Mazatlán, Sinaloa: from transit to destination city. Self-employment as a survival strategy in immigrant women

Abstract

The following article presents research conducted between August 2022 and May 2024, focusing on analyzing the self-employment process among six Central and South American migrant women who initially planned to reach the United States but decided to settle in Mazatlán, Sinaloa. This study explores the reasons that led these women to establish themselves in Mazatlán, as well as the motivations and mechanisms that drove their self-employment. To understand these dynamics, six in-depth interviews were conducted, utilizing a qualitative approach. Qualitative content analysis allowed for examining how these self-employment activities not only reflect and preserve their cultural practices of origin but also contribute to their integration and socioeconomic subsistence in Mazatlán. Despite the fact that most of these businesses operate informally due to legal and administrative barriers stemming from their migrant status, the resilience and adaptation of these women in their new environment are highlighted.