Some adolescent Hispanic gang members in East Los Angeles call themselves Stoners, a reference to heavy illegal substance abuse. Stoners are distinguished from other gang members by their acquaintance with the occult sciences and Satanism. This book begins with a literature review covering traditional gangs and their subcultures in the 19th and…

This book is about teenage pregnancy among Latina teenagers in East Los Angeles (California). It focuses on teenage pregnancy and motherhood among economically disadvantaged Latinas aged 17 and under. The young mothers in this study were participants in a series of intervention efforts to prevent repeat pregnancy at a family planning clinic. This…

This children's book describes how a Mexican-American family celebrates the traditional Mexican holiday, Day of the Dead (Dia de Muertos). The book centers on 10-year-old twins, Ximena and Azucena, who live in Sacramento, California, with their two brothers, older sister, and parents. The Day of the Dead takes place on the first and second day of…

The last 30 years of U.S. political history have seen dramatic strides in the impact that minorities play in U.S. politics. This second volume of a two-volume set addresses the historical and contemporary impact of two of the largest minority groups in the United States. Divided into two sections, the encyclopedia addresses the political struggles…

This book presents a collection of essays on racial identity development in a variety of racial populations, focusing on the application of racial identity development theories and their expansion beyond their original borders. The 10 chapters are (1) "Black Identity Development: Further Analysis and Elaboration" (Bailey W. Jackson III);…

Based on a year-long study and in-depth interviews with Latino high school students, this book focuses on why some develop a school kid identity that enables them to succeed in school, while others develop a street kid" identity and drop out. Interviews were conducted with approximately 10 stayers, 10 leavers, and 10 returners. The book…

Noting that most socioeconomic and demographic indicators are negative for Puerto Rican mothers and children, this book enhances the current knowledge about the growth and development of Puerto Rican mothers and children, and discusses the likely social origins of their suboptimal experiences. Thirteen papers are presented. The opening chapter…

The impact that race and ethnicity have on an individual's identity development in the United States are explored through the theoretical framework, issues of dominance, identity development, and questions of biraciality. The following chapters address these issues: (1) "Identity, Self, and Individualism in a Multicultural Perspective"…

This reference book includes 51 alphabetically arranged entries about writers of multicultural fiction for young adults. Each entry consists of a biographical introduction to the author, an overview of his or her major young adult works, a section on the critical reception of the author's writings, a bibliography of works by the author, and a…

Noting that even though more than 31,000,000 Latina and Latino Americans will live in the United States by the year 2000, their diverse voices have been largely neglected in literature for children and young adults, this book celebrates these voices. The book is a comprehensive reference tool to help fill the gap--a thoroughly detailed guide to…

The purpose of this book, with an accompanying audiocassette, is twofold: (1) to enhance teachers' and librarians' understanding and appreciation for the variety of cultures in the United States; and (2) to show how folklore and music can be used to help children learn about their own and other cultures. The first two chapters present an overview…

This volume is a serious effort to provide a guide to the range of creative and scholarly work in the four major American ethnic literatures. The burst in creative energy among Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Americans has made it difficult for teachers to keep up with the primary literature, let alone the…

This book presents papers from some leading social scientists and scholars who examine the contemporary contours of America's gang problem. New material is provided on wilding (i.e., running amok for no specific reason) gangs, migration and drug trafficking, and public education disruption. Other topics involve organization of gangs, their social…

This volume, fourth in a series, is devoted to a study of the depression years of the 1930s, a crucial period in the history of the Hispanic land-grant-villages. It places northern New Mexico in a broad regional and national context, examining the major currents of social and political thought in American society that influenced Hispanic New Deal…

This book grew out of the national conference "The Kerner Commission: Twenty Years Later." The Kerner Commission found in its 1968 Report that America was moving toward two separate and unequal societies, divided along racial lines, and that major efforts to combat poverty, unemployment, and racism were mandated. The essays in this book…