MOHA Presentation II
Presentation II: The Settlement and Integration of Latinos in Michigan
Abstract: This session focuses on the experiences of Latinos settling down in Michigan and on how they integrated into their larger communities. The papers in the panel examine the lives of Latinos who left the migrant stream to stay in Michigan and those who promoted and maintained their culture through music. Through interviews with Latinos 50 years and older we provide a comprehensive view on their reasons for settling in Michigan. These oral history interviews provide the reasons some of Latinos settled in Michigan and shed light on the processes of community integration and what these experiences were like for them and other Latinos at the time. This session also examines the role of Latino music in promoting community integration in Michigan. Music was a tool for creating cultural spaces that facilitated a sense of community among new residents. It not only brought people together at dance halls and community events, it promoted a sense of belonging among them. In sum, this session examines the settlement of the Latino population in Michigan and the processes that facilitated their integration into their new communities of residence.
Dr. Rubén O. Martinez is professor of sociology and director of the Julian Samora Research Institute at Michigan State University. His research interests include neoliberalism and Latinos, diversity leadership in higher education, institutional and societal change, education and ethno-racial minorities, youth development, Latino labor and entrepreneurship, and environmental justice. Dr. Martinez is the editor of the Latinos in the United States book series with the Michigan State University Press. He has numerous publications, including three co-authored books: Chicanos in Higher Education (1993), Diversity Leadership in Higher Education (2007), and A Brief History of Cristo Rey Church in Lansing, MI (2012); one edited volume, Latinos in the Midwest (2011); and two co-edited volumes: Latino College Presidents: In Their Own Words (2013), and Occupational Health Disparities among Racial and Ethnic Minorities: Formulating Research Needs and Directions (2017).
Dr. Richard Cruz Davila joined JSRI as a researcher in August of 2017. He recently completed a PhD in Media Studies at the University of Western Ontario. His dissertation traces the history of Chicana/os and Latina/os in punk scenes in Los Angeles and Chicago. He is currently researching the evolution of Texas-Mexican music in Michigan. He is a member of JSRI’s Black/Brown Dialogues task force, which seeks to achieve a more equitable and inclusive Michigan through sustainable intergroup collaborative relationships.
Yoshira D. Macías Mejía is a postdoctoral scholar with the Julian Samora Research Institute at Michigan State University. Yoshira received her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of New Mexico in 2019. Her research areas revolve around Latino politics and public policy. Specifically, her research explores how ethnic identity is shaped among younger generations of Latinos and how this impacts their political participation. She also studies how new information platforms (digital media and social media) are shaping political engagement among Latinos and other racial and ethnic groups. Other research interests include social, family, health, and immigration policy areas affecting Latino communities.
Q&A Session
Discussant: Rubén O. Martinez, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Julian Samora Research Institute, Michigan State University.