queens, 1963” describes the American people's behavior towards foreigners and their reactions. Alvarez states, “Mr. Scott, the retired plumber, and his plump Midwestern wife, considered moving back home, where white and black got along by staying where they belonged.” (Alvarez, pp 952) It will take another year and another family that will move into their neighborhood, than once the African American family settles in another family will be placed under the same scrutiny.
Sandra Cisneros’s “Never Marry a Mexican” introduces readers to Clemencia. Cisneros eludes Clemencia as a woman who appears proud of her Mexican heritage, yet knows not how the slanderous phrase “Never marry a Mexican” uttered from her well-meaning mother’s trusty lips about Clemencia’s own Mexican father negatively foreshadows her seedy life and gloomy world perspective later down her destructive journey of adulthood.