1 hr 19 min
Episode 18: Hard Work Is More Powerful Than Language Hija de tu Madre Podcast
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- Fiction
On today's episode I spoke with Yvette Perez. She is the creator of Finding Vettey. Her madre's story comes to us from Jalisco, Mexico. Her madre's father was part of the Bracero Program. As you all may know I love history and the Bracero Program was always so interesting to me. As immigration is a hot topic the Bracero Program just goes to show how America can dispose you like you were last week's trash so quickly. The Bracero Program started in 1942 as a way to allow Mexicans to come work in the United States for a short period during World War II. While all their men were off to war they brought in Mexican labor at low wages to use them for hard work. Yvette's madre came here to then also continue in working in the fields like her father had done before her.
Our conversation touches on topics of language. Often someone that speaks with an accent or one that doesn't speak the English language is often criticized or made fun of. We have to look at the overall picture and understand the damage we are doing to those people by doing that. My mother does not speak English till this day. She often says that she hated learning because she hated how people made fun of her. As most often birds do when you clip their wings, they don't fly. How can we expect for people to embrace the English language when their efforts are most often the butt of someones jokes?
We discuss the struggles of going to college as 1st generation Latinas. Admitting that we have no idea how we got there! Yet being grateful for our Mexican American friends that exposed us to the idea. We also dive deep into the reason why we left the nest. The fight to leave the nest and how hard it sometimes is to break that cultural barrier.
I encourage you to learn about the Bracero Program. In understanding our history you will begin to understand our present.
Follow Yvette at @findingvettey and follow her beautiful shop of artisan products from our gente.
Support the show
On today's episode I spoke with Yvette Perez. She is the creator of Finding Vettey. Her madre's story comes to us from Jalisco, Mexico. Her madre's father was part of the Bracero Program. As you all may know I love history and the Bracero Program was always so interesting to me. As immigration is a hot topic the Bracero Program just goes to show how America can dispose you like you were last week's trash so quickly. The Bracero Program started in 1942 as a way to allow Mexicans to come work in the United States for a short period during World War II. While all their men were off to war they brought in Mexican labor at low wages to use them for hard work. Yvette's madre came here to then also continue in working in the fields like her father had done before her.
Our conversation touches on topics of language. Often someone that speaks with an accent or one that doesn't speak the English language is often criticized or made fun of. We have to look at the overall picture and understand the damage we are doing to those people by doing that. My mother does not speak English till this day. She often says that she hated learning because she hated how people made fun of her. As most often birds do when you clip their wings, they don't fly. How can we expect for people to embrace the English language when their efforts are most often the butt of someones jokes?
We discuss the struggles of going to college as 1st generation Latinas. Admitting that we have no idea how we got there! Yet being grateful for our Mexican American friends that exposed us to the idea. We also dive deep into the reason why we left the nest. The fight to leave the nest and how hard it sometimes is to break that cultural barrier.
I encourage you to learn about the Bracero Program. In understanding our history you will begin to understand our present.
Follow Yvette at @findingvettey and follow her beautiful shop of artisan products from our gente.
Support the show
1 hr 19 min