...throughout this semester. Issues have ranged from social injustices, colonialism, and women’s rights. Some included personal tragedies concerning women of Aboriginal descent living in British Columbia. It has been quite emotional at times to actually read about the struggles that have taken place right here in British Columbia regarding immigrants and Aboriginal people. We even got to meet the author of Mercenary English, Mercedes Eng, in person to make the words of her story really come to life. However, not all of the books we have studied convey negative outlooks of certain problems being faced. There have been positive social changes, personal victories and many moments that make the reader believe things can be made right if an effort is put into it. This research essay will focus on the positive view portrayed in three books studied this semester which include: Mercenary English, Active Geographies-Women and Struggles on the Left Coast and the Unnatural and Accidental Women. The positive themes discussed will display triumphs on a personal level, meaningful change on a social stage and a look at how social activism deeply connects people together. Firstly, Mercenary English has a very unique way of showing social injustice, believed to be carried out in the eyes of its author Mercedes Eng. She writes about personal problems she faced, the negative issues surrounding aboriginal people in Canada and historical injustice against minorities. Her writing is powerful, emotional...
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...Caught Between Cultures Gloria Anzaldúa’s The Homeland, Aztlán / El Otro México, explores the political and social impact of creating borders between places and their residents. Through use of her unique and diverse writing style, Anzaldúa is able to capture the struggle faced by displaced Mexicans and their posterity. Not only is she able to accurately portray their hardships, but she is also able to alienate her white audience by using both English and Spanish. This is done in a way that provides some insight into the cultural barriers that Mexican-Americans encounter. Her use of historical context illuminates the injustice that these people were subject to, while her incorporation of firsthand experiences and family history give the reader a more personal view of the trials and tribulations of a typical Mexican family. The combination of these different writing techniques make the reader empathize with the Mexican people’s struggle, by providing a new perspective on the conflict between Mexico and the United States and its impact. Anzaldúa uses a substantial amount of background information and history to provide context for her audience. She begins by explaining that the oldest evidence of human existence in the United States, is from the ancestors of the Chicanos, who settled there in 35,000 B.C. (Anzaldúa 41). This initial piece of history is important because it shows that the ancestors of the Chicanos were the first inhabitants of the land that is now modern day...
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...Cesar Chavez, an NFWA leader and civil right activist, who experienced the horrendous condition of Mexican-American farm workers, and determined to fight against the injustices. Cesar devoted his life to Community Service Organization to improve lives of Mexican-Americans along with Dolores Huerta. He planned to form farm workers union, but not until 1964, after the end of the bracero program that the union or NFWA gained more supports. However, multiple strikes formed by the union going nowhere, so he came up with the idea of a pilgrimage to Sacramento to prove the state that they worth more than what they deserved to be. This movement achieved higher wages, no child labor, and safer working condition, but most important was that it gave not only hope but the motivation for all the next generations to stand for what is right. Chavez movement helps us realize the importance of responsibility by taking actions for our future. He strongly believes in human nature of help others when need and not back down by any forces of injustices. He knew the farm growers treated them like trash and it's up to him to take actions against...
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...right past never daring to look too hard. This wall is sometimes disjointed, uncomfortable, and awkward, but that is the life of the Mexican in this world, and that is the beauty of the picture Juan Felipe Herrera lays before his readers. Also like a picture in that you get little snippets of peace and war, of pride and self-consciousness. Each line of the poem gives glimpses, which are somewhat interesting, but in its entirety they become completed and together they form a whole. Reading through this poem, some of these reasons were very capturing, causing me to achieve a new level of understanding, while others were most likely targeting someone else and were above my head. Just as walking through an art exhibit some pieces you cannot tear yourself from, others you barely notice...and understand that each viewer/ reader will take home a completely different experience. Many people can read the same poem or look at the same picture and take drastically different things away from it but that is what gives something its beauty. Herrera does a good job of meeting you where you are while challenging the place you find yourself. Herrera goes beyond these borders and also captures the relations between the Mexicans and the Mexican Americans. Most people are not aware that there is a difference between the two but...
