Chicano 10A Quiz 1 Romero

Mi Familia Film

"My Family/Mi Familia" is a film that spans three generations of the Sanchez family, telling the story of their cultural roots, experiences, and struggles as a Mexican-American family living in Los Angeles. In the first half of the film, the story focuses on the patriarch of the Sanchez family, Jose Sanchez, who emigrates from Mexico to Los Angeles in the 1920s. He marries a woman named Maria, and together they start their family. However, Maria is deported back to Mexico despite being a legal U.S. resident, and she embarks on a perilous journey to reunite with her family in Los Angeles. This part of the film highlights the experiences and challenges faced by Mexican immigrants in the U.S., including issues of assimilation, discrimination, and the fight to preserve cultural identity. The family's struggles and triumphs serve as a reflection of the broader Mexican-American experience in the United States.

Social Identity

- Created by Huratado and Gurin - Communities an individual belongs to along with defining characteristics of the group - Social identities are about individuals in relation to a specific group - "aspects of an individual's self that derives from his/her knowledge of being a member of categories and groups, together with the value and emotional significance attached to those memberships" - 3 Step Process: social categorization --> social comparison --> psychological work

I Am Joaquin, A Poem by Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales

- Describes the Chicano struggle for socioeconomic justice and civil rights in the United States. Depicted the struggle of assimilation to American culture without forgetting Latinx roots and how to navigate being mestizo. - Chicano identity revolved around social pride - Historical document that was being presented for the first time in the 1950s and 60s. Language was blunt and was essential in its articulation of the main points - Many students adopted the Chicano identity after which produced a large movement of Chicanos in later generations.

Redlining Maps

-Formed in the 1930s to create racially restricted convenants -Discriminatory and now illegal practice of refusing credit, loan, or insurance or adding unfair terms in property contracts based on racial identity or ethnicity. Term comes from the red lines real estate lenders drew on their maps to segregate POC neighborhoods from white neighborhoods - Green: Wealthy Whites. Type A. Desirable -Blue: Type B. Some intermixing but not much. Affluent neighborhoods in the suburbs. Still Desirable Yellow: Intermixed. Labeled declining and referred to as class C. - Red: Latinos, Asians, Blacks, Jews, Italians. Type D and most at risk

3 Main Facets of the Chicano Movement

1. Labor rights and farmworkers 2. Educational reform 3. Women's rights

Bartolome de Las Casas

A Spanish Dominican friar and historian who was a prominent advocate for the rights and humane treatment of indigenous peoples in the Americas during Spanish colonization. His notable work, A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies, highlighted the Spanish colonizers' exploitation and harsh treatment of native populations. Las Casas' advocacy played a crucial role in initiating early reforms in Spanish colonial policies. Contrary to the white savior narrative often seen in history, Las Casas exemplifies that there were individuals who actively opposed racism and slavery during that time, using his religious status to amplify his message against injustices.

Mexican Educational Segregation: Mendez v. Westminster

According to Valencia, the Méndez case was challenging the issue of segregated within the education system. Mexicans in schools suffered from inferior education opportunities to the white population in many cities. In this case Westminster Elementary did not let the Méndez children enroll for school despite their cousins attending the school because they did not speak English. The Méndez children's cousins were admitted to the school because they had a pale complexion and their last name happened to be French. The Méndez children were denied enrollment specifically due to their Mexican heritage. The family gathered other children of Mexican and Latin descent and filed a lawsuit against 4 different school districts for the segregation of race at K-12 schools.

Personal Identity

An aspect of the self composed of psychological traits that gives uniqueness to individuals. Personal identities are typically individualistic and stray away from a group identity - Ex: Me (individual) vs Me (collective)

Gaspar Yanga

Black Mexican and formally enslaved, led a successful slave revolt and established a maroon colony in Veracruz, Mexico, during the early Spanish colonial period. After years of resistance and fighting, Yanga negotiated a treaty with the Spaniards in 1618, securing self-rule for his settlement, San Lorenzo de los Negros, later known as Yanga, Veracruz. This settlement stands as a testament to Yanga's legacy and the fight for freedom and self-determination

The Equal Protection Clause (EPC)

Cause: The Equal Protection Clause (EPC) was part of the 14th Amendment, which was ratified in 1868 during the Reconstruction Era following the American Civil War. It was primarily intended to protect the rights of newly freed African Americans. Significance: The EPC is significant because it provides a constitutional guarantee that everyone will receive equal protection under the law. This clause has been the basis for many significant Supreme Court decisions that have shaped American civil rights law, including the desegregation of schools in Brown v. Board of Education and the legalization of same-sex marriage in Obergefell v. Hodges. Legacy: The legacy of the EPC is that it has provided a crucial legal foundation for the protection of civil rights in the United States. Over time, the clause has been interpreted by the courts to apply to various groups beyond African Americans, including Chinese and Japanese Americans, although Mexican Americans were excluded from these protection

