Mexican Segregation

America has been home to millions of immigrants from all around the world, especially from Mexico. It has been perceived as "The Land of the Free". Many individuals approach America to be their second home; however, that emotion becomes very distinct when they are not recieved with open arms. The Mexican-American minority group along side African-Americans have suffered through the most injustices, than any other culture. Mexican immigrants were targets of discrimination, racism, and segregation. They suffered through these injustices especially during The Great Depression. The Great Depression affected the United States with job crisis and food shortages; however, Mexican Americans faced an additional threat which was; deportation. Through these awful acts during the 1900s, Mexican Americans wanted to create a new life for themselves and their families; their only option to do so was assimilating into the white culture to prevent future struggles; unfortunately they were not allowed to assimilate. 

Creating a new identity and leaving your old one behind can become a very drastic change in your life. These people had no other choice but to do so, considering that they would be giving up the life they've ever known behind. I don't think people realize the difficulty of giving up who you are as a person to be someone else just to be accepted in this new place Mexican-Americans considered "home". The rate of unemployment and deportation was at its highest during the 1930s (Neumark). It was a great risk to consider assimilation during this time because if the police even suspected you were Mexican, they would deport you in a heart beat. Every day was a constant fear for these people, they basically had to accept discrimination and raiscm to have a second opportunity in life, not just for them but for their children. However, some children faced these hardships of abuse and threat alongside their parents for the tiniest bit of extra money. How was that fair, these kids looked over their shoulder as other kids received an education and played outside without the fear of separation, while they had their hands dirty and only one pair or two of jeans and T-shirts. 

For example, in the article Separate but Equal? A case study of "Romo v. Laird" and Mexican American Education, they opened a case for a farm worker of the name Adolpho Romo, who sued Tempe Elementary School District, for rejecting his four kids from getting an education in a all white school. Adolpho's kids were sent to a Spanish Speaking School where they had under five unqualified teachers and an unequal education. His children were segregated and not given the opportunity to learn the native language for a better chance to assimilate into the white culture. They were held back from plenty of opportunities because they were not set as their equal. 

Embarrassed to have us in the world of whites, we were shunned and hidden in residential areas where no one could see us, but our every day job companions; well if you had a job. Mexican-Americans families were sent to rural areas to live to "secure" their stay in the States. These individuals did not know what they were doing to Mexican Americans, these broken places were very unsanitary which later on caused health problems and death; especially to children. With every death, there was no pity but satisfaction due to the fact that that's how they were getting rid of us. Having a job and working with white individuals was a major threat to them because as immigrants we were seen as the less fortunate, but what these people did not think about was that Mexican Americans had a family of their own they had to feed as well. Working with these people was another major threat, whites would abuse, offend, and belittle the minority; yet these migrant workers dealt with it because if they were fired they had no place to go.  These jobs were categorized in race/ethnicity, educational level, and language. White had all of that and yet instead of helping they took advantage of their power. With no unemployment that caused no money led to the slow recuperation of Mexican Americans. These fights whites caused were unnecessary given the fact that they too were in the same place immigrants were but with a mind of dictatorship. They did not consider that they only had eachother to help rise the economy back up again. 

Mexicans had to overcome many obstacles throughout the 1900s in order to find success somewhere else. They have faded discrimination all around the world and despite all of that they continued to pursue the American Dream, and hope one day to watch their kids grow up without having to look over their shoulder. It is important to address this because it helps the audience understand that all races have endured struggles, obstacles, rascim, discrimination, etc. In order to get where they are today. No race struggles more than the other, it may seem that way, but that is because that is how people perceived them. No race is superior everyone is equal it all depends on who has the voice to address these issues.