Did the Braceros Program Allow the Rodriguez Family to Achieve the American Dream? by Carina Geer

February 7, 1962 - Marriage

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On February 7, 1962 in Arteaga, Michoacán Juan Rodriguez Lopez (21) married Maria Consuelo Sanchez Aguilera (15) which becomes the start of the Rodriguez family. Attached is the wedding license.

1963-1964, Braceros Program

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The braceros program started in August of 1942 as a contract between the United States and Mexico for the importation of temporary contract laborers. There were many promises that the braceros program did not live up to for its workers and once Juan Rodriguez Lopez joined he began to experience what it really was like being a bracero. He joined in 1963-1964 towards the tail end of the program, he no longer needed to get permission from his local priest because the program was so broken down. He was told that he, and any other men that were to join, were on their own but there was work, so he filed to become a bracero. In almost all of the accounts from past braceros, that I found through my research, spoke about how horribly they were treated and how bad the working conditions were. Juan had his own personal stories and experiences to add to my research. One of the most vivid memories he has from working as a bracero was after a hard day of work the land owner's wife offered him and some other men dinner but since she didn't have any clean plates left she served them with in the dogs bowl, so upset and offended Juan and many of the other men refused to eat and went without eating for that day.

1963-1965, Death

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Maria Consuelo Sanchez Aguilera gave birth to her first child, Gilberto, in December of 1963 at the age of 16. However due to illness Gilberto passed away in around 1965 at the age of 2.

October 20, 1964- Birth

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Maria Consuelo gave birth to her first daughter Angelica Maria Rodriguez in Arteaga, Michoacán.

November 17, 1966- Birth

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Maria Consuelo gave birth to her second daughter Alma Leticia Rodriguez in Arteaga, Michoacán. Shortly after Juan and Maria Consuelo took their two daughters to live in America. Angelica was 2 years old going on 3 and Alma Leticia was just a few months old.

June 13, 1975 - Passports and Green Cards

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In 1975 Maria Consuelo, Juan, Angelica Maria and Alma Leticia all had to get their passports and green cards to travel back to Arteaga, Michoacán to finish their paperwork for permanent residence. In order to save money Angelica Maria and Alma Leticia were able to share a passport since they were still young but still needed separate green cards.

December 23, 1968- Birth

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Maria Consuelo gave birth to her third child, her son Juan Gilberto Rodriguez at French Hospital (now the Pacific Alliance Medical Center) in Los Angeles, California.

November 6, 1972 - Birth

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Maria Consuelo gave birth to her fourth child and third daughter Connie Rodriguez on November 6 at French Hospital in Los Angeles, California.

June 22, 1990 - Graduation

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Connie graduated from Eagle Rock High School on June 22, 1990.

July 8, 1995- Marriage

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On the 8th of July 1995 Alma Leticia Rodriguez married Michael John Geer.

1990- Employment

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In 1990 Alma Leticia began working for General Motors. She continued working with General Motors until 2010 when they filed bankruptcy. Within that time period of 1990-2010 she also worked with GMAC for 5 years.

1994 - First Home

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In 1994 Alma Leticia Rodriguez purchased her own house in Pasadena with her hard earned savings. Alma Leticia's ownership is parallel to the research and is even ahead of the age that the statistics show by two years.

June 7, 2012 - Graduation

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June 7, 2012 Ciana Marey Garcia graduated Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy and became the first of the family to go onto a University. She entered the University of Utah where she is currently studying strategic communications

To be continued...

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Ciana plans to major in strategic communication. In the future she hopes she will be able to take a year off of school to work but then return to complete her masters. She aims to become a communication director for a hospital.

Carina plans to graduate from Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy this June and go onto the college of her choosing.

Clara Luna plans to graduate Ramón C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts in May of 2016.

Quentin and Michael plan on continuing their last two years of high school at Loyola and Saint Francis and go onto colleges of their choosing.

Evariste plans on graduating from Saint Bede's the Vulnerable School in June of 2016 and hopes to move onto Saint Francis High School.

