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Mexican-American Girl creates controversy
—Posted by Trevor Jensen Credit: American Girl |
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April 1, 2005 | Permalink |
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A Response to Marisol
I, too, as the mother of a two Mexican children growing up in Chicago, have a problem with Soto's story line in "Marisol".
What I see as the biggest problem is that the story is dumbed down; rather than teaching children about the gentrification that is stealing the neighborhoods that once belonged to the poor, and other social issues faced by those living in the inner city, Soto waters it down to Marisol's playing in traffic, and chooses an equally poor solution, moving away. Children who are readers and thinkers can understand deeper concepts than traffic safety; and if they need help understanding, that is what parents and teachers are for.
What Soto missed (and I am surprised at him, having read other books of his) is that Pilsen, rich community that it is, is one that should be fought for and not run away from. Yes, Marisol loves to dance and follows her dream, but it is a trite and over-simplified storyline. She could have just as easily followed her dream in Pilsen, and been a fighter for her culture and neighborhood as well.
I took my daughter to American Girl Place in Chicago this past week and we purchased the Marisol doll. I wouldn't tell her she couldn't have the doll; she had earned the opportunity to finally choose one of these dolls, and that was the one she chose. I did, however, tell her that moving to the suburbs is not the answer for everyone. It is certainly not the answer if one wishes to keep their culture alive. As for me, I don't want to raise my children in a homogenized world. I want them to learn their culture and to fight for it. I have seen too many Mexican and Puerto Rican neighborhoods in Chicago be lost, and with that also goes the culture.
Pilsen right now is struggling with gentrification. The Marisol story does not help with that struggle, but rather, just feeds the myth that the Mexicans need to quietly disappear, and let the gentrifiers take over the neighborhood.
Something I noticed at American Girl Place was that it was patronized by nearly all white people. There was a very small percentage of any people of color represented, at least on the day we were there. (The persons of color I did notice were largely those working the cash registers.) It is my conjecture that the clientele of American Girl, by and large, lives in a homogenized, fairly safe, and yes, white, world. Soto missed his chance as a Latino to claim his culture's depth and uniqueness, and their right to stay in their inner-city neighborhood. He took the easy way out. He missed his chance to give the girls who read the American Girl books the opportunity to imagine living in a Mexican neighborhood and staying there -- not running away from it in fear.
As someone who grew up loving "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn", I can clearly say that the reason I loved the book was because of Francie and her will to survive and pursue her dreams, against the odds in a slum in Brooklyn -- not in a suburb.
As for me and my daughter and Marisol, we are going to the Mexican Fine Arts Museum in Pilsen this weekend. We are taking Marisol right back to her neighborhood -- where she belongs.
Posted by: Catalina | Jul 5, 2005 3:08:08 AM
I, too have a Mexican hartige. I also take tap and ballet. We have so much in common I can't name them all.
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Posted by: Chris Scanlon | Jan 25, 2006 3:17:23 AM
I think this doll is a disgrace. Why is it that everytime a Latino/a is portrayed it is to ghettoize us. Gentrification is also a problem for Latinos from East Harlem,Washington Heights,Williamburg in New York City,Pilson,Humbolt park in Chicago,East Houston in Texas,Echo Park in Los Angeles,La Mission in San Fransico amoungst others. Latinos off all backrounds need to unite and forget about National backrounds. These Neighborhoods that I mentioned all have diverse Latino backrouds. Mexican,Puertoricans,Dominicans and others. Latinos stood the doration in these neighborhoods. This was through the Crack Epidemic,children eating Led Paint chips,high astma rates in New York City and other harsh conditions. Why should these spoiled yuppies come in to push us out after we weathered the storm? Its time for Latinos to come out on a united front and fight the Power! QUE VIVA LOS LATINOS
JOSE EL BORICUA DE NUEVA YORK
Posted by: Jose Luis | Aug 12, 2006 6:16:59 PM
Before there were hispanic immigrants there
were the Italians and Irish German etc.
Once they were clean streets with people
who wanted to get along with everyone.
Now you have filth gangs guns in these
areas. We need to clean up and clear out
the falling down houses with rats and
start over. America home of the brave.
