their U.S.-born children have added to the economic, cultural, and social fabric of Minnesota for nearly a century. Like every immigrant group, Latinos have come to Minne­sota in search of opportunities to better their lives. Since the 1910s, Latino workers have provided the backbone for Minnesota’s agricultural, food processing, manufacturing, and service industries. Today, Latino Minnesota includes a variety of people from many nations contributing in every sector of society. Latino Minnesota traces the journey made by generations from the earliest settler, Luis Garzón, to the Mexican colonia that grew up in St. Paul after World War I, through the recently arrived immigrants from Central and South America whose customs and traditions continue to enrich Minnesota’s cultural mix. It highlights individual and collective achievements, a tradition of mutual aid, and the struggle to retain cultural heritage while adjusting to life in el norte. Through lively prose, Latino Minnesota tells of the challenges of work, settlement, injustice, and finding strength through community. The result is a warm and fascinating history of a population who today are changing the face of Minnesota.

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