Chavez Ravine is a modern day example of institutionalized racism against Chicanos on a smaller scale than the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Chavez Ravine was made up of low income Mexican Americans who were forced to live there because of discrimination in other parts of Los Angeles. Mike Davis, a Los Angeles based author, writes in his book that most of the original Spanish-speaking homeowners initially unwilling sell gave into greedy developers representing the city and its public housing authority. Through Spanish speaking agents, the homeowners were offered immediate cash payments for their homes. Homeowners that did not take advantage of the immediate cash payments were offered less for their home. Panic set in among the remaining homeowners.…
Welcome to Grant County... our little piece of heaven nestled in the mountains of West Virginia.…
We knew we had a chance, we knew we could do it, it was a matter of when. This was one of those moments for most people that when you are in it you don’t realize how big it was until your out of it, but we weren’t most people.…
The destination? Los Angeles, California. The starting point? Adair, Oklahoma. The distance was 1,774 miles until we got there, we drove a Black 1967 Chevrolet Impala, it getshad 14.4 miles to the gallon and a total of 290 miles until it had to be refilled. Now, my passengers, each of my passengers havehas a specific job or role in this endeavor. Dominik (Navigator), Heaven (Food Caretaker), Josh (Budget Man), and Me (Driver, and Tank Filler). And so, we set off for new horizons, new sights, and new hardships. This will be a test of friendship, perseverance, determination, and wits. But, will we make it is the question, we’ll have to find out won’t we?…
For decades Mexican people in the United States struggled to realize the 'American Dream.' And some--a few--have. But the cost, the ultimate cost of assimilation, required turning away from el barrio and la colonia. In the meantime, due to the racist structure of this society, to our essentially different life style, and to the socio-economic functions assigned to our community by Anglo-American society--as suppliers of cheap labor and a dumping ground for the small-time capitalist entrepreneur--the barrio and colonia remained exploited, impoverished, and marginal.…
Dad said midnight and unless Darrell could fly, I was headed for real trouble. Darrell and I chose to go to county fair and like every cliché couple, we had it set to go at sundown in order to get the perfect Instagram post. Luminous pinks, yellows, and blues sparkled a mile out as we caught our exit to enter the fair grounds. Vibrations under our toes grew heavier and heavier as we got closer to the entrance and with a $12 stamp on our right hand we ventured out on running feet. We spent our night soaring high and low with dangling feet, carrying weightless bags of fluffy, crystallized sugar as heavy gusts of wind hosed us leaving the aroma of fresh, crisp funnel cakes. Captivated by parading aisles of games had us lose complete track of time.…
It was spring break,my family and I went to Galveston.It was amazing.We had a lot of fun,and these are just some things that we wanted to do.…
Before even crossing the border, the cultural divide is very apparent. Walking along side of me were many families of all ages, carrying carts and shopping bags filled with items such as clothes, blankets, and food. The businesses located before the border are primarily outlet malls, shopping centers, and money exchange locations. As I crossed the border I noted the many armed military men ling the way. Poverty in the city was very evident; all around were women and men selling trinkets and food on the side. As I was walking to the car I even noticed a man walking past without any shoes. Along the sides of the street were food trucks of various Mexican food.…
Today, there is a place located in San Diego, California called Chicano Park, which is a place full of pride throughout the Mexican-American community. When I first arrived at Chicano Park I was not sure what to expect. This is my first year ever living in San Diego so the area is still pretty new to me. Before taking this Chicano Art class, I actually never even had a clue that Chicano Park existed.…
In my experience, I don’t think I am reluctant to a specific identity. Houston is a very diverse city that people can find almost any type of music genre. In my community there are Hispanic and African American families. The music that is heard is of all kinds from “R&B, Pop music, Reggae, to Cumbia, Bachata and Regional Mexicano.” I have lived in the same community ever since I was born and in my opinion, I have grown up listening to the different types of music genres. This has shaped my identity to be open to different music genres and traditions.…
Being born in Oregon, meant that I was surrounded by family. Both of my grandparents lived within an hour and a half from us and my cousins were only thirty minutes away. I went to a small church, which just so happened to be my school, and I lived in a small town. I had all of this until the fateful day when we moved to Texas.…
The tapping on the wood door was enormous in the silence. Shocked out of my solitude, I pushed myself up from the couch and heaved open the door. Silhouetted against the light was a dark-haired woman with a girl clinging to her skirt. I knew who she was. My landlady had told me about the woman I had seen picking up mail at the post office. She'd called her "The Prize."…
The day I found out I would be moving from Roseville to Alpena was probably the worst day of my life. I remember the day I found out about the move. Not only was I really upset because I would be moving away from my friends and family, but I was really scared. We were moving to the middle of nowhere, where I knew not a single person. I would be going into my 6th grade year in the fall, my first year of middle school. My brother and I did everything we could to try to sabotage the move, but sadly our plans failed. Nothing could stop this from happening. Everything I knew… was about to change.…
“I’ll wait here,” I said, looking at the large, familiar building in the distance. “I’ll feel better if he doesn’t wait here by himself.” My mom nodded and started driving Ms. Lara, her co-worker back to her car at the Alamo Dome.…
One time my family and I we were moving to New Mexico in the way I was looking how my new house was going to be and my new friends.When we were going we saw my uncle and he said, “Let go to there new house”.Then my dad said,“Where is the house”,Then my uncle said,…