Through Eyes of Latinas: Recreating the American Dream in the Rocky Mountain West after World War II

Through the lens of the American Dream, my poster analyzes the experiences and discontents of Latino/a families in the Rocky Mountain West after World War II. As Latino/a families and individuals tried to access the American Dream, it became glaringly obvious how white and middle to upper class the American Dream really was. Latino/as growing frustration with unequal access to the American Dream prompted Latino/a families to redefine the parameters of the dream itself; a “Latino/a Dream” that included civil rights, cultural appreciation, equal access to educational opportunities at universities, and helping the entire Latino/a community succeed and advance politically and economically.

Using oral histories, my poster focuses specifically on the lives of Latinas in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming after World War II. It illustrates the various ways in which Latinas played significant roles as daughters, wives, mothers, and activists in the Rocky Mountain West. As daughters, they challenged traditional legacies of Latino families, and reimagined themselves as active participants in growing national events, including the United States’ growing rates of consumption, and later the onset of various civil rights movements, such as the Chicano/a Movement. As the 1950s progressed, Latina mothers and wives struggled to both keep their families together, and pass down cultural traditions, particularly the art of writing and speaking the Spanish language. In spite of the generational divide between mothers and daughters, Latinas from all age groups emerged as activists and united together during the 1960s and 1970s. The Latino/a family became a vessel for involvement in the Chicano/a movement, and women emerged as important contributors. Latina mothers fought against the educational discrimination and inequality that plagued Latino/a communities, and made it nearly impossible for their children to succeed. Latina daughters fought back against their status as second-class citizens, as a result of both their racial and gender identity. By using Latina women’s stories and experiences in the Rocky Mountain West, my poster offers a glimpse into the power of oral histories, which reveal the legacy and important role that Latinas and Latino families have played in shaping the political, economic and cultural landscape of the Rocky Mountain West.