Latino/a Youth Subcultures in Elizabeth, New Jersey: Memory, Spacemaking, and Citizenship, 1980s-1990s by Yamil Avivi A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (American Culture) in the University of Michigan 2016 Doctoral Committee: Associate Professor Evelyn A. Alsultany, Chair Associate Professor Alyshia Galvez, Lehman College Associate Professor Jesse Hoffung-Garskof Associate Professor Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes © Yamil Avivi 2016 DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to Colombian American club kid Andre Melendez, also known as Angel Melendez (1971-1996), who should be remembered for how he empowered others, especially youth in Elizabeth, to be who they really are, even amidst systemic repression and violence toward racial, cultural, sexual and gender difference. To my niece and nephew, Alexandra and Brandon Avivi, I hope to trade with you both stories of our youth someday, and share how you helped me get sanely through the arduous task of writing and thinking through this dissertation. To my loving parents, Carmen Emilia and Farid Avivi, I’m so lucky to have you as mamí y pápi. My “hard” work could never compete with your lifelong selfless sacrifices to help me get where I am. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Faculty This project would not have been possible without the openness and support that my participants—mostly friends and friends of friends who came of age in Elizabeth— offered to move this case study forward. Having the opportunity to rekindle with old friends and meet new ones to talk about each of their lives and perspectives was one of the most rewarding and meaningful endeavors I will ever have in my lifetime. A heart‐filled thanks to each and every one of you for such an incredible exchange of our roots in Elizabeth. You are all da bomb! I am forever indebted to my dissertation committee—Dr. Evelyn Alsultany, chair, Dr. Lawrence La Fountain‐Stokes, Dr. Jesse Hoffnung‐Garskof and Dr. Alyshia Galvez—for pushing me and believing in me to complete this work to the best of my ability. Each of them contributed their expertise, humanity, and compassion. I am so fortunate to have worked with a cutting‐edge group of scholars who mentored me to build this work in that direction. Looking back, I recall how in one of my first meetings to discuss the draft of Chapter 1, their feedback on framing and focusing more on the second‐generation experience without contextualizing the first‐generation experience so heavily put this project on a more exciting and creative path. After inexhaustibly re‐reading my chapters, they wanted me to bring out my voice and experiences much more. I deeply thank each of them for putting me to the task and helping me develop this piece into a solid and even more meaningful self‐reflexive work. Along with reading through this project, they eagerly iii wrote endless letters of recommendation on my behalf for prospective jobs and postdocs. My chair’s excitement and last minute glossing while I applied for dozens of jobs always made me feel so motivated and encouraged. I have a couple of comments for each of my dear mentors, whose personal dedication bought this project to another level. My chair’s tremendous dedication, careful and skillful editing and efficient, structured approach to my progress made much of my dissertation writing phase very enjoyable and personally empowering. Prof. Alsultany was truly all around and then some. Her advice on each chapter draft was holistic and stellar. Believe it or not, I couldn’t wait to get her thoughtful and lush feedback. Despite life’s occasional upsets, Prof. Alsultany was always willing to talk with me through these difficult moments and resolve them as effectively as possible. This all happened in our one‐hour meetings! I believe her empathy lies in our tie as first‐generation college Latino (Arabtino) doctoral educators navigating a majority upper middle class white campus. This brought us together in ways that have defined me (personally and professionally), which I will carry proudly with me for the rest of life. Finally, it was due to her initial and effective close examining of where my writing was going that she recommended I center this youth narrative more aggressively around subculture. Hands down to my amazing chair. La Fountain‐Stokes’ wealth of knowledge, particularly on queer Latinos/as in New Jersey and New York City, and overall meticulous editing and on‐point feedback has enhanced my scholarship and the meaning of this dissertation project. Because of La Fountain‐Stokes, this project not only centers on subculture but solidly on a queer youth narrative amidst heterosexual and LGBTQ youth in Elizabeth. Once, after he sat down and listened to one of my first presentations about Latino/a Youth Subculture in Elizabeth, New iv Jersey at the first Latino Studies Conference in Chicago during the