HOW THIS GRAPH WAS COMPOSED:

Using the theories put forward by Alejandro Portes and Ruben G. Rumbaut, as explained in their book Legacies: the Story of the Immigrant Second Generation, sources in the “Breaking Through” project were mapped according to the answers they gave during interviews. The results, as compiled in this graph, are by no means finite and are for illustrative purposes only. Examples and explanations of the process and results used to create the social mobility graph can be found below.

Omar Viramontes: Because Omar’s parents have an income that is below the poverty line, Omar was assigned negative one point in the “human capital of parents” category. In all other categories, Omar indicated that his experiences had been “positive” and he therefore has an inclining line indicating a potentially positive outlook for social mobility, according to the theoretical concepts shown in the key. For example, Omar claimed to have strong cultural pride and retention, equaling categorization under “selective acculturation.” His family unit is of stable, nuclear composition, and his experience with racial discrimination has been buffered by strong social networks at school and within the community. His parents, friends and extended family, Omar says, have always steered him away from negative social forces - such as drugs and crime - and toward higher educational aspirations.

Yesenia Zamarripas: Yesenia comes from a middle-wage family, so is afforded neutral points for “human capital of parents.” According to her testimony, her experience navigating social institutions has been negative. She has had a difficult time communicating her needs to her school and faces limited resources in her education. Her parents do not speak English and are not acculturating at the same rate as she is. Although the composition of Yesenia’s family is stable, her parents do not maintain an active role in her education due to barriers such as language and personal education level. Yesenia has also experienced racism, institutional obstacles and negative inner-city subcultures without the backing of a supportive and active community network.

Marisol Rodarte: Marisol comes from a family who, although once battling poverty, have successfully improved their social situation and acquired financial stability. Her experiences with strong community networks, cultural pride and family-wide social integration mean her potential social mobility indicator is positively inclined.