We're From Here, Too: Identity and Belonging among 1.5- and Second-Generation Latinxs in Nashville, Tennessee

This study investigates the perceptions and experiences of 1.5- and second-generation Latinxs in the new immigrant destination of Nashville, Tennessee, with regard to the concepts of belonging, identity, and sense of place. Although much research has examined the arrival, integration, and socioeconomic challenges of Nashville's first-generation immigrants from Latin America, themes concerning the experiences and incorporation of the subsequent generations who have grown up in the metropolitan area have received less scholarly attention. The multitude of issues that arise from identity negotiation, biculturalism, and discrimination are elucidated through twenty-five in-depth interviews with Latinxs. Our findings reveal how this population navigates through and in between the various communities that encompass their lives while simultaneously balancing social inclusion/exclusion, educational and career aspirations, and marginalization by national and state politics.