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Cause: The U.S Mexico war and the American goal of expanding its territory westward led to the drafting of the Treaty of Guadalupe as the United States Significance: The treaty added approximately half a million square miles to U.S territory, including present day states of California, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and Oklahoma were all part of this land transfer. The treaty also established the Rio Grande as the Texas border. Additionally, the treaty included provisions regarding the rights and choices of the Mexican citizens living in the newly acquired territories, as stated in Articles VIII and IX. Legacy: While it expanded U.S territory and played a crucial role in shaping the modern United States, it also resulted in the displacement and marginalization of the Mexican citizens and Mexican-Americans living in the newly acquired territories. The treaty's provisions regarding citizenship and property rights were often not fully upheld, leading to a legacy of tensi

U.S-Mexico War

Cause: The U.S-Mexico War was caused by territorial disputes following American settlers moving into Texas territory, Texas gaining independence from Mexico, and its subsequent statehood in the United States. The U.S claimed that the border was the Rio Grande, while Mexico maintained it was 150 miles north at the Nueces River. Failed diplomatic negotiations and an alleged attack on U.S troops in disputed territory led to President Polk to draft a declaration of war. Significance: The war expanded the territory of the United States, as Mexico ceded a vast portion of land including present day California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas following the U.S's victory. This acquisition was known as the Mexican Cession and played a major role in shaping the U.S's notion of the Manifest Destiny (expansion westward). Legacy: There is a lasting tension between the two countries, as well as within the United States. From the Mexican and Chicano perspective, the war was viewed as a U.S aggressi

Richard Valencia. "The Mexican American Struggle for Equal Educational Opportunity in Mendez v. Westminster: Helping to Pave the Way for Brown v. Board of Education."

Cause: The cause of Mendez v. Westminster was the refusal of a public school in Westminster to enroll the children of Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez due to their Mexican heritage, which was a common practice of segregation in California at the time. Significance: The significance of Mendez v. Westminster lies in its impact on ending legally sanctioned segregation in California public schools. The case challenged the notion of "separate but equal" and argued that segregation was inherently unequal and violated the 14th Amendment. The court's decision in favor of Mendez set a precedent that would be cited in later landmark cases, such as Brown v. Board of Education, which ended legal segregation in the United States. Legacy: The legacy of Mendez v. Westminster is that it helped to pave the way for the civil rights movement and the eventual desegregation of schools nationwide. It also highlighted the importance of using social science research in court to challenge discriminatory practice

Psychological work

Cognitive and emotional push towards fixing the stigma linked with a membership in a "problematic" social group. Third process in the creation of social identities involves psychological work, both cognitive and emotional effort which is prompted by what Tajfel assumes is a universal motive--to achieve a positive sense of distinctiveness. All individuals seek to feel good about the groups they belong to.

Self Identity

Collection of beliefs one has about oneself. Social + personal identity. Categories and groups and the emotional value attributed to them Example: Mexican American (social identity) + Musician (personal identity)

CSO (Community Service Organization)

Created by 1948 by Edward Roald (1st Latino to be elected to the LA city council), Royibald Fred Ross, and Mexican American WWII Vets. They organized Latinos/Mexican-Americans in Boyle Heights. They stood against discrimination in housing, employment and education. The organizers wanted to continue across California to increase political power/influence

Abuelita Theology

Crucial role of grandmothers and elder women in Latino families as spiritual leaders and educators, often paralleling the role of a pastor. These women impart values, traditions, and spiritual beliefs to younger generations, serving as pillars of wisdom and guidance. This is particularly important given the challenges Latinos might face in accessing formal religious education or pastoral training, which can be time-consuming and impractical for those who cannot afford to take time off work. In the narrator's personal experience, his grandmother, Mama Tella, played a pivotal role in shaping his spiritual beliefs and values, mirroring the broader concept of Abuelita Theology in Latino culture.

The Other White Legal Strat.

Emerged because the EPC did not traditionally apply to Mexicans, as they were classified as white by the American legal system. Mexican Americans found themselves in a unique position, being legally considered white but still facing racial discrimination similar to that experienced by Black, Asian, and Native American communities. To combat this discrimination, Mexican Americans employed the "other white" legal strategy, which involved asserting their legal status as white to claim protection under the constitution and argue that Jim Crow laws should not apply to them. This strategy highlights the complex and often contradictory nature of race and legal status in the United States during the early to mid-twentieth century. By positioning themselves as white in the eyes of the law, Mexican Americans sought to leverage their legal status to gain protection from discrimination and assert their rights under the constitution. This approach was a response to the pervasive racial discriminati

Larry Itliong (1913-1977)

Filipino farmworker. He was the first organizer of the Delano Grape Strike. Created the Filipino Farmworker Organization and invited Chavez to join their strike. The Filipinos were organized before the UFW.

