Understanding First Generation:
LatinX
From a young age, it is common for children of immigrants to
have a clear understanding of the hopes one’s parents may have for him or her:
to achieve the American Dream. This often includes attending a good college,
obtaining a white-collar job, marrying young, and starting a family. The
stories and traditions of their parents’ home country are incorporated within
the home and in day-to-day life. From the day first generation babies are born,
they are set apart from their friends who have American-born parents.
Oftentimes, certain fears and pressures are enmeshed within
the hope that these parents have for their children:
➔ Pressure to marry and to do it young. Women are expected to marry young
and to immediately begin having children. Independence and moving out of the
home are seen as unnecessary and considered dangerous.
➔ Fear of pursuing a preferred career path. The expectations to pursue a
white-collar occupation are oftentimes considered the only option. A teacher,
for example, is viewed as an inferior profession, and choosing this path can be
seen as dishonorable.
➔ Fear to disappoint. The expectation for children to supersede their parents
educationally can add additional pressure to school and academic settings. From
a young age, children are made aware of the sacrifices their parents made in
order to give their children better lives. Not making an “acceptable” career
choice can be considered a disappointment or a failure.
How
can first generation LatinX individuals value parental expectations while also
holding individual desires and dreams?
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