It was a period just after the Great Depression, well known as the Word War II and many nations both active and passive in this period were undergoing so many changes. During the war, so many things had to stop, and the normalcy of life was observed around the year 1950 where the United States citizens were into the things that never took place during the war. Growth was not only observed from the nation’s level but even to the individual’s level, most of the Americans started having their families through marriage and bearing of children and possessing material stuff like homes which they confidently purchased.
While so much was taking place in the American land, so many Latinas saw the opportunities on this land and immigration was on the rise. They moved in multitudes to find jobs within the richly growing economy of the United States. In such times when there were so many job opportunities due to the industrialization and hence the political instability in the Latina, countries forced many of them to move and start a life in America (Suarez, 2013). Unlike the present times where the immigrants are sparsely distributed to other cities, they dominated the Southwest parts and Florida. Many historical events contributed to the mass movements of the Latina into the land of opportunities – America. For instance, Puerto Ricans were governed by governors since 1506. Their very first governor was Ponce de Leon who for many decades he was in that position. After him, the government of America overtook and they used to send generals and military men from Washington and Madrid who ran the affairs of the Puerto Ricans for the next almost four centuries. In the sixteenth century, the grandson of the former Puerto Rican governor Ponce de Leon took over. In the twentieth century, President Roosevelt was able to conquer Puerto Rico by winning over Spain and at this instance, his son Theodore Junior become the Puerto Rico’s governor during this century. It was the Elective Governor Act formulated in 1947 and approved in Washington that contributed the Puerto Ricans having their own governor - Luis Munoz Martin whom they first elected. At the end of his first term in office, the Puerto Rico’s constitution of the Commonwealth was fully enacted and that was in 1950. This was not only a time for them to govern themselves but also a chance to run most of their affairs from the time America invaded. The effects of the Great Depression forced many of the Puerto Ricans to move from their native island to America. During the war, the need for products contributed industrialization in Puerto Rico and most people found opportunities to work in the factories (Suarez, 2013).
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As Puerto Ricans were experiencing political changes in their country, the same was happening in Cuba. Many Cubans found their way into America in search of opportunity, others unwillingly like the Peter Pan’s children and others due to the revolution times of the Castro brothers over Batista. Fulgencio Batista was a soldier and a coup leader who had ruled over the Cubans from 1933. He led as president but in 1952 he lost the presidency and became third. With discontentment, he led another coup with the support of the army but was realized by the American Government after a short while. The cold war between nations around the globe became intense and they contributed to the East to West tug of war between Washington and Moscow (Suarez, 2013). At this time the Castro brothers, Fidel and Raul led a coalition known as ‘the movement’ which was an actual anti – Batista approach. Having had created many enemies, many nations supported Fidel especially America and Mexico who financially boosted his regime. Through a radical revolution in Cuba, Fidel Castro comes into power and a lot of changes took place. The political changes in Cuba and its Aftermath forced many of them to move to America. Many parents had fears for their children and no hope for themselves and hence had no option but to move to America. Children unaccompanied by their parents were airlifted to the United States through the Peter Pan’s program. This was more of a symbol of cold war between the United States and Cuba and somehow the refugee Cubans thought the United States at some point would intervene and help them fight the communist regime.
Social Work Profession of the Different Groups
The social life that every Latina immigrant experienced was very different. The Puerto Ricans were farmers even before they moved into the US and some of the reasons they had to move were because the sugarcane plantations had faced challenges and most of them felt as if the only chance was to try and start a new life in the United States. Even farmers that had established their ground thought better opportunities were in the US. The scenario of job discrimination was very evident when most of the Cubans who were white collar professionals that included medics, accountants, and many other well-developed careers were forced to do any jobs that were available and that not only reduced their financial status but their social status too. Despite the challenges they faced in finding jobs they were experienced in, some of the Latina immigrants found opportunities in the showbiz and entertainment. For instance, Arnaz, a former Cuban businessman who was married to an American wife Lucille, collaborated in their television show that featured both of them. Many Cubans felt represented every time they watched him. As for some teenagers like Tina Moreno, they found opportunities on Broadway as actors and actresses. As for Rita she later moved to Hollywood where still she faced challenges in the character she was given. Never was she given a white girl’s role but most of the times she played as an American Indian, Mexican, Asians and Cubans something they she discriminated on.
According to Suarez (2013), the Capo’s were furniture maker’s way before the revolution in Cuba but after they moved to the US they were forced to get employed in a furniture factory but also opened their own. They denied themselves so much inclusive of sleep to operate their own business overnight and work in the factory during the day. Unlike other immigrants, the Cubans were somehow favored in the US and better considered by the government than others. Many of them were privileged to find very good jobs. For example, in 1980 Roberto Goizueta became the chairman and CEO of the Coca-Cola Corporation whereas in 1999 Carlos Gutierrez was appointed the CEO of the Kellogg Company and later he became the secretary of commerce to George W. Bush. As for Maria de Los Angelis Tores, she was lucky to get a good education and later became a Professor and an author where she wrote about the Peter-Pan children probably because she was one of them.
Some of the dynamics expressed includes the ability for the immigrants to settle in a particular place. For instance, most of the Mexicans settled in the Florida while Puerto Ricans moved to New York. The Cubans, on the other hand, settled in Miami. They helped in the industrialization of the American nation through working in their factories and companies as handymen.
Discrimination and biases were very vivid over the immigrants. For instance, some experienced and professionals from Cuba, Mexico, and Puerto Rico were never given a chance to exercise and practice their professions but ended up as cleaners, taxi drivers among other low-class jobs. In the showbiz and entertainment businesses, the Latina were never given any role that did not portray who they really were. The white Americans who got married to the Latina were considered aliens and also were discriminated over.
Conclusion
“ I want to be in America” is a fascinating journal that brings out the historical events from the times of the Great Depression to the present, showcasing individual stories that were directly or indirectly affected by the political atmosphere at that time. The Latina immigrants either moved to America due to political instability or the need for an economic establishment. The events in countries like Cuba are brought out to explain the current situations and reasons for it. The hurdles faced by the immigrants ranged from discrimination to lack of opportunities which exposed them to an environment of survival for the fittest and contribution to industrialization.
References
Suarez, R. (2013). I like to be in America Latino Americans: The 500-Year Legacy That Shaped a Nation Paperback. Celebra
