The Story of Santiago Ventura Morales Judith A. Schechter Lexington School for the Deaf Santiago Ventura Morales (right) with activist Donna Slepack (left). Photo source: d=4XQfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JPEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5707,843901&hl=en d=4XQfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JPEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5707,843901&hl=en

Who is Santiago Ventura Morales?

 Santiago Ventura Morales was born in the town of San Miguel Cuevas in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico in Source: ,3z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x85c88c21aec764eb: 0xd761b9651a4bed ,3z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x85c88c21aec764eb: 0xd761b9651a4bed2

Who is Santiago Ventura Morales?  Ventura Morales grew up in a family of indigenous Mixtec Mexicans. His native language was Mixteco, not Spanish.

Who is Santiago Ventura Morales?  Ventura Morales grew up in a family of indigenous Mixtec Mexicans. His native language was Mixteco, not Spanish.  In 1982, at the age of 14, Ventura Morales moved to the United States to work as a migrant farm laborer in Oregon.

Who is Santiago Ventura Morales?  Ventura Morales grew up in a family of indigenous Mixtec Mexicans. His native language was Mixteco, not Spanish.  In 1982, at the age of 14, Ventura Morales moved to the United States to work as a migrant farm laborer in Oregon.  In 1986, at the age of 18, Ventura Morales was accused of murdering a fellow migrant worker after a fight in a strawberry field. At trial, a jury convicted him of the crime. Ventura Morales was sentenced to ten years to life in prison.

Who is Santiago Ventura Morales?  Ventura Morales grew up in a family of indigenous Mixtec Mexicans. His native language was Mixteco, not Spanish.  In 1982, at the age of 14, Ventura Morales moved to the United States to work as a migrant farm laborer in Oregon.  In 1986, at the age of 18, Ventura Morales was accused of murdering a fellow migrant worker after a fight in a strawberry field. At trial, a jury convicted him of the crime. Ventura Morales was sentenced to ten years to life in prison.  At trial, Ventura Morales was provided with a Spanish language interpreter that he could not understand.

Before we go any further...

 Let’s talk about language diversity in Mexico.

Language Diversity in Mexico Source: mexicanas-en-peligro/ mexicanas-en-peligro/

Mexico has...

 Approximately 68 indigenous languages, of which there are 364 regional varieties or dialects.

Mexico’s Linguistic Diversity  According to a 2010 census report, there are 6,913,362 speakers of indigenous languages in Mexico.

Mexico’s Linguistic Diversity  According to a 2010 census report, there are 6,913,362 speakers of indigenous languages in Mexico.  6.6% of Mexico’s total population speaks an indigenous language. Source: /mexico-mother-language-day /mexico-mother-language-day

Oaxaca, Mexico  The Mexican state of Oaxaca is the most linguistically diverse in the country. Source: ia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Oaxaca_reg ions_and_districts.svg/2000px- Oaxaca_regions_and_districts.svg.png ia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Oaxaca_reg ions_and_districts.svg/2000px- Oaxaca_regions_and_districts.svg.png

Oaxaca, Mexico  Oaxaca has 15 distinct indigenous languages, of which there are 179 dialects.

Oaxaca, Mexico  Oaxaca has 15 distinct indigenous languages, of which there are 179 dialects.  Thirty-one percent of the state’s population speaks an indigenous language, the highest rate of any state in the nation. Source: /mexico-mother-language-day /mexico-mother-language-day

Oaxaca, Mexico Source: ol/bvinegi/productos/censos/poblacion/poblacion_indi gena/La%20Población%20Hablante%20de%20Lengua%20I nd%C3%ADgena%20de%20Oaxaca2.pdf ol/bvinegi/productos/censos/poblacion/poblacion_indi gena/La%20Población%20Hablante%20de%20Lengua%20I nd%C3%ADgena%20de%20Oaxaca2.pdf

Oaxaca, Mexico  Many Oaxacans live in poverty. According to the World Bank,

Oaxaca, Mexico  Many Oaxacans live in poverty. According to the World Bank,  61.9% of Oaxaca’s population lives under the national poverty line and 23.3% lives in extreme poverty. Source: 9/04/oaxaca-inclusive-growth 9/04/oaxaca-inclusive-growth

