Yes We Can

The Mexican influx into the city is studied by scholars throughout CUNY, but a nerve center for such research is the Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies at the Graduate Center. Its director, history professor Laird Bergad, believes Mexicans will follow the "typical pattern among migrant groups," with many eventually entering educational programs and their children flowing through public schools and into CUNY. "Mexicans in New York City, 1990-2005," one of Bergad's studies, helped spark creation of CUNY's task force to improve educational opportunities for New Yorkers of Mexican descent. In Mexicans in New York City, released last June, Bergad sifted census data and found:

• Only 9% of Mexicans over age 25 had attained a B.A. degree or higher in 2005—the lowest rate among Latino nationalities.
• Mexicans were the city's fastest-growing Latino group and became the third largest in 2005, after Puerto Ricans and Dominicans.
• If current growth rates continue, Mexicans will become the city's largest Latino nationality by 2035.
• The Mexican community is growing due to migration and extraordinarily high birth rates, compared to other Latino groups.
• Mexican households are highly stratified: 21% earned more than $75,000 in 2005, while 22% earned less than $20,000.

For the complete report and research on other Latino groups visit http://web.gc.cuny.edu/lastudies.