Posted by: | Feb 14, 2007 1:33:57 PM
I've seen a lot of Mexicans fleeing inner city Chicago neighborhoods like Little Village and Pilsen and heading into much more expensive houses in the suburbs with large Latino populations, so it doesn't seem that they are being "pushed out" per se. I think some choices are being exercised here. It seems that many Hispanics want to live around people like them. The issue is much more complex than simply blaming the white people moving into formerly all-Latino neighborhoods. And is an all-Latino neighborhood really a good thing? All-white neighborhoods are often bashed as being too homogonous. I'm seeing a lot of phrases in this thread like "our neighborhood" and "Latinos unite." You live in a broader culture now.
Posted by: James M. | Feb 15, 2007 11:57:41 PM
Humbolt Park is a German and Italian neighborhood. Pilsen is a Czech neighborhood. Puerto Ricans came to the former, and Mexicans flooded into the latter relatively recently. '60s? Now there's some Hispanic Flight out of those places because whites are moving in. Whatever. Whoever can afford it can live there. I'd rather live in an area all white than an all Hispanic neighborhood anyway. Less crime, fewer cars, more amenities and better schools.
Posted by: Terry | Feb 18, 2007 10:30:01 AM
Amenities rock! Does anyone know when Pilsen is getting a Starbucks? I can't wait!
Posted by: Yuppy 'n Proud! | Feb 25, 2007 11:02:38 AM
You Pilsen and Humboldt Park posters are all a bunch of brown racists. Seriously. If whites talked like you did, they would be sued. You say you don't want to live in a homegenized world, but you do want to live in one with that tannish, cocoa tint. In theory, that's the same thing as being homogenized, albeit with a slightly different tint. You also fail to acknowledge who it is that built those beautiful buildings in Pilsen and Humboldt. Please note that they aren't made of adobe or stucco. Now that you've choked on that and realize that if you don't want to live in a "homogenized" world, realize that if you truly want to live in a "mixed" society, you better start being accepting of white people. Whether you believe it or not, white people aren't ALL RACISTS. And once you get past that, realize what would happen if we had organized campaigns trying to block you from moving into our neighborhoods on the Southwest Side. Think about if when you came to West Lawn, you saw little bumper stickers that said "Spics out of West Lawn" stuck to the latest edition of "Emerald," the Tribune's Gaelic Newspaper...Think about it. Your demands are ridiculous, for they reek of self-entitlement and racism.
Posted by: Carlos Murphy | Jul 12, 2007 5:20:51 PM
i love that american girl doll she is so pretty but she doesnt have a name and thats just weird cause every american girl doll has a name and she should to. i want that doll so bad anyways i am getting it cause my mom said i could get it i love that doll so much i cant get enough of it i love it alot
Posted by: brianna | Jul 15, 2007 1:55:50 PM
Yea, substitute "spic" or any other racial slur for "yuppy" on some of those signs you see floating around Pilsen these days and you'll get a better understanding of the racism underlying the "anti-gentrification movement." It's almost not worth wasting your breath though -- the people behind this grand movement will never get it.
Posted by: John M. Smith | Aug 4, 2007 1:47:42 PM
Illegal immigration is not a victim less crime.
We have immigrants unable to obtain basic services. Increased poverty. Overcrowded homes. Strained schools. Additional infrastructure needs (roads, firehouses, schools).
We're unfair to legal immigrants waiting. Unfair to companies that abide by the law and hire legal workers. Unfair to the children of illegals who may be deported. Taxes aren't collected.
It's one mess, getting bigger.
Or we can let everyone who wants to come over into the country - no border, no control. That's the other solution.
So either everyone comes over - and I'd say 50-200 million would take the offer. Or we manage it properly so everyone benefits. There is no in between. We are in the in between right now.
Illegal immigration hurts everyone. To be fair to everyone, illegal immigration must be stopped. Borders enforced. Legal hiring enforced. Then, we have a system that allows people to come into this country - legally. If American's need these workers, then it must be done through legal and controlled means.
Illegal immigration hurts everyone. The people who use the excuse - "I want to better our lives" - don't seem to understand that the excuse can be used for every action from murder to theft.
Posted by: Andy Lopez | Oct 1, 2007 9:02:44 AM
you forget that everyone who lives in this country, with the exception of native americans and mexicans, immigrated from somewhere else. YES, even the mexicans who have "immigrated" into the united states of america were here FIRST, way before the english, way before the french, way before the germans and irish and italian and jewish and everyone else who populates the states now. the mexicans owned more than a quarter of the united states and it was their land. so get off your high horse and quit crying that immigration hurts everyone and must be stopped. everyone who lives in this country with the exception of native americans and some mexicans have immigrated here or are born of immigrants. we would NOT be a country without immigrants, you ignorant fool.
