As depicted in our visual representation, Guatemalan immigration to the United

States is a fairly new trend, spurred by civil war and genocide of indigenous peoples in
the latter half of the 1900s and, in more recent years, by post-war economic distress
punctuated by natural disasters. Ironically, as Guatemalans strive to enter the United
States seeking economic relief, the act of doing so creates a significant personal
economic burden. The coyotes, who serve as guides to those seeking to enter the
United States, charge exorbitant fees, and their system is rife with abuse, graft, and
physical danger. In addition to the risks inherent in crossing the desert, some crossing
Mexico and entering the U.S. are also at risk of falling from the top of a speeding trains
or dying of asphyxiation or dehydration while being transported in crowded shipping
containers. Young females, in particular, are at risk of a variety of forms of abuse.
Upon arrival in the U.S., most of the immigrants settle in one of seven major
cities, primarily Los Angeles and New York City, but also Miami, Washington, DC,
Houston, Boston and Chicago. Even in cities with large Spanish-speaking populations,
some Guatemalans from rural mountain villages where the first language is an
indigenous dialect, such as Mam or Quechua, find themselves to be at a significant
linguistic disadvantage. Some immigrants from Guatemala may have lingering debt to
the coyotes. The type of work available to the majority of immigrants from Guatemala
is, more often than not, extremely long hours of menial, backbreaking labor for low pay
and with little, if any, regard for the human rights of laborers.
The primary motivation for most immigrants from Guatemala is to make money to
send back home to support family members, particularly for their children who have
been left behind with the other parent or with relatives. This money wired to the
homeland, referred to as remittance funds, has become a staple for survival in many
Guatemalan villages in post-war years.

In the past few years, children who have been supported by these remittance
funds eventually are finding their way into the United States as well, perhaps being sent
for or coming of their own volition in search of their parents and/or seeking respite from
the prevalent street crime and pressure to become involved in gangs. These young
people are particularly at risk of becoming victims of abuse and human trafficking at the
hands of the coyotes. Most also find themselves to be at a significant educational
disadvantage upon enrollment in U.S. secondary schools, many having a history of
interrupted and/or substandard education.
Classroom instruction in immigration history is vital in facilitating appreciation for
other cultures within the school, as well as in the community at large. The concept that
the United States has always been a nation of immigrants is lost on many of todays
students, as well as on many of the adults in their lives, both at home and among some
members of the school staff. Immigration history is an essential piece of what the United
States is and who we are as a people. Teaching it outright can only serve to elevate
awareness and improve relations among the various cultural groups represented in the
population of a school and its surrounding community.
Any approach or strategy to help students see the similarities in immigrations
patterns would most logically begin by having each student identify his or her own
cultural background. Some students may have limited awareness of their own family
history, so the first assignment would be for the students to find out that information at
home. The next step would be for the students to research the immigration history of
their own cultural groups as well of the contributions of the group to American society.
This in-class research could be guided by a list of specific questions or a graphic
organizer to be completed. Students could then share what they have learned with the
whole class or in small groups of several students from diverse backgrounds.
Another activity would be to identify all of the cultural groups represented in a
class and write each group on a slip of paper. Have each student randomly select or be
assigned a group that he or she is to research in addition to his or her own cultural
group. Then each student will prepare a Venn diagram to compare the immigration
experience of his or her own cultural group to that of one of the other immigrant group.
This could be followed by written reflection and/or class discussion to focus the
similarities among various groups.
A third activity that could be completed with in conjunction with or independently
of the two previous suggestions would be to create bulletin board or classroom map
indicating the immigration routes taken by all of the cultural groups represented in the
student population. This could be enhanced by images and information boxes prepared
by students.
Regardless of the approach taken, any activity designed to further student
awareness of the commonalities among and contributions by the diverse groups
represented in the student population can enhance the appreciation for each others
immigration history and the role of each cultural group in the building our nation.