Navigating Bi-Cultural Identity in the United States: Discrimination, Acculturation, Socialization and Mexican American College Students

The Mexican American population in the United States is rapidly growing. As one of the largest growing demographics in the United States, Mexican Americans are becoming one of the most identifiable groups in American culture and society. Because of this population growth and historical relations between the United States and Mexico, many Mexican American families face discrimination and acculturation by dominant American sociopolitical structures, which can influence the life decisions and the lived experiences of the family and individuals in the family unit. This research aims to identify experiences of discrimination, acculturation, and socialization toward first generation Mexican Americans in social and political settings and how these actions lead Mexican American students to pursue higher education for themselves and their families.