The film Zoot Suit not only brought us closer to the lives of the Pachucos, but also gave us a clear view of the events that led to the riots of June 1943, in Los Angeles. Around this time, during World War II, Mexican Americans in East Los Angeles experienced one of the most significant episodes of racial violence of the 20th century, known as the Zoot Suit Riots . The latter situation is due to strong racial tensions, mainly influenced by the media. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay In the first segment of this article, I will explain how the film Zoot Suit highlights both the representation and reinterpretation of this particular racial minority. So, what is Zoot Suit? What did he represent and who? And what was its result? To answer this, throughout this article I will connect film scenes to course material, in order to paint a clear picture of what happened in wartime Los Angeles. The Zoot Suit is a subculture that was originally introduced by Africans. Young Americans. It was closely linked to jazz culture and was considered dangerous because it broke both musical and social rules. Mexican Americans adopted this subculture and brought it to the West Coast, in an effort to distinguish themselves and challenge others. Many young Mexicans have been seen wearing these long, oversized draped jackets, with exaggerated padded shoulders and high-waisted baggy pants. , which are tight around the ankles. Their ducktail hairstyle was V-shaped and their low cut extended all the way to their neck. They also wore pig hats and had long chains hanging from their pants. This category of young Mexicans is represented in the film as Hank Reyna's family. It was a modest, working-class family, parents of two sons and a daughter, immigrants from Mexico and still attached to their maternal culture. However, their children sought to break away from their maternal culture and adopt a subculture that would differentiate and distinguish them. These young Mexicans discovered that by joining the Zoot Suit culture, it was a huge opportunity for them to celebrate creativity, adaptation, transformation, and also to achieve coolness, but above all to achieve social approval. These seemed non-existent, especially for the first generation born in the United States, and people of color in general, were pushed aside, stigmatized, and treated as second-class citizens. Additionally, they faced many daunting obstacles in acclimating to white American culture. To name a few, they suffered from discrimination and segregation, which was clearly shown in one of the scenes in the film. There was a big sign that indicated whether it was Black or Mexican night. Rather, it explicitly demonstrates what kind of surveillance and segregation people of color have been forced into by the dominant hegemonic race. Dominant white power focused solely on the negative connotations of the culture and justified its stance towards zoot enthusiasts, by identifying them. as criminals, antisocial and unpatriotic. Therefore, growing concerns have been raised by the general public, demanding that the Los Angeles Police Department protect them and secure the city. One night, the Pachucos were involved in a fight at a house near the sleepy Los Angeles lagoon. The next morning, José Díaz's body was found in.