MEXICAN AMERICANS AND LATINOS ARE HAVING DIFFICULT TIME

TO ADJUST TO AMERICAN SYSTEM.

Mexican-American Culture
ETHS 2430
Instructor: Javier Augusto Campos, M.S.W.
August 2, 2016

By Esperance Rugomwa

The process of integration of immigrants varies depend on cultures. Some people

may have difficult of integration when they move to different places others can be
quickly adapted to the system this will depends of where they are coming from and
their culture.

Organizations of immigrants are the expression of mobilized

resources and ambitions, and also at this level mechanisms of the integration
process apply. The issue of integration has an impact to peoples lives.

Adaptation

to

American

system

is

an

important

issue

for

Mexican

Americans/Latinos like all immigrants today. The statistic shows how Mexicans
American/Latinos population has grown. As of July 2013, Mexican Americans
comprised 64.1% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States. U.S. Census
Bureau estimates show that since 2000, Latinos have accounted for 50 percent of
population growth. When they first arrive they face some natural barriers: social,
economic and political participation. In the book Mexican Americans Alma
Garcia says that Mexicans have retained many of their own cultural traditions
while adapting to life in the North. In the same book it says that Mexican
Americans are tied to their cultural norms. One immigrant told of how she wanted
her family to eat the Mexican food she prepared exactly as she did in her
hometown. She said that her family could live their everyday lives as if they were
still in Mexico and she added that she could walk all around her community and
hear only Spanish and see only Mexicans. This strategy of living makes strong
their community in one side but other side it can be one of the factors that may
cause them for non-adaptation to modern American society.
There are many advantages when you are adapted to a new system. When you
meet with other people you get information of resources for services for
immigrants that you can benefit. Socializing with others is important for our
mental health and lone less is known as one of the cause of mental and emotional

problems. The rate of intermarriage will increase and the language proficiency
improves quickly.
The no integration to the American system has much negative effect on Mexican
Americans life; they stay behind in learning and competition with native/local
society. Some of the reasons why Mexican Americans prefers to stay closer to their
community; they need who they can communicate with in Spanish. The language
is one of the challenges that Mexican Americans are facing and it is frustrating
when you cannot communicate. I had an experience of having a hard time to
communicate and writing in English, as a refugee French speaker it was and still a
big challenge for me. English as a second language is needed to be able to
communicate, and one possibility to learn it is to go to school. Illegal Immigration
status is another big issue for Mexican Americans/Latino because they cant get
any scholarship that will help them to continue their education without legal
documents.
The educational experience is one of the main disadvantages that Mexican
Americans/Latinos have today. They dont have same privileges that other
immigrants have like financial aid to be able to continue their education and get
employment that gives them enough income and support their families. Another
challenge that Mexican Americans are facing is stereotyping and to avoid
stereotypes they prefer to stay with their community where they feel comfortable

when they see their family members around them. Feeling of inferiority is another
problem that keeps them isolated from the society. Mexican Americans will try to
find jobs in Mexicans communitys stores like Rancho Market or Mexicans
Restaurants where they will be around their community members. This choice has
a negative impact on Mexican Americans because their English cannot improve if
every single day they communicate only in Spanish. Its a problem if Mexican
Americans cannot be engaged in American politics due to immigration status and
lack of opportunities to education. Mexican Americans need to be engaged e
needed in Congress and in the House of Representatives to be voices of the
Mexicans community so they can be involved in law making and fight for
immigration policy change.
To fix this problem of adjustment crisis the Mexican Americans society and other
immigrants need to work together and remove these barriers that stop them to
move forward. Mexican Americans/Latinos and other Immigrants from different
communities can solve this problem if they can work together. Working together
is a powerful tool. They can open a multicultural club and start with education
because it has been seen that education is the main cause of non-adjustment to the
new American system today.
First of all we need to find undocumented and documented children and elderly
that will have access to English learning and other activities. We can create a center

that can be running by Mexicans Americans/Latinos, other immigrants from

different communities and volunteers. It is known that there is good relationship
between Mexican-Americans and African communities; they share same issues of
integration. The board will be composed by Mexican Americans and other citizen
members from other communities which will make the group stronger. To run this
club they will need to apply for a document 501c (3) a tax-exempt nonprofit
organization in the United States to be recognized by IRS as a non-profit
organization. They can apply for a Federal Grant (Capacity Building Grant) after
completing all requirements for eligibility. The focus is on nonprofit and
community organizations that seek to use science and to empower people to
improve coastal environments and/or the health and well-being of coastal residents.
Funding could support activities that foster the development of skills,
competencies,

(e.g.,

development

of

leadership

skills,

science

literacy,

communication skills. For information regarding this grant you can contact Ashley
Harper at aharper@cfgm.org for eligibility and how to apply. The estimation cost
for this project can be $ 15.000 per year, and the funds will come from the grant.
Parents and volunteers will play a big role in running this project.
I interviewed Joe Nahas one of the employee of Refugee Services Office in
Department of Workforce Service he gave me some information regarding
Capacity Building Grants requirement I also did a research on website about

eligibility for the communities grants. I interviewed my friend Margarita shes a

Mexican American she lives with her mother who is 67 years old she told me that
her mom doesnt know what is going outside in the society she only stay in the
house everyday watching TV, she only speaks Spanish. When I go with her to meet
with English speakers she starts putting pressure on me to take her back home
because she doesnt feel comfortable when she cant communicate with people in
English.

References
1) The Mexican Americans, 2002
By Alma M. Garcia
2) U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000; Census 2010.
3) Immigrants in the United States: How Well Are They Integrating into Society?
By Tomas R. Jimnez
4) Community Capacity Building Grants
http://www.nationalacademies.org/gulf/grants/capacitygrants/index.htm

Esperance Rugomwa
ETHS 2430
Mexican American Culture
Instructor: Javier Augusto Campos
August 2, 2016

Reflective Paper

I this class I learned many things that I didnt know that they exist in Mexican
Americans lives. In everyday learning and discussing in class I got more
knowledge of Mexicans history, now I know the different challenges that Mexican
Americans/Latinos are facing. By discussing all these challenges I discovered that
my community share same problems with Mexican Americans.

The more Mexican Americans population growing the more it has an impact on
immigration reforms. The issue of nationality of immigrants is becoming a big
issue in the United Sates.

This class helps me to understand other communities culture beliefs. I learned that
we dont have to judge people. By looking someone how she dress, how she talks
or how see things we dont put labels on others.