Exploring Community Connections - Insights on Mobility and Identity among Oaxacan Migrants in the Denver Metropolitan Area: Buscando a Mi Gente - Testimonios sobre Movilidad e Identidad de Migrantes Oaxaqueños/as en el Área Metropolitana de Denver, Colorado

Abstract

This study documents the experiences of Indigenous migrants from Oaxaca who settled in the Denver metropolitan area, Colorado, between 2023 and 2025. Through interviews and participant observation, the research reveals that although migrants strongly desire to express their identity and connection to their native communities, this expression mostly remains within the private sphere. This limitation stems from their status as a minority within the larger Mexican and Latino diaspora in Colorado and their widely dispersed settlements. The study finds that the extent to which Indigenous identity is expressed and communal practices are carried out depends on the length of residence, the size of the community of origin, and social and occupational status. This research aims to enhance the understanding of the resettlement patterns of Indigenous migrants from Oaxaca, who pursue various labor opportunities beyond the agricultural sector, which has traditionally dominated the narrative.

Presenters

Jose Vasquez Zarate
Student, ABD Graduate Student, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States

Details

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Theme

Identity and Belonging

KEYWORDS

MIGRATION, INDIGENOUS, OAXACA, DENVER, COMUNALIDAD