ICAN 'VOICE
Februar 1940
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Living.1' Their country was1 en-they might under
take unskilled labor. I have pointed out the above facts because they have direct bearing with the vital problem facing our Mexican youth at the present time.
oiif Mexican youth today are suffering a cultural .and-home conflict very little taken into con-isideration by others observing American critics. Many youth would like to go to school but the family conditions do not permit many of them to do so. The aver-/ age earnings of these families are !astonishingly Insufficient. Another sltuatlonis the class con-■flict in the camnunities and even in the schools. Many of our.youth have lost much hope because they' . feel that there are no more opportunities available for^them as Mexicans when they observe the great numbers of people unemployed In spite of their good training.
■Great numbers of Mexican chlldern are segregated In our schools thus ~ demoralizing many of them who : would like to absorb American ways of living and thinking. Another vital problem and the most serious of all is the lack of inspiration and encouragement in our homes and and in the communities. I could proceed enumerating several other vital problems if space permitted it. I have presented sufficient evidence to prove to our readers that we are not proceeding aimless ly and hopelessly.
The outstanding problem remaining before us is that of stimulating and inspiring our Mexican youth to the realization that they have a place In our American society regardless of our economical, soplai, and class struggle. No matter how favorable or unfavor, able our living conditions may be, self-advancement is brought about through education, trade-training, and fundamental preparation in whatever field we may choose to follow. Those requirements, sad-(contlnuod on p. X)
launching our work within our Mexican communities by means of district or Regional Conferences. We have held Regional Conferences in the Santa Barbara and Ventura countiesi district, at. Fullerton, and institutes at Pomona, and.they proved to be of effective value. '■< The chief job of these Regional Conferonces Is to organize new clubs and to interest other exls* ting clubs in our fundamental purpose.	\	.
What are the basic conditions that arouse us and motivate us to unify ourselves In making a common front to influence our Mexican youth? It is undeniable that each race on this1 earth has had to face situations sometimes favorable and
, sometimes not. In our case, the majority of our Mexican people migra>ed from their home-land to fia hew'hátlpn having a different civilization and totally diffoiront custoihs. Most of our parents left Mexico penniless and under conditions of Illiteracy unparalleled by any people coming Into- the United States. Thousands upon thousands of our relatives came to this-country seeking work as had been promised by companies and industries which encouraged their coming. Chlldern were born and our present Mexican youth constitutes the first real generation of Mexican born parentage. The sl-gnlfl- -canse of this unwholesome transit tlon is now having Its conspicuous facts. The majority of our parís economically powerless because they came to this country poverty stricken and intellectually uñprepared as the result of internal unrest and disorder in Mexico during the period between 191Ó and ' -1920. The majority of our Mexican families do not boast of an "American Standard of coming into this couraged so that