A SHARED FUTURE “In search of jobs and economic opportunity, migrants are fueling economic growth, revitalizing neighborhoods, enhancing global connections, and transferring resources to the societies they have left.”

A SHARED FUTURE “Questions are increasingly hotly debated as to whether these newest migrants can and should be integrated and whether the doors to migration should continue to be open.”

A SHARED FUTURE “Today, more than 18% of the Chicago metropolitan population is foreign born, Mexicans, US- and foreign-born, now account for 16% of the total metropolitan population.”

A SHARED FUTURE

“Task force,…key issues related to the integration of the Mexican community, including economic opportunity, education, civic engagement, political participation, and health, social, and cultural issues.”

A SHARED FUTURE “This generation of Chicagoans intends to honor those hard- earned lessons by acknowledging the current wave of Mexican immigrants as their neighbors and their fellow builders of a shared future.”

A SHARED FUTURE “Continuing impediments to integration for all Mexicans are threats to Chicago’s ability to remain prosperous and globally competitive.”

A SHARED FUTURE “…peoples are in movement across borders to big cities throughout the world, and that their isolation and marginalization in adopted communities is increasingly resulting in social strife.”

A SHARED FUTURE “It is urgent, therefore that we enhance the economic potential this young population offers the region by ensuring that they are prepared to participate fully in Chicago’s future as a global knowledge-based economy.”

A SHARED FUTURE “Yet, full integration of Mexican immigrants into the economic and civic life of the region is hampered by many problems, such as a lack of English proficiency, adjustment to American cultural norms, limited connections to the wider community, and low levels of education.”

A SHARED FUTURE -- In the 1990s, …the Chicago region’s Mexican population increased by 83%. --In 2004, Mexicans accounted for 41% of all of the immigrants to Chicago. --In 2004, Mexicans accounted for more than 16% of the region’s population. --In 2004, more than half of the Mexican population lived in suburban communities.

A SHARED FUTURE “Chicago has never before faced the task of incorporating such a large proportion of its population from a single foreign country, all sharing a common language and culture, in such a short period of time.”

A SHARED FUTURE “Mexican immigrants are a highly motivated and entrepreneurial workforce already making enormous contribution to the economy of the region.”

A SHARED FUTURE

--Between ‘90 and ‘03, the growth in number of Latino workers nearly equaled the total number of new jobs created in the region. --Between ‘00 and ‘03, Latinos accounted for nearly half of the total growth in owner-occupied homes in the region --Mexico in Illinois’s largest trading partner. --Mexicans’ bilingual and bicultural capabilities represent opportunities for industries and cultural exchange with the 2.4 trillion market of the world’s 21 Spanish-speaking countries.

A SHARED FUTURE

“Chicago’s future workforce will be composed to a significant degree on the children of today’s Mexican immigrants.”

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A SHARED FUTURE : Economic Opportunity & Asset Development, Rec. # 1 “Widen & Deepen employment opportunities for Mexicans in the region by promoting job advancement & creating employment in new job sectors.”

A SHARED FUTURE

A SHARED FUTURE : Economic Opportunity & Asset Development, Rec. # 2 “Enhance economic growth in local communities in the city and suburbs by supporting Mexican entrepreneurship.”

A SHARED FUTURE : Economic Opportunity & Asset Development, Rec. # 3 “Promote financial literacy and asset development, including banking and home ownership, among Mexican households.”

A SHARED FUTURE

A SHARED FUTURE : Education of Tomorrow’s Workforce Rec. # 1 “Understand the needs of the growing Mexican population in suburban and city schools, and develop plans that increase the education assets available to support their academic achievement and educational attainment.”

A SHARED FUTURE

A SHARED FUTURE : Education of Tomorrow’s Workforce Rec. # 2 “Expand the pool of trained and qualified bilingual and bicultural teachers and administrators for early childhood education, and elementary and high schools.”

A SHARED FUTURE : Education of Tomorrow’s Workforce Rec. # 3 “Raise expectations for high academic achievement among Mexican students, their parents, teachers, guidance counselors, and principals, and provide resources to assist in meeting these expectations.”

A SHARED FUTURE : Education of Tomorrow’s Workforce Rec. # 4 “Strengthen parent and community participation and leadership in city and suburban schools to improve educational outcomes for Mexican students.”

A SHARED FUTURE

A SHARED FUTURE: Civic Engagement and Political Participation, Rec. # 1 “Foster participation of Mexican and other Latinos in civic leadership through collaboration among business and philanthropic communities, state and local governments, and Latino leaders.”

A SHARED FUTURE: Civic Engagement and Political Participation, Rec. # 2 “Increase political participation of Mexican community by promoting citizenship, voter registration, as well as by building coalitions.”

A SHARED FUTURE: Civic Engagement and Political Participation, Rec. # 3 “Promote knowledge and understanding of the Mexican community through cultural institutions, media, community initiatives, and adoption of policies that protect human and civil rights.”

A SHARED FUTURE: Health & Human Services, Rec. # 1 “Increase access to affordable, culturally competent care for the Mexican population in the Chicago metropolitan area.”

A SHARED FUTURE: Health & Human Services, Rec. # 2 “Expand programs and resources that encourage disease prevention and wellness in Mexican communities in the city and suburbs.”

A SHARED FUTURE: Health & Human Services, Rec. #3 “Provide financial and professional expertise to create a stronger social services infrastructure in suburbs able to meet the needs of the growing Mexican community.”

Review Questions 1.) Why is it important to integrate migrants and/or immigrants into a city’s civic fabric? 2.) Why are Mexicans such a large share of Chicago’s foreign-born population? 3.) What are some of the impediments to incorporating the Mexican population into Chicago’s civic life? 4.) Why are Latinos the lowest—compared to whites & blacks--in earnings per year in Chicago? 5.) Why is it important to support Mexican entrepreneuralship? 6.) Why did only 30% of Latinos in Chicago vote in the 2004 elections?