The Spanish Conquest and Indigenous Genocide

Following Spanish contact, the Indigenous Taino population of Hispaniola faced war, forced labor, malnutrition, and European diseases, resulting in a 90% population decline within 25 years. By 1524, the Tainos ceased to exist as a separate population group. This pattern of indigenous genocide spread throughout the Americas, with Mexico experiencing a loss of 95% of its native population by the early 17th century. De Las Casas, a Spaniard, wrote a book protesting the violence against indigenous peoples and advocated for their protection. The Spaniards also homogenized diverse indigenous ethnic groups by collectively referring to them as Indians

Social comparison

Happens when individuals are categorized, and they start comparing the group to which they belong with other groups in society. The status and relative wealth of one's groups achieve significance in relation to percieved differences from other groups and in relation to the value placed on those differences

United Farm Workers (UFW)

In 1962, Cesar Chavez went to California's Central Valley, without any organizational backing or financial support, to advocate for farm workers' rights. His aim was to improve working conditions and wages for these laborers. In 1965, Filipino farm workers initiated a grape strike in Delano, California, protesting against poor pay and harsh working conditions. They invited Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers (UFW), which was founded by Chavez, to join their strike. This collaboration between Latino and Filipino workers was a significant moment in labor history, as it showcased unity among diverse communities fighting for a common cause. The UFW was instrumental in bringing national attention to the struggles faced by farm workers and helped to enact positive changes for these laborers.

Mexican Housing Segregation: Doss v. Bernal

In the 1890s-1940s, citrus farming was a major agricultural industry in the U.S, relying heavily on Mexican immigrant labor. To segregate Mexican workers from white communities, small Mexican settlements called colonias were established on farms. These colonias were culturally rich, self-sustaining communities, but were often impoverished and overcrowded, with residents living in substandard conditions. Racial restrictive policies prevented Mexicans from living outside these colonias, as exemplified by the case of a Mexican worker who was unable to buy a home in a white neighborhood due to a race-restricted housing agreement. This segregation was also seen in the Mendez v. Westminster case, which dealt with the separation of white and Mexican families in educational settings.

Problematic Social Identities

Membership in groups that are looked down upon by society. This membership creates a negative stigma. Typically those who belong to less privileged, historically subordinate groups. Groups that have to deal with master statuses that in the eyes of others are less than desirable and make them less worthy as human beings -Ex: Mexican or African descent

Unproblematic Social Identities

Memberships in groups that are socially valued or accorded to privilege. Gives a positive sense of distinctiveness and creates no stigma Neutral or positive, but not negative. Privileged high status

The Great Mexican Migration

Push Factors: The Mexican Revolution (1910-1920) was the primary push factor, with its violence and political instability leading to 1.9-3.5 million people to flee Mexico. The revolution resulted in a significant loss of life and livelihood, driving Mexicans to seek safety and stability elsewhere. This trend continues today, with people fleeing ongoing violence and socioeconomic/political insecurity in Mexico Pull Factors: The United States offered numerous economic opportunities, particularly during WWII when labor shortages arose due to a lack of immigration from Asia and Europe. Several legislative acts such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the Asiatic Barred Zone Act of 1917, and the Emergency Quota Act of 1921, as well as the Immigration Act of 1924, limited immigration from Asia and southern and eastern Europe, creating a demand for labor that Mexicans were eager to fill. These job opportunities, combined with the promise of a more stable and secure life, drew Mexicans to t

Consciousness

Romero's Definition: New awareness. Becoming aware of social injustice and inequalities and how it impacts Latino communities. It is vital in the Chicano identity to have this I am aware that there has been this social injustice in the Latino community and doing something about it. This is not a woke ideology

1960s Historical Context

Socio-economic and political statistics for Mexican Americans in 1960 were abysmal (Vargas, 306) 1. The median income of a Mexican American family was 62% of the general population 2. ⅓ of Mexican American families lived below the federal poverty line, which at that time was $3,000 a year 3. ⅘ were concentrated in unskilled or semiskilled jobs; 1⁄3 employed of this number employed in agriculture 4. Vast majority attended segregated schools 5. 75% of students dropped out before high school graduation 6. In 1968, there was only 1 Mexican American in the Senate and 3 in the House of Representatives 7. No Mexican Americans served in the CA state legislature

Encomienda System

Spanish colonial practice in the 16th century Americas, allowing settlers (encomenderos) to extract forced labor and tribute from indigenous peoples in return for protection and religious teaching/education. Realistically, it often resulted in severe exploitation and mistreatment of the native populations. The first race-based labor system in the Americas, encomiendacomes from the Spanish word encomendar meaning to entrust. Initiated by Christopher Columbus in the Caribbean, this system allocated land and its indigenous inhabitants to settlers, requiring that the native people pay tribute and generate wealth and resources for the colonizers.

