Familias in the Heartland: Exploration of the Social, Economic, and Cultural Realities of Latino Immigrants

Abstract

This survey of 957 Latino immigrant adults in urban and suburban communities in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area explores the migration experiences, employment contexts, family structures, and integration processes of an emerging and rapidly growing immigrant population.The study is an example of community-driven research, conducted by a nonprofit community development and immigrant rights organization in close partnership with local immigrant leaders.

A qualitative inquiry of Latino immigrants' work experiences in the Midwest.

“…Respondents indicated that they changed jobs due to better pay, exploitation, termination, transportation issues, and childcare. Finally, Mexican women earned lower wages than men in the Northeast (Fuentes, 2007) but not in the Midwest (Lewis, 2008).…”

Risk and Resilience in Rural Communities: The Experiences of Immigrant Latina Mothers

“…In recent years, family scholars have documented the opportunities and challenges Latino immigrant families experience in rural destinations. Immigrants typically describe a number of challenges, including language barriers, discrimination, transportation issues, and lack of benefits due to low‐paying, high‐turnover jobs (e.g., Cristancho, Garces, Peters, & Mueller, 2008; Lewis, 2008). At the same time, they describe sources of strength that may foster positive adjustment, such as strong family connections and the flexibility to adapt to life in a new land (e.g., Campbell, 2008; Ornelas, Perreira, Beeber, & Maxwell, 2009; Parra‐Cardona, Bulock, Imig, Villarruel, & Gold, 2006).…”

Latinxs in the Kansas City Metro Area: Policing and Criminalization in Ethnic Enclaves

“…Individuals—especially immigrants—are frequently attracted to geographic areas where there are known family members, friends, or others of similar ethnic background (Lewis 2008). These concentrated areas of an ethnic group may emerge as a support network vis-à-vis limited familiarity with the culture and institutions of the host society.…”

“…Even when they achieve high educational levels, Latinxs still receive less financial rewards in their earnings compared with whites (Lewis 2008). Furthermore, due to their disproportionately lower earnings in the workforce, the Latinx population has “lower returns” from living in enclaves compared with other ethnic groups (like Asians), who have higher earnings and relatively fewer socio-economic barriers (Edin, Fredriksson, and Åslund 2003).…”

“…For instance, those in Latinx enclaves are generally less physically active than their counterparts, which is largely attributed to the diminished walkability and relatively fewer recreational public spaces and activities often available in these enclaves (Osypuk, Diez Roux, et al 2009). In the Kansas City metro, low-income Latinxs and Latin American immigrants describe insufficient funds and lack of insurance as the basis for their limited access to medical care (Lewis 2008). Thus, the socio-structural inequities generally faced by racial-ethnic minorities may be compounded and concentrated in predominantly Latinx enclaves, such as those in the Kansas City metropolitan area.…”