Summer 2013, Dr. La Fountain‐Stokes sent me a list of pioneering key sources to help me further expand my discussion of subculture studies, Latino/a queer studies and Latino youth. Every time I got a list of references from him, I was not only deeply excited, but it also meant being challenged to work through big ideas. In particular, working closely with La Fountain‐ Stokes on the New York City nightlife chapter in which I explore Angel Melendez’s tragic hate murder was a personal highlight for me that I will carry with me forever. I’m deeply thankful for his energy. I met Dr. Hoffnung‐Garskof later in the ball game, after reading his book A Tale of Two Cities: New York and Santo Domingo After 1950 (2010), which had breaking insights about the racialization and political activity of second‐generation Dominican and Puerto Rican youth in New York City in the 1970s that served as a point of comparison with our own political gesturings of the 1980s‐1990s. I look forward to teaching his book in the future. His advice to think about the three or four interviewees that framed our youth thinking and ideology of the time was pivotal in sharpening the structure and premise of this dissertation project. Both his and La Fountain‐Stokes’ advice to contextualize texts on New Jersey youth and subculture was an outstanding idea. In particular, Hoffnung‐Garskof was the one who reminded me that the movie Lean on Me (1989) was based in Paterson, New Jersey. It’s seemingly little facts like these that end up going a very long way! And finally, I have had the utmost pleasure to continue working with Dr. Alyshia Galvez, who was an external committee member from Lehman College, CUNY. Dr. Galvez and I go some time back before my time at the University of Michigan! She advised me on my NYU Master’s thesis project in which I examined how Colombian second‐generation v youth situated themselves in the Colombian‐American political transnational field in Elizabeth and Dover New Jersey. She also enthusiastically read and offered feedback on my first submissions to academic journals years ago. What a great honor and gift it’s been for me to have Dr. Galvez continue supervising (and witnessing) my growing scholarship about Elizabeth as a case study. We worked closely together on the chapter “Out in the High School,” which in the end proved enormously beneficial. Her glowing feedback on ethnography, neoliberalism, social movements, youth gang culture, and youth politics took this project to another level. Special thanks to the editor I consult, Danielle LaVaque‐Manty, who has been my right hand (and leg) as far as getting my wordy and Spanglish chapter drafts in order. Along with working on my dissertation chapters, she has also inexhaustibly glossed and polished cover letters to prospective employers, manuscript essays, and PowerPoint presentations. Her presence has helped me grow more confident and self‐assured. Thanks to Jillian Mills at Scholarspace, housed in U‐M’s Hatcher Graduate Library. She promptly and efficiently helped me format my dissertation according to Rackham Graduate School’s guidelines. Outside of my dissertation committee, there are faculty at U‐M’s Department of American Culture to acknowledge. Thanks to former Department Director Dr. Gregory Dowd and Acting Graduate Studies Director Dr. Stephen Berrey for their support of my work and scholarship. Over the years at U‐M, I have been immensely fortunate to work with other faculty who have taught, mentored, and/or deeply inspired me in one way or another to enhance my scholarship and dissertation project. Enormous gratitude to Colin Gunckel, Ruth Behar, Kristen Hass, Anthony Mora, Victor Roman Mendoza, Daniel Ramirez, vi Emily Lawsin, Matthew Countryman, Maria Cotera, Mary Kelley, Bruce Conforth, Daniel Herbert, Matt Stiffler, Nadine Naber, Alan Wald, Yeidy Rivero, and Manan Desai. I was incredibly fortunate to work with staff at the Department of American Culture who helped me gain access to different financial resources and turn in as efficiently as possible all necessary paperwork and requirements. Special thanks to Marlene Moore, Judith Gray, Mary Freiman, Tabby Rohn, and Tammy Zill. There are incredible faculty and staff outside U‐M who I have engaged intellectually and/or personally along the way and who have helped either my scholarship or dissertation project thrive. I am extremely grateful to Ana Ramos‐Zayas, Maria Elena Cepeda, Elizabeth Martinez, Olga J. Wagenheim, George Yudice, David Serlin, Molly McGarry, Robert Dannin, Paul H. Mattingly, Miguel Kanai, Nancy Reale, Joseph Portanova, Robin Goldfin, Julie Shuchman, Mitch Levenberg, Alicia Baskerville, Meredith January, and Nina D’Alessandro. Students Along with faculty, I am incredibly blessed with brilliant, loving, and truly supportive colleagues whose everyday presence and spirit in my daily life at one point or another have pushed me to move forward.