Mexicans in New York City

Mexican Americans, as of 2004^[update], were New York's fastest growing ethnic group,[1] with 186,000 immigrants as of 2013^[update]; they were also the third largest Hispanic group in New York City, after Puerto Ricans and Dominicans. Close to 80% of New York Mexicans were born outside the United States, and more than 60% of Mexican New Yorkers reside in Brooklyn and Queens.[1]

In Brooklyn, Sunset Park and Flatbush have the highest concentration of Mexicans, and Bushwick and Brighton Beach also have significant Mexican populations. In Queens, Elmhurst, East Elmhurst, and Jackson Heights have the largest Mexican populations, but Corona and Kew Gardens also have sizable communities.[1] Spanish Harlem in Manhattan, around 116th Street and Second Avenue, has a large community of Mexicans, which is still small compared to the area's predominant Puerto Rican population;[1][2] Staten Island has a large Mexican community in the Port Richmond, West Brighton, and Tompkinsville areas.

Compared to Mexican immigrants in other states and cities, Mexicans in New York are primarily of indigenous descent, with almost 20% still speaking indigenous languages.[3] New York holds 61% of indigenous-speaking immigrants from Mexico.[3]

Mexican community organizations have established mentorship and after-school initiatives aimed at sharing information and providing a supportive environment for youth to pursue their educational goals. Asociación Tepeyac, recognized as the largest Mexican nonprofit organization in New York City, has prioritized the promotion of education. Additional organizations contributing to this effort include the Mexican American Students Alliance, the Mexican Educational Foundation of New York, and the Mixteca Organization. The chancellor of the City University of New York (CUNY) has initiated a Committee on Mexicans and Education in New York, engaging in coordinated outreach efforts with the Mexican community across all five boroughs. Furthermore, CUNY is backing various programs, including Baruch College's Emerging Leaders initiative, which equips Mexican community leaders with the skills necessary to manage nonprofit organizations.[4]

History of Puebla York

The first onset of Poblano migration occurred on July 4th, 1943 when Don Pedro, his cousin, and his brother crossed the border. They had been living in Mexico City, trying to bribe their way into a labor contract to go to the United States. A year earlier, the United States and Mexico signed the Mexican Farm Labor Agreement, creating what is known as the Bracero Program. In their attempt to get a contract, they were introduced to a New Yorker named Montesinos, who was vacationing in Mexico City at the time. Montesinos drove the three of them back to New York and helped them get jobs in the city. The second phase took place from the mid-1960s to the mid 1980s. Though the network was small and slowly growing, it included the first significant number of women migrating. Reasons for migration included political violence, better wages, and modern conveniences. While the community of Poblanos was small, the family networks that were slowly making up the community became major factors of growth. The third stage of migration took place from the late-1980s to the mid-1990s. This explosion occurred due to several factors. The 80s of Mexico were marked as the “lost decades” because of the stagnant economy of the nation, which was expected to last until the late 90s. Puebla was one of the hardest hit states, experiencing a net contraction, meaning GDP was slowing down and unemployment was rising. Mexicans’ loss of faith in the economy of their nation drove them to depend on American employers and it displayed Mexicans as plentiful and dependable workers to the United States.[5]

According to the CUNY Mexican Studies Institute, a little over 180,000 Mexicans lived in the five boroughs in 2000 jumping to over 324,000 in 2021. And in Staten Island that growth is staggering. Almost 20,000 Mexicans call this borough home, a 183% jump from 20 years ago.[6]

See also

• Hispanics and Latinos in New York City

References

1. "Mexicans Are Now New York City's Fastest Growing Ethnic Group". Teachers College. Columbia University. September 10, 2004.
2. Gonzalez, Mynor; Nancy Levine (2001). "Mexican American Communities in New York City". Voices of New York. NYU.
3. "Indígenas mexicanos en Estados Unidos". September 14, 2014.
4. Jackson, Kenneth T.; Keller, Lisa; Flood, Nancy (December 2010). The Encyclopedia of New York City: Second Edition. Yale University Press. p. 837. ISBN 978-0-300-11465-2.
5. Vivar, Miguel (2023-12-19). "Puebla York: The Growth of a Mexican Enclave in New York". StoryMaps. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
6. "Mexicans help transform the Latino community in NYC". ny1.com. Retrieved 2024-09-13.