Any Small Goodness

The term barrio is a Spanish word for either “quarter” or “neighborhood.” In a more practical understanding, it may signify an urban enclave, reflecting similarities in cultural and ethnic identity. In the United States, “barrio” refers to a Spanish-speaking neighborhood, often implying poor socioeconomic conditions. There are many barrios across the American urban landscape, formed alongside surges in immigration from Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries. For instance, East Harlem, a neighborhood in northeastern Manhattan, is typically nicknamed “El Barrio,” referencing its concentration of Latinx residents and cultural institutions.

One of the oldest barrios exists in East Los Angeles, California; this is the barrio in which the Rodriguez family lives in Any Small Goodness. In the 18th century, settlers from Spanish-ruled Mexico traveled north to California, seeking land grants and an opportunity for work in the Christian missions. Eventually, American pioneers and European settlers also arrived in the region, introducing competing nationalities and cultural identities. The communities co-existed relatively peacefully until the outbreak of the Mexican American War in 1846. Though the Mexican American population was distant from their native Mexico, they still rallied to its cause, clashing with American troops on the outskirts of Los Angeles. After US forces gained victory, anti-Mexican prejudice in Los Angeles skyrocketed, and many Mexican American residents were forced to the edges of the city (Benitez, Tomas. “East L.A.: Past and Present.” PBS, 2004). 

As these pockets of Mexican identity formed, many immigrating Mexicans sought a promise of both community and opportunity. By the end of World War II, East Los Angeles was almost entirely Latinx, bolstered by Mexican workers who had newly arrived to participate in the war effort. Today, East Los Angeles represents the largest concentration of Latinx Americans outside of Puerto Rico. 

Gangs have long been present in these Los Angeles barrios, having developed out of a need to preserve tradition and counter local xenophobia. Many experts trace Mexican American gang history back to the 1920s, when increases in immigration further diversified East Los Angeles. Often, these gangs were formed within specific barrios and mostly attracted young men. As succeeding waves of immigrating youths crowded the barrios, gang membership grew, often capitalizing on poor education rates and an urge to join with other Mexican American immigrants. Gang recruitment efforts worry Arturo in Any Small Goodness. Poor institutional protection also accelerated gang recruitment. In the early 1940s, a Mexican young person was murdered in East Los Angeles. Local police arrested members of a prominent Mexican gang, offering them only a half-hearted trial before sentencing them to prison. This substantial bias enraged Mexican American communities and led many to seek vigilante justice.

In the mid-20th century, several major events transformed Mexican American communities, including both the Vietnam War and the Chicano civil rights movement. The Vietnam War—which relied on mass conscription of the American population—disproportionately impacted Mexican Americans. The Chicano Movement, led by activists such as César Chávez, exposed institutional discrimination against Mexican Americans as they organized for better education, land grants, and expanded voting protection. These efforts led to Chicano representation on school boards, city councils, and legislative bodies.