Cuban Immigrants Becky Schoeneck Marah Key Molly Thompson Kirsten Richardson Kayla Sellers Zachary Erlandson

Waves of Immigration  1 st Wave (1959 – 1962): Elite members of Cuban society  Welcome into society  Able to form a pattern of acceptance for all future immigrants  2 nd wave ( ): “Freedom Flights”  Twice a day US citizens could fly to pick up relates in Cuba  Largest immigration – 8 year period – 260,500 people  Government could control who was allowed to leave  Encouraged elderly people to leave  Younger aged men were not allowed to leave

Waves of Immigration  3 rd Wave (1980): Mariel Port – open port to allow relatives to immigrate  More than relatives boarded  First wave with people of poor socioeconomic status  More of a model of Cuban society  4 th Wave (August 1994) – Rafter Crisis  Cuba government announced it will not stop people from migrating in rafts  After rescuing 37,000 people, the U.S. agreed to allow 20,000 Cuban Immigrants a year

Golden Enclave  Enclave: “Distinctive economic formation, characterized by the spatial concentration of immigrants who organize a variety of enterprises to serve their own ethnic market and general population” (pg. 96 Ethnicities)  Cuban society in Miami is the best U.S. example of an ethnic enclave  1 st wave immigrants brought economic, social, and experiences which helped them adjust to the U.S economy.  Mariel Port immigrants shifted balance  Benefits  Helps children retain parent’s culture and native language  Does not

Enclave Benefits  Helps children retain parent’s culture and native language  Citizens do not feel discrimination as strongly as other immigrants  Easier for citizens to learn skills and obtain jobs  Private Cuban Schools  Helps self-esteem and life aspirations

Schools Attended by Cuban- Origin Students Type of SchoolPercentage (Total 100%) Private, mostly Cuban14.9 Mostly white suburban16.1 Mostly Latino suburban36.1 Little Havana and Hialeah28.6 Predominantly black4.3 * See Pg. 103 in Ethnicities

Drop-out Rates  Cuban Immigrants have the highest drop-out rates of all nationalities in CIL Study.  Private schools are excluded from this data  Unexpected results  No correlation with parents arrival date  Highest Nationality GPA  Longest period or U.S Residence

 White Schools-  Black Schools-  Graph-117  Solutions-  Strong family involvement  Positive role models  Teachers must stress the value of a high school education

Education Issues  Language Barrier (for students and families)  Native Spanish speakers  Lack of funding for ESL  Solutions  Dual language teaching

Educational Issues  Socioeconomic Status

Identity  Cuban?  Cuban American?  Hispanic?  American?  Feel discrimination the least

Possible Reasons for Exemplary Immigrant Status  Been U.S. the longest of all immigrant groups  Because of living in U.S. so long, Cuban immigrant children are starting to resemble mainstream American academic models  Confidence achieved through the enclave  Because they feel less discriminated against and have higher aspirations, Cuban immigrants have a easier transition upward in U.S. society