Immigration History of Jaime Hernandez

         Immigration History of Jaime Hernandez
                        by: His favorite son Alberto Hernandez

Who is Jaime Hernandez:Jaime Hernandez was born in in 1959, he is also an immigrant from a small village in Mexico, Michoacan. He and his family would move to Mexico City where they had more opportunity, and eventually they would move to the states. Hernandez and his family would were seeking the American Dream, which they were able to obtain later on and in which they were successful.

                                                                        Table of Contents:
                                                                             1) Education
                                                                          2) Life in Mexico
                                                              3) First Impressions of the USA
                                                                           4) Citizenships
                                                            5) The Rewards and Good Times
                                                                           6) The Border

Education: Hernandez grew up in the village for about 12 years. When we awoke, he would walk to school, and then after school every day. It was a two-mile walk back to school every day. Since the school was so small, Hernandez believed that school was sort of a waste of time, because it did not really offer any opportunity in such a small town. He would attend to the farm animals that lived on his families farm. Hernandez and his family decided to move because his family didn't see a future in the little farm, so they decided to move. They moved to the big city of New Mexico. "In Anglo-Saxon Ideologies in the 1920s-1930s: Their Impact on the Segregation of Mexican Students in California, the article describes how Chicanos who are living in the United States are considered one of the most segregated ethnicity in the country." - AJA #1 

Life in Mexico City: My father began making a life for himself. He began making a life for himself and his family. He had found a good job, and married at the age of 20. He noticed that even though he had a good job for Hernandez and his family, he was not making enough money for his wife and kids.  So he decided to head to the United States so that we could send money back to his family.

First impressions of the USA:2:16 When Hernandez moved to the States by himself, he found some friends  and they were all also immigrants. They all shared a room and split the rent together. He would try his best to visit his family back in Mexico. He found a job as a dishwasher and began working as much as he could. Hernandez would send money and toys back to his family. He found himself missing his family more and did not want to miss out on his four children growing up, so he decided it was time to go back to Mexico City and stay longer time in Mexico.

Citizenship: My dad decided to obtain a Green Card. He began going to school so that he could learn to speak English and when it was time for him to qualify for the citizenship test, he took it and he passed. He brought his family over so that they could have a brighter future. He brought over his four kids and his wife. Having a wife and many kids meant he needed more money, so my dad would have to find a second job as a bartender at a Ritz Carlton Hotel. "There are also important variations among ethnic groups. Total fertility rates-the total number of children born to a women-  average 3.7 children for foreign-born Latinas." -Competing Visions: A History of California pg 429

The Rewards and Good times: After bringing his family to the States. Hernandez continued to work hard for his family. He had found a dishwashing job in Sausalito where he worked vigorous hours just to get by. He would later have two more children and how good it felt and how much of a blessing being in the states was.
"A majority of Hispanic Workers were employed in nonagricultural sectors of the economy. Partially in low-wage service" - Competing Visions: A History of California pg 406

The Border: Hernandez talks about his experience crossing the border. He tells us how dangerous it is because there are gangs and bad people who steal money from the people who just want to cross the border for a better future. Hernandez was fortunate enough to have never run into those people, and because of that he is very happy. He believes everyone who crosses the border is good, that all they ever hope for is for a better opportunity in this world.