Latinx Environmentalisms, Midwest Migrations, and Wisconsin Latinx History – Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing major terms, examples, movements, and cultural concepts from Weeks 4–6 of the Latinx Studies course.

Environmental racism

The disproportionate placement of pollution, toxic waste, and other environmental hazards in communities of color.

Environmental justice movement

Grass-roots struggle demanding fair environmental protection for all people, especially low-income and BIPOC communities.

Superfund sites

U.S. locations so contaminated with hazardous waste that the federal government prioritizes their cleanup.

Greenspace

Urban natural areas—parks, trees, community gardens—that provide recreation, shade, and cleaner air.

Flint Water Crisis

2014–present case where mostly Black residents of Flint, Michigan were exposed to lead-tainted drinking water.

Cancer Alley

Petrochemical corridor along the Mississippi River in Louisiana marked by high pollution and illness in Black towns.

Warren County PCB Landfill Protest

1982 North Carolina demonstration against a toxic landfill that sparked the modern environmental justice movement.

Kettleman City Toxic Waste Facility

Latine rural community in California impacted by birth defects linked to nearby hazardous-waste sites.

Pesticide exposure in farmworker communities

Health threat facing many Latine agricultural laborers due to heavy use of toxic chemicals on crops.

Fighting for Our Lives (documentary)

Film showing farmworkers organizing for health and safety against pesticide dangers.

Wrath of Grapes (documentary)

Documentary on César Chávez and UFW’s boycott against grape growers’ pesticide practices.

César Chávez

Labor leader who co-founded the United Farm Workers and championed farmworker and environmental health rights.

United Farm Workers (UFW)

Union that organized agricultural laborers for better wages, safety, and pesticide regulation.

Operation Bootstrap (Manos a la Obra)

1940s–50s plan to industrialize Puerto Rico, spurring factory jobs and large migration to the mainland U.S.

Immigration Act of 1965

Law that abolished racist national-origin quotas, opening U.S. doors to more Latin American and Asian immigrants.

Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA)

Legislation that granted amnesty to millions of undocumented immigrants while penalizing employers who hired them.

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

1994 trade pact that accelerated job loss for Mexican farmers, encouraging migration to the United States.

Immigration Youth Justice League (IYJL)

Chicago-based, youth-led organization using activism and storytelling to advance immigrant rights.

No Papers, No Fear

Bus campaign where undocumented activists traveled openly to protest deportations and demand justice.

Undocumented and Unafraid campaign

Movement encouraging undocumented youth to speak publicly about their status and assert their rights.

Counter-documents

Creative writings or artworks by undocumented people that dispute negative stereotypes and reclaim narrative power.

Undocumented youth movement

Nationwide activism led by undocumented millennials seeking legalization and social inclusion.

Civil disobedience

Non-violent lawbreaking to protest injustice and prompt social change.

DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals)

2012 program shielding certain undocumented youth from deportation and granting work permits.

DREAM Act

Proposed legislation offering undocumented youth a path to permanent residency and citizenship.

Undocuqueer movement

Activism at the intersection of LGBTQ+ and immigrant rights led by queer undocumented people.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Federal agency responsible for interior immigration enforcement, detention, and deportation.

Mexican Revolution (1910–1920)

Political upheaval that, combined with U.S. labor demand, pushed many Mexicans to Midwestern jobs.

2006 Immigration Rights March (Chicago)

Historic demonstration of over 100,000 people opposing anti-immigrant legislation and calling for legalization.

Midwestern Latinx student activism

Campus organizing for ethnic studies, immigrant rights, and inclusion at universities like UW-Milwaukee and UW-Madison.

Mills Music Library

UW-Madison collection whose protest songs illuminate Latinx activism and cultural memory.

Chazen Museum of Art

Institution showcasing Latinx murals and art that galvanize political engagement and heritage preservation.

Steenbock archives

UW-Madison repository documenting decades of Latinx and Chicanx student activism.

Testimonio

First-person narrative used to denounce injustice and mobilize collective action.

Oral history

Method of recording spoken memories to preserve lived experiences of individuals and communities.

Archival research

Examination of historical documents, photographs, and records stored in archives.

Wisconsin Latinx History Collective (WLHC)

Project gathering and sharing Latinx stories across Wisconsin through research, interviews, and public outreach.

Community-engaged research

Scholarship conducted in partnership with communities to address their priorities and share findings widely.

Charrería

Traditional Mexican rodeo exhibiting skilled horsemanship and cultural pride.

Charro culture

Mexican cowboy tradition emphasizing bravery, ornate attire, and performances of masculinity.

Kichwa Saraguro community

Indigenous Ecuadorian group that migrated to Wisconsin in the 1960s, maintaining cultural identity while working in farms and factories.

Latinx dairy labor in Wisconsin

Significant Latinx workforce sustaining the state’s dairy industry, highlighted in the ‘Latino Wisconsin’ documentary.