Problems of My Family After Moving From Mexico Essay Example

on this core struggle of immigration/labor rights. A power map was also created to recall the obstacles we could face while trying to achieve this solution. There are opponents, neighboring issues and stakeholders that come into play when discussing the struggles immigrants/labor rights encounter. Community organizing, campaigns and actions are needed to move towards building a world we want to live in. Gathering information on subjects covered in class such as, intersectionality, feminist of color, and identity politics demonstrate ways of how race, class, and gender are related to power.

To advance we need to stop fighting against one another. This brings thoughts as to how hegemony equals to force and consent; the exercise of absolute power, especially in a cruel and oppressive way. Communities tend to focus on who is more oppressed than why they are oppressed in the first place. This is known as “oppression Olympics” which I sonly beneficial for certain groups. I believe everyone should be treated with respect without making others feel less valued and believe it is a human right for everyone to know their human rights. When race, class, and gender is in one single identity, violence is acts against those whose intersectional identities already placed them at higher risk of the attack.

“Though isolated and often unaware of their rights, the women interviewed shared a spirit of struggle and perseverance and a desire to act towards positive change. These initial encounters birthed Mujeres Unidas y Activas (MUA) – a membership-based Latina immigrant community organizing and empowerment program. Twenty-four years later, MUA is a grassroots organization with a budget of over $1.5 million and a staff of 20 that reaches

thousands of Latina immigrant women throughout the San Francisco Bay Area each year” (Mujeres Unidas y Activas). MUA’s mission is to promote personal transformation and build community power for social and economic justice.

MUA believes in values such as, compassion, respect, learning and transparency. With compassion and respect, there is an understanding that everyone is interconnected with one another. With those two values it enables a learning environment where everyone feels at ease at their own pace level though growing as an organization while reflecting. And lastly they practice decision making so their members can participate. Community organizing is full of decision-making, which affects the success of the group. When researching these allies of immigration/labor rights I realized how often injustices happen in the work field.

However, with the power of community organizing, education and kindness we can struggle less. MUA’s vision is designed for women to live with respect, valued paid and unpaid work, look for a living wage and safe working environment. In order to achieve their mission they empower, educate and provide support while offering training and leadership skills. Their values and strategies allow for the greatest impact, that has lead them to great success.

“In order to develop a comprehensive immigration framework, it is essential that the community, media, and other stakeholders acknowledge that immigration has a series of complex and interconnected root causes” (lclaa.org). Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) defends economic and social justice for workers, and promotes greater cultural diversity. LCLAA goal is to bring union members together in unity. LCLAA members engage in different programs promoting political empowerment, cultural pride, and economic development for Latino/a workers and their families.

LCLAA has organized campaigns in efforts to influence power.

They seek to educate and empower proving tools and skills to advance. One of their campaigns is titled: Roadmap to Citizenship Campaign: Reforming America’s Immigration Process. Aspiring to create a immigration process that is “effective, fair and just.” Their campaign is a combination of research, advocacy and education. Their demands ask for equal pay for Latinos/as and women of color and a comprehensive immigration process. An organization that started off with immigration law practice to simply provide legal defense to a community in need, are now committed to provide services to Latino, low income, Spanish speaking immigrants.

This is a community-based organization known as the La Raza Centro Legal whose mission is to empower and teach skills to advocate for civil and human rights. As years paseds by, they have strengthened their Legal Services programs ensuring those who do not have access to an attorney have a representative. They work with law firms providing Mandatory Continuing Legal Education seminars. Listed above were three bay area organizations working towards social justice. These organizations were founded in the 70’s and 80’s and have helped many people get familiar with their rights with education and build self-confidence.

These groups have made it possible for all working people who believe and want to be part of the American dream. They started off by educating and building relationships, these people share a one common thing, which is hope and a want for change in their community. As these communities continue to push for a social change they are also expanding as a community. Many members have shared their stories and their reason for their

involvement. Unfortunately some stories were tragedies they have encountered, however, those stories of sadness led to the passion they have for their rights.

By creating a safe space for these humans to share vulnerable occurrences has allowed them to grow and find their voice. People migrate for multiple reasons, some more complex than others. Whether some were forced to move or voluntarily did it, it is more than likely they faced challenges. In my family’s case, my grandfather decided to migrate to America from Mexico with his wife and children in search for better opportunities. I am aware of how scared and nervous they all felt coming to an unfamiliar country.

My mother is the oldest of three and she also dealt with some hard times, but she knew since she had her family and that sense of community and not being alone that everything would fall into place. The purpose of the research was to demonstrate how different organizations use similar strategies, tactics and actions for a social change. These organizations were founded generally around the same year or at least after the civil rights movement. Common strategies included educating, building a community and collaboration. The power of education is endless. When we are given the knowledge, we can use it to change something for the better.

Building a community gives us a sense of being a part of something, where you have a voice and matter. Collaboration happens when you're surrounded with passionate people who have the same goal. Being exposed to different perspectives allows room for collaborations and a greater bond within the community to become stronger and raise new ideas to continue moving forward.

In America we face issues of inequality and limited ways of thinking.

Just as James Baldwin in The Fire Next Time, he speaks about his race and racism. Baldwin believes that violence is not a way of solution for achieving power and the only way to achieve lasting power is by love. If we work together we can venture to welcome immigrants of different races, and backgrounds and ensure that immigrants are not victimized or mistreated, but rather fit to work as a part in our country. Although our identities (race, class and gender) make us who we are and connect us with people with similar stories we need to exercise the values of compassion and respect that MUA practices as part of their organization. As much as we wish to control others around us, we cannot manage how they see us, therefore utilizing the same values as MUA may lead us to success as Mujeres Unidas y Activas.