"So American it Hurts": Stories of the 1.5 Generation
Mentor 1
Rachel Buff
Location
Union 340
Start Date
5-4-2019 12:00 PM
Description
The concept of the “American Dream” has long been the basis for migration to the United States. It is the belief that anyone, regardless of where they were born or what class they were born into, can attain their own version of success in a society where upward mobility is possible for everyone. However immigrants who remain undocumented can begin to feel worn down by the animosity, fueled by prolonged and re-energized xenophobia, towards them. Despite their criminalization by mass media and the Trump administration, immigrants continue to labor in unstable employment positions to support their family. Children brought to the United States at a young age by their parents and raised here belong to the 1.5 generation. Forced to navigate between cultures and identities while guiding parents through the system, although challenging, is a small price to pay for their parent’s sacrifice.Their established American identity can feel denied because of anti-immigrant policies and rhetoric.While some may be too young to remember the migration journey, it is critical their stories be preserved in order to dismantle the negative narratives of who immigrants are, understand the complexity of their identity formation, and how they see themselves in American society. This research for this paper involves interviews with 30-35 university students who identify with the 1.5 generation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Questions target their experiences growing up undocumented or in a mixed status family while dealing with hostility towards Latinx and immigrants. The recorded interviews will be used to create a podcast that revolves around the 1.5 generation experience with biculturalism, family, support services, community and definitions of home. It’s important this generation has a platform to share their families’ migration journey to counteract inaccurate perceptions of who immigrants are and why they migrate.
"So American it Hurts": Stories of the 1.5 Generation
Union 340
The concept of the “American Dream” has long been the basis for migration to the United States. It is the belief that anyone, regardless of where they were born or what class they were born into, can attain their own version of success in a society where upward mobility is possible for everyone. However immigrants who remain undocumented can begin to feel worn down by the animosity, fueled by prolonged and re-energized xenophobia, towards them. Despite their criminalization by mass media and the Trump administration, immigrants continue to labor in unstable employment positions to support their family. Children brought to the United States at a young age by their parents and raised here belong to the 1.5 generation. Forced to navigate between cultures and identities while guiding parents through the system, although challenging, is a small price to pay for their parent’s sacrifice.Their established American identity can feel denied because of anti-immigrant policies and rhetoric.While some may be too young to remember the migration journey, it is critical their stories be preserved in order to dismantle the negative narratives of who immigrants are, understand the complexity of their identity formation, and how they see themselves in American society. This research for this paper involves interviews with 30-35 university students who identify with the 1.5 generation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Questions target their experiences growing up undocumented or in a mixed status family while dealing with hostility towards Latinx and immigrants. The recorded interviews will be used to create a podcast that revolves around the 1.5 generation experience with biculturalism, family, support services, community and definitions of home. It’s important this generation has a platform to share their families’ migration journey to counteract inaccurate perceptions of who immigrants are and why they migrate.
