How Does Latino Culture Affect Self-Identity Among Teenagers? Introduction Being a teen in a Hispanic household means figuring who you are while following up with traditions and culture, which will collide during your process of developing as a person. One of the most important things that falls under this kind of struggle would be family, being known to maintain strong family ties, and the kind of respect you uphold. “With the strong familial bonds that are associated with Latino cultures, younger generations can experience a particular pressure to pursue this ideal of success for the sake of those who came before them (Living in Two Worlds). Most people start considering how their identity might impact their life and destiny throughout …show more content…
“The term familisimo is used to describe this expectation for cohesion in the Latino culture, which “includes the desire to maintain strong family ties, the expectation that the family will be the primary source of instrumental and emotional support, the feeling of loyalty to the family, and the commitment to the family over individual needs and desires..“(Halgunseth, Ispa, and Rudy 2006:1285). Latino families hold on to traditional beliefs that show how important family ties are. For the majority of first generation immigrants, their original culture and traditions have great significance. Additionally, the fact the majority of first-generation Latino immigrants would rather combine than adapt shows how important their home culture is to them. This would mean listening to the older people and letting them have the last word on important topics.Younger generations struggle to live up to the expectations of their families for their success while also dealing with issues of loyalty, identity, and belonging. Furthermore, come along with the expectations you have based on your gender identity. For example, juggling two very different cultures, Latinas also have to contend with the demands of two different genders. For example, women's roles in the household are perceived to make education less significant. Women tend to be responsible for cleaning and cooking for their household. This gives the boy child more options for a career and more freedom, but it keeps the girl child under the machista's authority known as a man who believes that women are inferior to men. The expectations of others keep people from achieving in huge areas. Many factors contribute to this, including different ways of achieving goals. Sometimes doing more than enough means never being able to balance things out completely. In societies such as
There is a large Latino population in the United States. “By mid-century, one in every four "Americans" will be able to trace their heritage to a Latin American country”(Cauce & Domenech-Rodriguez, 2000, pg.4). By the year 2050, the United States population will be 30% Hispanic. Spanish speaking Latinos are the most prominent minority in our society, and because of this it is important that people put forth effort to understand their culture, language and any drawbacks that might come with living in the larger culture. Because of the large population of Hispanics in this area, it was easy to find a family to interview. The family’s country of origin is Mexico. A large portion of the Hispanic population in the United States is from Mexico. In fact, 60% of the Hispanic population in the United States has origins in Mexico (Saracho & Spodek 2008,
Growing up in a Mexican-American family can be very fun and crazy. Having two different perspectives on two different cultures almost daily really shapes you to become a certain way as you grow up, which is what happened to me. Ever since I was about three months old I have been taking trips to my parents home town for a month time each time we have gone. Practically growing up in both Mexico and the United States for six years has really helped me understand my cultural background and the different parts of my whole culture, such as the food, heritage, language and culture.
Family is the most important social unit of Hispanic life. It is a close-knit entity that includes immediate and extended family members. Typically, the father is the head of the family and the mother rules the house (Clutter, n.d.). Vacations are usually taken to relatives’ houses to promote togetherness in celebration of birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, graduations, and communions. In times of need, the family is the first line of aid, and Hispanics typically live with their parents until marriage. While this deviates from American ideals for individuals aged 18-35, it actually provides young adults the opportunity for future success because so much money is saved from greatly reduced housing costs (Williams, 2009).
In both cultures, grandparents and elders are highly respected, the father holds most of the power and is the decision maker of the household, the mother is the caretaker of the household, and the children’s only responsibility is to go to school and receive an education. This is the case in almost every Hispanic family because they tend to keep traditional values. This hierarchy also occurs in traditional American families. It was always thought that the “absence of a father is destructive to children, particularly boys, because it means that children will lack the economic resources, role model, discipline, structure, and guidance that a father provides.” (Biblarz & Raftery, 1999) However, this is no longer the case. The differences between American family structures can be most clearly seen when separated by socioeconomic class. Now, studies have shown that “children from single-mother families do approximately as well as children from two-biological-parent families.” (Biblarz & Raftery, 1999) This encourages mothers to believe that a single-mother household is still successful. Therefore, the mother becomes the decision maker and caretaker. This concept also applies for opposite genders. In single-father households, the father is not only the decision maker but the caretaker as well. These family structural differences make way for another similarity in Hispanic and American cultures. Faith
The Latino community is considered the largest demographic minority in the United States and is expect to increase by approximately 15% in 2050 (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2002). The Latino population is comprised of many subgroups from many different regions that have developed unique beliefs, norms, and sociopolitical experiences. Although the term Latino is used throughout this paper, it is important to underscore the great diversity found within the Latino community to avoid the development and perpetuation of stereotypes. In clinical practice, it is important to evaluate the individual in terms of their racial identity, acculturation, and socioeconomic status among other factors to create a more individualized and effective treatment
As a traditional, collectivistic cultural group, the Latino population is believed to adhere deeply to the value of familismo. (Arditti, 2006; Calzada, 2014). Familism is an emphasis on the importance of the family unit over values of autonomy and individualism”. (Santistaben, 2012). Family is considered to be the top priority in the Latino culture. Comparatively, at times, this isn’t true of our busy, work devoted western culture. In western culture we think of our family in a nuclear sense made up of a: mom, dad, and siblings. Conversely, Hispanic culture focuses on the whole extended family including aunts, uncles, grandparent, and cousins. Their culture believes having close connections with the entire extended family benefits the development of their children. The entire family helps the child by giving them differing levels of social and emotional support. (American Home Resolutions,
Although most parents and children experience turmoil stemming from simple disagreements, immigrant families face more divisive tensions due to a cultural and societal gap between generations, strict parental expectations to conform to the ideals of a distant land, and differing beliefs on child rearing.
