Barrio Youth

Immigration and Barrio Life

Although migrations certainly include people of means looking for greater opportunities, the large-scale migratory movements to the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries consisted primarily of low-income populations seeking a better life. Since the late 1960s immigration to the United States has certainly followed this pattern.

With the closing of the Western frontier, readily available land for settlers became increasingly scarce, and newcomers lured by the promise of employment during the Industrial Revolution consequently settled in urban environments. Most were forced by their limited means to take up residence in rundown sections of these urban areas. Matters were further complicated by limited employment and overall opportunities, combined with the prejudices of earlier generations of Americans.

Beginning in the 1840s and continuing into the 20th century, young immigrant men of Irish, Italian, German, Jewish, and Polish origin gathered on the street corners of their respective neighborhoods and jointly confronted the rigors of their new life in the industrialized cities of the eastern and midwestern United States. Later, other immigrant groups from Latin America, mainly Mexico, repeated this experience of establishing ethnic enclaves, or barrios, characterized partly by distinct youth experiences and youth cultures.

Understanding this process requires a holistic, integrative assessment and interpretation of barrio youth that recognizes the many strands and sources of identity formation. Adapting to a new culture and place affects immigrants' family structure and stability, school readiness in the context of language and cultural differences, and their level of involvement with police and the criminal justice system.

Immigration, both legal and illegal, and the experiences of the immigrants adapting and [Page 204]adjusting to city life, form the basis for all else that follows. There are many areas in which immigrants—and especially their children—find themselves challenged, including where they settle, their employment options, and their ability to maintain their cultural values and practices, which are consistently challenged and often compromised. These factors need to be considered in order to broaden and deepen our understanding of the immigrant experience.

Barrio Youth and Human Development

The growth and development of Mexican immigrant youth from limited socioeconomic means is affected by a variety of situations and conditions. Early family life determines their health and learning readiness. As they reach adolescence, school efficacy becomes a mitigating factor, as well as gender, age, and ethnic identity. The vast majorities of youths work their way through the difficulties and evolve into mature and productive young adults. However, barriers such as racial prejudice, ethnic isolation, and poverty can easily undermine the maturation process.

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