Posted by: jeannine | Oct 3, 2007 7:25:51 PM
I love that even a story about a doll gets the moron anti-illegals up and out.
As for the question above asking whether an all Latino neighborhood is a good thing. Maybe you should pose that question to the city and the state. The neighborhood next door to Pilsen commonly known as "Little Village" is the second highest sales tax generator for the city and the state. Some years it beats out Michigan Ave for the top spot. Funny that none of the yuppy neighborhoods and lily white towns and suburbs can do the same.
Posted by: YourMoma | Oct 12, 2007 5:50:06 PM
American Girl Dolls are SO COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have three and all of them come with a book, and collections.
Posted by: Gina | Oct 18, 2007 4:26:38 PM
"Little Village" is the second highest sales tax generator for the city and the state. Some years it beats out Michigan Ave for the top spot. Funny that none of the yuppy neighborhoods and lily white towns and suburbs can do the same."
Heh. Who though would honestly want to live in Little Village? It looks dumpy, has high crime, and the schools stink. The business districts may make money but it looks like a big flea market. Whether it edges out lilly white towns or not for revenue, big deal. I think the quality of life is better in the white towns. Few rational people would argue this.
Posted by: John M. Smith | Oct 29, 2007 12:34:54 AM
1 teen killed, 1 wounded on Southwest Side
Tribune staff report
7:38 AM CST, November 9, 2007
A 16-year-old boy was fatally shot and another teen seriously wounded as they were walking Thursday afternoon on the Southwest Side. Chicago police said they believe the incident might have been gang-related.
The shooting occurred about 4:45 p.m. at 30th Street and Kildare Avenue, in the Little Village neighborhood, police said.
A boy, identified as Miguel Gomez, was walking on the street with a 19-year-old man when a gunman approached on foot and opened fire, striking them both, Chicago Police Officer John Henry said.
Gomez, of the 2600 block of South Komensky Avenue, was a student at the School of Social Justice at Little Village Campus, according to Mike Vaughn, a spokeman for Chicago Public Schools. He was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital and pronounced dead shortly after the shooting, the Cook County medical examiner's office said.
The 19-year-old was reported to be in serious condition at Mt. Sinai as of Thursday night.
Henry said the shooting appeared to be gang-related, but could not elaborate. No one was in custody this morning and a description of the gunman was not available.
Posted by: John M. Smith | Nov 9, 2007 9:07:17 AM
What website still sells Merisol The doll?
Posted by: kiana | Nov 23, 2007 6:51:53 PM
http://www.americandolltreasures.com
American Doll Treasures offers affordable 18 inch Doll Clothes, Doll shoes, Doll furniture, and doll accessories for your 18 inch American Girl Type Dolls and Bitty Baby type dolls.
Posted by: Laura Modrell | Dec 14, 2007 12:20:39 AM
Man fatally shot while clearing snow from car
Tribune staff report
December 17, 2007
WEST SIDE - A Chicago man was fatally shot early Saturday as he brushed snow from his car, police said Sunday.
Martin Segura, 22, of the 2600 block of West Luther Street in the South Lawndale neighborhood, was shot just before 6:30 a.m., Chicago Police Officer Marcel Bright said. Neighbors found Segura lying in the street not far from his West Side residence. He was pronounced dead at 9:15 a.m. at the Cook County medical examiner's office.
No suspects are in custody, Bright said.
Posted by: John M. Smith | Dec 17, 2007 9:19:37 AM
Hi, is this the new American Girl Doll Mia?
That's the new Girl of the Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: fidiggidy | Dec 30, 2007 9:54:05 PM
Hi, is this the new American Girl Doll Mia?
That's the new Girl of the Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh yea American Girls rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: fidiggidy | Dec 30, 2007 9:56:25 PM
i want marisol so bad she is so pretty and talented. i think that her dancing is the best i have EVER SEEN.her book is one of the best books i have ever read at the library.
Posted by: jessica | Feb 1, 2008 7:51:07 PM
cats are cutie
Posted by: maryam | May 30, 2008 4:25:18 PM
cats are cutie
Posted by: maryam | May 30, 2008 4:25:20 PM