We tend to be like those around us that have the same values and beliefs. So we also tend to do the same things and are raised the same way. Marrying into an Anglo family, this family does not have the close family relations that my Mexican family has. Some Anglo families may, although not to the extent of Mexican households. If you have ever seen My Big Greek Fat Wedding, well this is how Mexican families tend to live their lives, always in each other’s business. I don’t see much of this in my husband’s family and for me, it was a huge adjustment. There almost seems to be a distance and lives are not shared. Where Mexican women think family is most important, Anglo women think family is important, but so is the status. Anglo women seek it all; they want family and career; although not an impossible task, it can take away from family time. “Since prestige, power, and self-esteem are not derived from achieved status to as great an extent among Mexicans, employment is more crucial to psychological well-being for Anglo women than form Mexican” (Ross et al. 1983). Inequality among races shows that Mexicans take immense pride in the household chores while Anglos take great pride in status. By tradition, Mexican women are praised and revered for their roles as homemakers. This view is a status of prestige that is very respected in the Hispanic community. “Ministering mothers are respected revered and recognized important figures despite their alleged low status in the family” (Mirande, 1977:752). On the other hand, “Anglo women are not in traditional homes where the wife receives prestige for her role in family, yet they are not in nontraditional homes where the husband and wife share the work (both outside and inside the home) equally” (Ross et al. 1983). As stated earlier Mexican women in the roles of homemakers in their home are viewed as pillars of strength and respect in their homes and
Latin American society places a great deal of importance on the family as a support network; it is not uncommon for several generations to reside in the same house. This emphasis is called familismo, and the mother in the family is usually the most important figure. She “is seen as the primary nurturer and caregiver in the family…[and] plays a critical role in preservation of the family as a unit, as well as in...
The Southwest United States is an area of great diversity. It is located on the border between the US and Mexico. In this region there are four main ethnicities represented: Hispanics, African Americans, Anglo Americans, and Native Americans. These groups interact daily working in the same offices and going to school together. Youth of each ethnicity face risks as they grow up. By focusing on the Hispanic adolescent girl the extent of the possible risks to one ethnicity can be explored. These risks will include motivation at school, the risk of dropping out of school, the at-risk classification, which includes gang involvement, and teen pregnancy. The results of studies focused on the risks to Hispanic girls will be compared to an interview with a Hispanic girl living in Tucson, Arizona and what she feels the actual risks are. Through the comparison a full view of the risks to adolescent Hispanic girls growing up in the border region will be seen.
Cultural influences have formed who I am. “Every aspect of global communication is influenced by cultural differences”(Goman). Being both Mexican and American has affected my upbringing. “Culture is, basically, a set of shared values that a group of people holds. Such values affect how you think and act and, more importantly, the kind of criteria by which you judge others”(Goman). Since values of both cultures have been instilled in me, my family has certain expectations for me. In Mexican culture women marry young and are supposed to maintain the household and children. An education past high school is not necessary. In the U.S a woman is encouraged to have a career and be independent. My parents mix these two values together. I am expected to be able to maintain
In America, a big concern for adults is if they can afford to have kids. Not only is it about whether they have the money for it, but also whether they can afford to take time from work and raise their children. This was something very shocking to me, since I didn’t grow up in the United States. In Mexico, families relay on each other a lot when it comes to taking care children. For example, my parents couldn’t afford money for my older brother to be put in daycare, so my grandmother would watch him while my parents were in school and at work. Since most parents do this, which is why all the cousins get close, and in the end, we as a culture are closer to our family then most Americans.
Latinos have struggled to discover their place inside of a white America for too many years. Past stereotypes and across racism they have fought to belong. Still America is unwilling to open her arms to them. Instead she demands assimilation. With her pot full of stew she asks, "What flavor will you add to this brew?" Some question, some rebel, and others climb in. I argue that it is not the Latino who willingly agreed to partake in this stew. It is America who forced her ideals upon them through mass media and stale history. However her effort has failed, for they have refused to melt.
Orozco, Graciela L. "Understanding the Culture of Low-Income Immigrant Latino Parents: Key to Involvement." The School Community Journal 1st ser. 18 (2008): 21-37. Web. .
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION OF THE TERMS HISPANIC AND LATINO . THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TWO TERMS Hispanic and Latinos is special terms in this graduation paper; therefore, the clear definition of these terms will help understand lucidly what this study is talking about. Sometimes, Hispanic and Latino will be exchangeable to match the specific research because when Latino have not appeared, Hispanic was considered as the old name which Latino virtually replaces after. This section is responsible for explaining and defining Latinos community before we continue to approach the stereotypes in the films. 1 HISTORY OF TERM AND DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LATINO AND HISPANIC IN THE UNITED STATES 1.1.