Sociospatial Practices of Hispanic Youth Navigating Their Labor Market Opportunities

Hispanic youth are entering the U.S. labor market in increasing numbers. Their experiences and outcomes can teach us about the degree to which Hispanic migrants and their children are successfully integrating into U.S. society. While we know about the disadvantages Hispanic immigrant youth face in securing professional careers, less is known about the strategies they use to navigate their labor market options in response to these obstacles and as a way to express their agency. Using data collected from interviews, questionnaires, mental maps, and journals with Hispanic immigrant youth, this article demonstrates the social and spatial strategies Hispanic immigrant youth employ to access work. Such strategies include leveraging institutional and familial connections, advertising their bilingualism, working close to home, and navigating stereotypes. Insight into these strategies can help educators, policy makers, and immigrant families determine how best to support Hispanic immigrant youth as they transition from school to work