Lemon Grove Documentary

The Lemon Grove Incident of 1930 was a significant event in which the school board's decision to segregate Mexican (San Diego) children in a separate school caused racial tensions and strengthened community solidarity among Mexican families. The incident highlighted the discriminatory attitudes towards Mexican Americans during that time, as well as the educational disparities faced by Mexican American children, who were often placed in Americanization classes and segregated schools with outdated resources. The video also discusses the broader context of discrimination and mistreatment faced by Mexican Americans during the 1930s, including the national repatriation program that sent nearly half a million people of Mexican descent back to Mexico. Ultimately, the Mexican community's successful boycott of the separate school led to their integration into the main school, marking a significant victory for civil rights and education equality.

Master Statuses

The categories that are most important in shaping a person' self concept and life choices -Ex: Race, legal status, religion, shit on tax forms

Afro-Mexicans

The first slave that was ever brough to Mexico was in 1519. Juan Cortez, the first enslaved African, arrived in Mexico as a servant to Hernan Cortez. Approximately six Black individuals participated in the Spanish Conquest. These early African arrivals were typically personal servants who were brought from Africa to Seville, where they were taught Spanish, converted to Christianity, and then taken to Mexico. Following 1519, the transatlantic slave trade brought large numbers of bozales, or enslaved Africans, to the Americas.

"Dolores Huerta: Woman, Organizer, and Symbol." Richard A. Garcia. California History. Basic summary in several sentences.

The individual in question is a non-traditional woman who prioritized her commitment to the union over her familial responsibilities. Despite her significant contributions, she often finds herself overshadowed by her male counterparts, largely due to her gender. Raised by a divorced mother who treated her no differently than her male siblings, she developed a strong, assertive personality - characteristics often criticized by men in her field. A two-time divorcee and mother of nine, she frequently had to rely on others to care for her children while she organized marches and other union-related activities. As a key figure in the United Farm Workers movement, which she co-founded with Cesar Chavez following a merger with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee, she played a pivotal role in advocating for farm workers' rights. Her approach to organizing differed from the norm; she focused on instilling a personal moral value of social justice in her audience, rather than merely r

Social Categorization

The process of putting individuals into categories or boxes. Initiates the formation of social identity. Nationality, language, race, ethnicity, skin color, or any other social or physical characteristic can be the basis for social categorization and thus the foundation for the construction of social identity.

Reconfiguring Aztlan by Rafael Perez-Torres

The term Chicano represents a new social identity for Mexican Americans, contrasting withe the gringo social dignity. The concept of Aztlan, a mythical Aztec homeland, is central to this identity, symbolizing a spiritual homeland for Chicanos in the Southwest U.S, where the Aztecs originated. This notion was popularized by Chicano Alurista in 1969, asserting a moral birthright to this land. Embracing the Chicano identity and its association with Aztlan is a statement of self-worth and cultural pride for young Mexican Americans, similar to the significance of Jerusalem or Mecca for Christians and Muslims.

Caste System

This racial legacy had led to an obsession with whiteness or purifying all aspects of Latin American society, including family, film, television, school, business, politics, government, and churches. They were created as a means of securing socioeconomic and political control in territories during the time of Spanish colonization - Spaniards (Ciollos, Peninsulares) - Mestizos (Spanish + Indigenous) - Mulatos (Spanish + Black) (Spanish blood) - Black Slaves - Native Servants - Comminity Natives (outcasts)

Chicano: Hurtado and Gurin Definition

Unique third identity that emerges within the United States, distinct from both traditional Mexican identity and mainstream American identity. This identity represents a middle-class status and is closely tired to nationality, suggesting that to be part of the US is to be middle class. It incorporates both class and nationality, demonstrating a characteristic Americans lack of class consciousness, and aligns with the US tendency to equate middle class standing with American quality. There is also an aspect of gender as a central aspect of the identity, with the sense of self as a woman or a man associated with mainstream identity. H and G assert that becoming Chicano is a means of gaining psychological distinctiveness through individual mobility, moving from a devalued group to become part of the valued mainstream. There is a binational aspect, bringing together the terms American of Mexican descent and Mexican American and producing a Raza identity that has a US, rather than L.A, con