Essays on Chicano

Since the conquistador’s conquest in 1491 and expulsion from Atzlan, the Chicano community has faced numerous struggles. The white community used race to create an unequal hierarchy, classifying Chicanos as white but treating them as a minority. However, during the Mexican American generation, Chicano activists found empowerment by actively participating in their community and taking…

The central theme of the 2002 film Real Women Have Curves is Ana’s ambition to attend college after completing high school. Ana comes from a background of traditional first-generation Mexican-Americans. Ana, a bright young female, is ensnared by Mexican tradition. She possesses the potential to enroll at Columbia University, which is a renowned institution in…

For all peoples, as with individuals, the time comes when they must reckon with their history. For the Chicano the present is a time of renaissance, of renacimiento. Our people and our community, el barrio and la colonia, are expressing a new consciousness and a new resolve. Recognizing the historical tasks confronting our people and…

Abstract A Chicano is an individual of Mexican descent who lives in the United States. The term “Chicano” comes from the Nahuatl word “Meshicanos” and originally referred to the indigenous people of Mexico. In the 1960s, individuals with Mexican-American heritage adopted the term Chicano to assert their cultural identity and emphasize their political viewpoints. Initially,…

Alienation, Marginalization and Assimilation in Sandra Cisneros’ My Lucy Friend Who Smells like Corn and Barbie-Q             Mexican-American poet and short story writer Sandra Cisneros (b. 1954) is well-known for her frank exposition of the plight of poor and marginalized Mexican and Mexican-American women. Critics often argue that the characters in Cisneros’ works were drawn…

In his article entitled “Anglos and Mexicans in the Twenty-First Century” by David Montejano states the close relations between Anglo Americans and Chicanos and the lack of segregation and class policy are likely to result in the decline of  United States’ South (Montejano, Sec.3). Such adverse outcomes, as Montejano envisions, will be associated with relatively…