|
 |
"We found we had the same struggles...[we have] become friends, working together....[Michoacanos, Zacatecanos, Durangueses*]...[we] have more trust...because of that trust, we support each other." – Head of a state federation, on getting to know Mexicans from other
Interestingly, class and other differences that would have been significant in Mexico lost some of their potential to divide Mexican nationals once they had moved to the US. Mexicans from both rural and urban areas who settled in the same neighborhood grew to rely on one another. Study participants described interactions among diverse Mexican immigrants as catalysts for the exploration and presentation of distinctive regional Mexican artistic and cultural forms in Chicago. Mexicans’ increasingly identify with one another against the backdrop of an Anglo-American and English-speaking majority. In this context, the power of the informal arts not only to bond but also to bridge—to forge connections with people from different social groups—emerges as an important, and underutilized, force. * Michoacán, Zacatecas, and Durango are Mexican states. |
|
 |
Informal artistic activities build community, forging bonds between people who already share much in common, and bridging various social, economic, and ethnic divides. When Mexican immigrants socialize in environments that encourage cultural and artistic production, they make more than music or beautiful objects. These informal artistic activities are intimately related to processes of defining oneself and one’s community. Informal arts participation also provides valuable opportunities for immigrants to forge new relationships and gain access to the important resource and service economy. Social clubs, arts and cultural groups, community centers, schools and to some extent businesses are important locations for participation in the informal arts. They also serve as points of entry into a network that provides immigrants access to social services and support. For example, an immigrant who sews costumes for a Day of the Dead celebration at her child’s school may gain pathways to other resources, such as where to find ESL classes, or the phone number of a case worker at the health department. 
|
|
 |
