SPOTLIGHT: Maryrosy Araujo’s 2017 Departmental Senior Project

Maryrosy Araujo is a third year undergraduate student from Santa Ana majoring in Chicana/o Studies and minoring in Labor & Workplace Studies. She aspires to attend law school, become an immigration attorney, and give back to her hometown. She will be graduating in June of 2018 and is planning to do the CAPP in Washington. With the guidence of Professor Leisy Abrego, Maryrosy’s departmental senior projects presents on the following:

The Internalization and Normalization of Ill-treatment in the Unregulated Workplace: Undocumented Latina/o Car Wash Workers Navigate Immigration and Labor Laws in the United States

Abstract: I analyze how undocumented Latina/o car wash employees internalize and normalize ill-treatment in their unregulated workplace. I chose this sector of the labor force because it is predominantly Latina/os who work at these sites, and many are undocumented. I interviewed 2 undocumented Latino car wash workers and analyzed their responses, noting trends and commonalities. I argue that undocumented workers are so used to facing injustices, they now simply view it as a way of life, allowing this treatment to be reproduced. Therefore, vulnerable employees work under harsh conditions and are unaware of their rights as undocumented workers.