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...citizenship, cultural and national. 4. In chapter 4, The Wanderers – El destierro, Tobar depicts the lives of immigrants, the channels through which they cross and life after crossing the border. It is one depicted of wandering travel and job seeking. 5. In chapter 5, In the Land of the New – En la tierra de lo nuevo, Tobar illustrates fantasy, of those who immigrate, meeting reality through brokenness in the education system. 6. In chapter 6, Our Secret Latin Heartlands – Los secretos del machete, Tobar depicts the phenomenon of immigrants who reject their Mexican cultural identity for the desperate hope of being integrated into “American culture”. Tobar brings reason and sheds light upon how damaging that can be and depicts how powerful and positively impactful it can be for Mexicans to embrace their culture through his fried Ben Reed. 7. In chapter 7, Unconquered – La Reconquista, Tobar depicts how beautiful Mexican culture can be through historically influential leaders in San Antonio. He...
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...vast majority of Mexicans, Texas was first claimed by the Spanish, and later declared its own independence in 1836, seceding from Mexico to become the Republic of Texas. This newfound independence was short-lived however, in 1845, the United States government decided to annex Texas in order to create a new state for the growing country. Although at the time Texas’s population was still dominated by Mexicans, slowly whites began to migrate to Texas to take advantage of fertile, cheap land, perfect for ranching and agriculture. This growing number of whites brought many problems among the native Mexican people; these will later be explored in this essay. Mexico did not take well to Texas’s secession and the United State’s recent annexation; consequently they saw the state as a rebel territory. From 1846 to 1848, the Mexican/American war was fought; ultimately, the United States won, but it did not put a stop to the localized conflicts and battles still being fought between Mexicans and the immigrating whites. Ben Johnson, author of Revolution in Texas, explores the revolution following the conclusion of the Mexican/American war. Johnson speaks of a different revolution, separate from the original war, a revolution that was fueled by racial, land, cultural, and border disputes. When the railroad finally reached Texas in 1904, this sparked a massive influx of white settlers that only fueled the growing dissent among Mexican rancheros and farmers. Whites and Mexicans clashed over land...
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...refer to my people, Chicanos, as warriors. This label is concise with who we are because throughout history we have been able to fight and counterattack injustices brought upon us by others. I identify as a Chicana not only due to the fact that I am of Mexican descent, but also because I feel like the warrior spirit of my ancestors dwells within me. Even since ancient times, my people were brave and fearless warriors...
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...The Mexican people were subject to a wide range of oppression, and became second class citizens within the U.S. Mexicans as well the indigenous people never fully assimilated into American society, Mexicans as well as the indigenous became a colonized group of people within the United States conquest. After many years of institutionalized racism, Mexicans began to develop an identity, Chicano was a way for people to identify with who they were, and became the staple to gather up the masses as well as go against an unjust system that have not only put them in a position of isolation and segregation, but have too denied them the ability to gain access to the equality of rights that have once been fought for in relation to the Treaty of...
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...The Mexican- American History May 22, 2014 History 1. The first picture caught my eye was Pedro Infante was a famous Mexican actor during the golden age of Mexican cinema. I consider Pedro an important contributor to society because he brought a whole new meaning to the movie making of Mexico Pedro mostly played the role of a Mexican Rancher but worked out for him very well because he soon became one of the best actors of his time along with Jorge Negrete and Maria Felix. 2. María Félix was a Mexican film star whose extraordinary beauty and force of personality made her a living myth to Mexicans and a symbol of glamour and sophistication to fans throughout the world. Her entire period, she reigned as the supreme goddess of Spanish language in cinema. She became so powerful that she exerted great influence over fashion and as actor in Mexico and other few countries. 3. Mexican American joins the military during World War II for a better opportunity for their life. One was to improve their low socioeconomic status as lack of jobs opportunities. Other to improve their education and manhood. The Mexican American saw to enjoy the military was the only alternative opportunity to enjoy the military to be the only way to succeed in life. 4. Guy L. Gaba ldon was important during the World War II he was a Mexican- American soldier served in the Pacific, his main mark was in the battle of Saipan he fought with the Japanese soldier. The knowledge he used...