Conclusion

carinageer15 — 2015-02-23 22:48:02 UTC

Through all the research I have done for this project I was able to make so many connections to my family. Being that the whole concept behind my research stemmed from family background creating this timeline was ideal and showed me that my family really, but in many cases, precede the statistics for Mexican-Americans. Each generation of Mexican-Americans that preceded the Braceros has redefined themselves in a new way and began to establish themselves. Each generation has been more successful and have created a legacy for themselves because of the new opportunities that are being available to their community. In short, they have been given the tools to improve their living standards, education levels, job opportunities and social states. Just by looking at my family I know and have seen first hand how this is true, my mom and her siblings knew that going off to a University was not realistic for them at that time and they knew that they were working class people, however, now looking at how established they’ve become they are now able to provide that opportunity to their children who are now able to go off to college and get as much education as they desire while hoping to establish themselves in the profession of their choosing. It is normal for children to surpass their parents, the statistics prove this to be true, but for my family the amount of opportunities that are now available to us are incredible which is why, through this project, I have come to the conclusion that my grandpa working as part of the bracero program made the American Dream achievable for my family.

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August 3, 1994 - Birth

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On the 3rd of August 1994 Connie and Eric Garcia welcomed their first child and only daughter Ciana Marey Garcia into the world.

September 11, 1997 - Birth

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On September 11, 1997 Michelle Helseth and Juan Gilberto Rodriguez welcomed their first and only child, their daughter Clara Luna Rodriguez into the world.

Clara Luna (right) Carina (left)

October 19, 1997- Birth

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Shortly after the birth of Clara Luna, Alma Leticia and Michael Geer gave birth to their first child and only daughter, Carina Nicole Geer in Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo on the 19th of October.

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June 5, 1999- Birth

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On the 5th of June Connie and Eric Garcia had their first son and second child Quentin Kyle Garcia.

August 21, 1999 - Birth

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On the 21st of August Alma Leticia and Michael Geer had their first son Michael John Geer Jr. at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena.

March 15, 2002- Birth

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On the 15th of March 2002, Alma Leticia and Michael Geer had their second and last child Evariste Tyler Geer at Huntigton Hospital in Pasadena.

June 19, 2003 - Birth

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On the 19th of June 2003 Edward Rodriguez and Bobbie Deleon had their first child Mia Rodriguez.

February 7, 2011 - Birth

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On February 7, 2011 Edward Rodriguez and Bobbie Deleon had their first son and second child, Edward Christopher

June 2011 - Graduation

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In June 2011 Carina graduated from Saint Monica's Academy and entered the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy Class of 2015.

June 2013 - Graduation

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In June 2013 Michael Geer Jr. and Quentin Garcia had their 8th grade graduation from St. Philip the Apostle School and would go their separate ways, Michael Geer moving on to Saint Francis High School and Quentin going onto Loyola High School

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June 2008 – Graduation

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In June of 2008 Ciana Garcia graduated 8th grade from St. Philip the Apostle School and entered the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy Class of 2012.

June 18, 2010 - Graduation

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June 18, 2010 Clara Luna graduated 6th grade from Delilah Heights Elementary School and moved onto Ramón C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts.

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July 9, 1994 - Marriage

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On the 9th of June 1994 Connie Rodriguez married her high school sweetheart Eric Garcia.

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(Above)

Angelica Maria's ID card stating that she is in America on a student Visa.

(Below)

Attached is Angelica Maria's application for immigration. This is the beginning paper work for obtaining a green card.

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Juan Rodriguez Lopez's green card in 1973 compared to his current green card.

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June 7, 1975 - Birth

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On the 7th of June 1975 Maria Consuelo gave birth to her second son and final child Edward "Eddie" Rodriguez at General Hospital in Los Angeles, California.

June 1982 - Graduation

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In June 1982 Angelica Maria graduated from Eagle Rock High School being the first of her family to graduate from high school.

June 1984- Graduation

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Alma Leticia graduated from Eagle Rock High School in June of 1984.

June 1986 - Graduation

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Juan Gilberto graduated from Eagle Rock High School in June of 1986.

Bibliography

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