Oaxaca, Mexico  Many Oaxacans live in poverty. According to the World Bank,  61.9% of Oaxaca’s population lives under the national poverty line and 23.3% lives in extreme poverty.  Over half of its population is of indigenous origin, speaking as many as fifteen different ethnic languages. Source: 9/04/oaxaca-inclusive-growth 9/04/oaxaca-inclusive-growth

Oaxaca, Mexico  Many Oaxacans live in poverty. According to the World Bank,  61.9% of Oaxaca’s population lives under the national poverty line and 23.3% lives in extreme poverty.  Over half of its population is of indigenous origin, speaking as many as fifteen different ethnic languages.  Over 16% of the population is illiterate, well above the national average of 7%. Source: 9/04/oaxaca-inclusive-growth 9/04/oaxaca-inclusive-growth

Oaxaca, Mexico  Many Oaxacans live in poverty. According to the World Bank,  61.9% of Oaxaca’s population lives under the national poverty line and 23.3% lives in extreme poverty.  Over half of its population is of indigenous origin, speaking as many as fifteen different ethnic languages.  Over 16% of the population is illiterate, well above the national average of 7%.  Over half of Oaxaca’s 3.9 million inhabitants live in rural, mountainous areas, and are spread across more than 10,000 localities. This limits accessibility of basic services. For example, Oaxaca has the second lowest drinking water coverage (77%) and the lowest sanitation coverage (70%) in the country. In rural areas, coverage rates are even lower (60% for water and 53% for sanitation). Source: 9/04/oaxaca-inclusive-growth 9/04/oaxaca-inclusive-growth

Oaxaca, Mexico  Many Oaxacans live in poverty. According to the World Bank,  61.9% of Oaxaca’s population lives under the national poverty line and 23.3% lives in extreme poverty.  Over half of its population is of indigenous origin, speaking as many as fifteen different ethnic languages.  Over 16% of the population is illiterate, well above the national average of 7%.  Over half of Oaxaca’s 3.9 million inhabitants live in rural, mountainous areas, and are spread across more than 10,000 localities. This limits accessibility of basic services. For example, Oaxaca has the second lowest drinking water coverage (77%) and the lowest sanitation coverage (70%) in the country. In rural areas, coverage rates are even lower (60% for water and 53% for sanitation).  For these reasons, many Oaxacans migrate to the United States looking for work and better lives. Source: 9/04/oaxaca-inclusive-growth 9/04/oaxaca-inclusive-growth

A Brief History of Oaxacan Migration to the United States Source:

A Brief History of Oaxacan Migration to the United States: The Bracero Program Source: acero-program/ acero-program/ Source:

Recent Migration Trends Source:

About Indigenous Mexicans in Oregon Today Source:

Latinos in Oregon Today  Between 1980 and 1990, the Latino population in Oregon grew by 70 percent.

Latinos in Oregon Today  Between 1980 and 1990, the Latino population in Oregon grew by 70 percent.  Due to the recession in the early twenty-first century and the increase in deportations, the migration of Latinos declined nationally, but Oregon’s Latino population continued to grow. Between 2000 and 2010, the number of Latinos in the state increased by 63 percent, from 275,314 to 450,052— accounting for 43 percent of the population growth for Oregon during the decade. The increase was primarily due to an increase in the native-born population, which accounted for 65 percent of the growth in the Latino population after Source:

About Indigenous Mexicans in Oregon Today Source:

About Indigenous Mexicans in Oregon Today Source:

About Indigenous Mexicans in Oregon Today  As this article points out, indigenous immigrants in Oregon still lack linguistic access to social services.

About Indigenous Mexicans in Oregon Today  As this article points out, indigenous immigrants in Oregon still lack linguistic access to social services.  Imagine what language barriers these immigrants would have faced in 1982.

About Indigenous Mexicans in Oregon Today  As this article points out, indigenous immigrants in Oregon still lack linguistic access to social services.  Imagine what language barriers these immigrants would have faced in  Lack of adequate court and legal interpretation services would prove to be a disaster for Santiago Ventura Morales.