Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

María Guadalupe García De Perales, María Guadalupe García De Perales

Coming to the Plains Oral Histories/ Llenando las Llanuras Historias Orales

María Guadalupe García de Perales proviene de Durango, México. María está casada con Constancio Perales y juntos tienen cuatro hijos. El esposo de María inmigró a los Estados Unidos para mejorar su situación económica. Después de varios intentos, García finalmente logró cruzar la frontera de EE. UU. junto con sus hijos para reunir la familia. María se sintió bienvenida en un país nuevo. María tuvo la oportunidad de trabajar en varios empleos lo cual ayudó a sustentar a su familia y a darles a sus hijos la oportunidad de tener una buena educación.

María Guadalupe García de Perales is from …

Enedina Manríquez, Enedina Manríquez

Coming to the Plains Oral Histories/ Llenando las Llanuras Historias Orales

Enedina Manríquez was born in Guanajuato, Mexico. Her family moved to the United States when Manríquez was ten months old. Manríquez and her family have lived in many places in the United States, moving to find work. They finally settled in Scottsbluff, Nebraska where her parents could work at a restaurant that Enedina’s uncle owned. Manríquez’s parents now own the restaurant. Manríquez is a part of DACA, which allows her to attend school and work in the United States as an undocumented immigrant. She discusses how being undocumented has impacted her life. Manríquez attended the University of Nebraska at Kearney …

Carlos Ortega, Carlos Ortega

Coming to the Plains Oral Histories/ Llenando las Llanuras Historias Orales

Carlos Ortega was born in Chihuahua, Mexico. His family moved to the United States in 2001. Ortega initially struggled in school because of his difficulties with English. With the support of a dedicated teacher and through immersion, Ortega eventually became fluent in English. Both in school and in the community, Ortega has faced much racial discrimination, including physical assaults. Ortega wishes to become a teacher to teach tolerance to young students and to help both adult and young Hispanic immigrants learn English.

Carlos Ortega nació en Chihuahua, México. En 2001 su familia se mudó a los Estados Unidos. Ortega inicialmente …

Gladys Godínez, Gladys Godínez

Coming to the Plains Oral Histories/ Llenando las Llanuras Historias Orales

Gladys Godínez was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala. In 1989 the Guatemalan Civil War and the desire to be together as a family drove the Godínez family to immigrate to the United States. Godínez lived in Inglewood, CA when she first immigrated to the USA. Godínez attended school and learned English. The large Latino population of Inglewood blunted the cultural shock. As part of the early wave of Latino immigrants to Lexington, NE, Godínez and her family faced cultural shock, language challenges, and discrimination. Godínez graduated from UNK with a degree in political science. Godínez currently runs her own non-profit …

Leslie García, Leslie García

Coming to the Plains Oral Histories/ Llenando las Llanuras Historias Orales

Leslie García is from Lexington, Nebraska. She is the youngest daughter of Mexican immigrants. Her parents were well respected in their hometown, but they immigrated to the United States to build a better life for their family. García’s life has been marked by the experience she had growing up with Hispanic heritage in Lexington. García has extended family in California, Kansas, and Mexico, allowing her to experience the different cultures of both the United States and Mexico. García plans to become a Spanish teacher after graduating from college. She has been both a participant in and an assistant on Coming …