Don Magdaleno’s Story

How did Don Magdaleno’s deep-rooted cultural heritage shape his journey from Mexico to the United States?

In this book, author Gregorio Mora Torres traces Don Magdaleno’s life from his roots in Eastern Michoacan as a descendant of peasants to his survival skills, shaped by both regional culture and Mesoamerican traditions. After growing up fatherless, Don Magdaleno first went to California as a railroad Bracero, returned to the United States as an agricultural Bracero several times, and finally made numerous crossings into California as an undocumented migrant residing in the Santa Clara Valley. After securing a full-time job as a railroad worker, he settled permanently in the Santa Clara Valley, contributing to the community’s growth, political empowerment, and solidarity. His story highlights the resilience and cooperation that defined his immigrant experience.

Ideal for readers interested in Latinx Studies, Border Studies, Migration Studies, Labor Studies, cultural heritage, and the history of the Chicano/Mexican-American experience, this book offers profound insights into resilience, adaptation, and community empowerment.