ABSTRACT
Many immigrant communities encounter unique problems in coping with and finding resources for basic needs. Within today's ethnic Mexican American communities, Mexican traditions and belief systems can persist in a collective isolation, particularly when surrounded by mainstream resources which are hostile or inaccessible, or are perceived as such. Rivera and Erlich refer to the concept of 'neo-gemeinschaft' which is thought to typify ethnic minority communities. Given immigration, repatriation, and underlying economic dynamics that particularly affect Latino communities, it is insufficient to rely on static policies that have not kept pace with the changing face of Latinos in the US. These are relatively homogenous and closed communities where English is not often spoken; where there is a shared experience of racism and oppression among many extended family networks. Many Mexican American families practice their own traditions of folk medicine within their home and extended family networks.