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...population of Mexicans, and has had a significantly large population of Mexicans since they became U.S citizens after the Treaty of Hidalgo was signed in 1848. The treaty was an agreement between the U.S, and Mexico, transferring land to the U.S, but not only did they get land; Mexicans who resided in those states also stayed, and most became U.S citizens. Since then, Mexicans, and their U.S born children have faced many problems such as, discrimination, inequality, and segregation. For many years Mexicans, and Mexican-Americans dealt with the inequality, until the 1960’s when they decided that there had to be an end to all the discrimination that Mexicans faced, and started what is now known as the Chicano Movement. The Chicano Movement had a huge impact on not only Chicanos, but also on the nation. A) During the 60’s there were several civil rights movements that took place, and according to Rodolfo F. Acuna “the bases of social movements were inequality, and a moral outrage at the lack of fairness in the system” (Acuna 287), and this is what the Chicano Movement was. In order to understand the Chicano Movement, it must be defined; in short, the Chicano Movement was part of the Civil Rights movement during the 60’s whose goal was to get better education, voting rights, equal wages, and restoration of land grants; as it had originally been agreed to in the Treaty of Hidalgo. The word “Chicano” used to be considered a bad word, a word used to describe the Mexican-Americans...
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...The documentary Latino Americans: Pride and Prejudice revolves around the civil rights movement of chicano Americans. The documentary describes societal issues concerning hispanics in the mid 20th century and how the chicano community worked to overcome the injustice set upon them. The documentary describes a program instated during WWII called the Bracero program which allowed for hispanic laborers to immigrate to the U.S. for work that involved manual labor. These chicano laborers were a very integral part of the economy and daily life in the United States as they were the backbone of agriculture and manual labor. These people were treated as second class citizens as they were subjected to segregation laws which prohibited them from practicing...
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...time period, the Chicano Movement promoted awareness of injustices done to Chicanos, people of Mexican ancestry. According to an online article about immigration to the United States, the origin of the term Chicano is unclear, however, “some experts believe that the word originated from an improper pronunciation or slang version of Mexicano.” The Chicano Movement focused on discrimination, voting rights, work and pay discrimination, and ethnic stereotyping. According to an article from the Library of Congress, “Mexican Americans faced...
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...movement can be seen. El Movimiento most commonly known as the Chicano Movement had originally started in the late 1840s, shortly after the U.S-Mexican war, but didn’t fully kick-off till the 1960s. The Chicano Movement had various leaders the most commonly known being César Chávez, Dr. Hector P. Garcia, and Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzáles. It was also followed by Student and youth organizations from California to Texas. Another major part of this movement was Chicano art that was nourished by their pride in their culture and heritage. Although the Chicano Movement was mostly centered toward the Mexican-American community the ideas they were striving for, broke ethnic boundaries. Cesar Chavez is best known for being a Latin-American civil rights activist. Chavez started his activism in 1952 when he became an organizer for the Community Service Organization (CSO), he traveled throughout California giving speeches in which supported worker’s rights and encouraged Mexican-Americans to register and vote. When he left CSO he co-founded what is now known as UFW. He along with Dolores Huerta co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA), later changed to United Farm Workers (UFW), in 1962. The NFWA first boycott...
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...Biographical Research Paper I am going to discuss the impact of many important Mexican-Americans who all helped improve the lives of people around them and the U.S. These four activists had a goal of changing in a positive way the rights and welfare of many people in the Chicano community. All four were committed to non-violence as they protested and changed America for the better. Dolores Huerta, Gustavo Garcia, Baldemar Velasquez and Aurora Castillo were all Hispanic leaders in their nation. Apart of being Hispanic leaders, these four people have one thing in common. They all made a historical impact in history. Dolores Huerta was born on April 10, 1930 in Dawson, New Mexico. Her father Juan Fernandez was a farmer, Union activist and state assemblyman. Soon enough her mother Alicia Chavez, raised Dolores and her two brothers in central California. In California farmer worker community. She lived in an area filled with farms. She graduated and got her associates teacher degree from the University of the Pacific’s Delta Community College. She began to teach but soon resigned. Dolores couldn’t bare seeing her students coming to class hungry without eating or their essential...
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...Director Diego Luna takes us through a journey in the life of Cesar Chavez. The film “Cesar Chavez: An American Hero” starts with Cesar Chavez (played by actor Michael Pena), was born in Yuma, Arizona and of Mexican-American decent. His family owned a ranch in Arizona, and lost it during the great depression. When they found themselves homeless, they moved to California to work in the fields. But to their surprise there were more people than work. After witnessing the injustice farm workers endured on a daily basis, and the exclusion to bargain for wages after the implementation of the National Labor Relations Act, Chavez decided to take action. Therefore, he joined the CSO (Community Service Organization), and that is where he learned how to organize people and met Dolores...
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