El Barrio Street Culture

515 Words2 Pages

Jobs had a significant factor on the residents in El Barrio and is profoundly affected by the street culture. First, the traditional way Puerto Ricans searched for jobs were in the nearby factories. It was a trade that they learned, and they stayed at for years many never left. Even though the working conditions were not high and most worked on assembly lines they stayed with it. There were benefits working like decent pay, overtime. It was common that the older relatives helped, the younger ones to get a job. But after while the street culture took over and the factors moved out. As the factory jobs moved out the jobs went to service jobs. Since, the street culture had more influence on the residents those jobs weren’t the only jobs they gravitated …show more content…

They disliked the working conditions, and that they were overworked and underpaid. This idea leads the residents to leaving suddenly only to repeat the same process again. Primo is a prime example of this, he drops out of school at an early age and starts working, in his early twenties he had over 10+ jobs. Primo was never happy with his jobs and went to the next options that were open to him. He wanted a way out, he wanted a real legal job. Other residents, were the same way wanted a real legitimate job. Many attempted to try to obtain a legal position like the past Puerto Ricans. But since they had an idea of what the factory jobs were like and what they know from the streets, they demand the same working conditions and respect. Legal jobs were hard to find for them, because of how the streets taught them to act, dress, and treat others. Many workers had faced racism from their employers. They at this time, wouldn’t get hired or their hours would be limited. If they were on the streets dealing with dealers, they wouldn’t have to deal with this; they would get respect. Traditional, they would know that they have to earn the respect of the employer they just can’t walk in and receive

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