Book Description

Latinos in the 21st Century: Their Voices and Lived Experiences opens with the presentation of a study consisting of written surveys, focus groups, and individual interviews with 58 men and women who were seeking employment through the Malibu Community Labor Exchange (MCLE) at the time of the study and were predominantly Hispanic immigrants. A central aim of this study is to develop an understanding of how Spanish-speaking Hispanic immigrant day laborers have fared financially in the aftermath of the economic crisis of 2007-2008, while also providing insights on the important role that a labor exchange, such as the MCLE, plays in the financial wellbeing of Hispanic immigrant workers. Additionally, the use of a narrative approach to facilitating therapeutic conversations as a model for understanding and empowering Latinas and their lived experiences. The resiliency and strengths of Latina immigrants in adapting and coping with resettlement in a new country are also addressed. Next, the authors present an analysis usiung 2015 American Community Survey data to explore the determinants of homeownership among Cuban-Americans in the U.S. Homeownership is an important wealth-generating mechanism and access to it can determine the future socio-economic standing of the second generation and beyond. Drawing insights from the literatures on systemic racism and assimilation, this analysis tests two competing theories of homeownership stratification among Cuban-Americans. The final chapter focuses on the Latino migrant worker experience in the United States and its impact on their living conditions. Latino migrant workers (LMWs) constitute a paradigmatic case of a population subject to structural vulnerability. The authors argue that the dysfunctional U.S. immigration system creates a system of structural vulnerability which generates precarious circumstances in LMWs' everyday lives and health status.