BIENVENIDOS Agenda 6/17/04

1. BIENVENIDOS Agenda 6/17/04 • Welcome and Introduction • Project Updates • DL Task Force—June 28, 2004, 3:30-6:30 pm • Needs Assessment • Open

2. Changing Face of Delmarva Tim Dunn, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Sociology Amy K. Liebman, MPA BEACON Consultant Salisbury University June 17, 2004

3. Latino Immigrants on Delmarva

4. BIENVENIDOS A DELMARVA • Network of over 70 service providing organizations on the Delmarva Peninsula preparing to meet the needs of our immigrant communities • Housed at BEACON of Salisbury University—http://beacon.salisbury.edu/

5. Activities • Meet Monthly to • Exchange Information • Discuss Problems and Needs • Work on Solutions • Raise Awareness • Conduct Outreach • Conduct Research • Facilitate Training • Cultural Competency

6. Project Adelante Eastern Shore Regional Library • Raineyl Coiro, Elizabeth Bellevance • Salisbury University • BEACON—Bienvenidos a Delmarva • Amy K. Liebman and Memo Diriker • Fulton School • Tim Dunn -- Survey • Ana Aragones, Janitizo Outtara, Jen Jackson, Marinna Padley, Ignacio & Denise Pomareda, Neda Biggs • Horizon Marketing • Ron Appin –Focus Groups

7. Introduction • Project Adelante’s Goal--Better understand the needs and service gaps within the Latino community in order to improve provision of library and other services to this population and to reduce barriers to these services • Conduct needs assessment • Share results • Work with libraries to develop marketing plan

8. Methodology • 185 Ethno-surveys, snowball/network referral sample • Wicomico, Somerset, Caroline, Worcester • 11 Focus Groups • 8 with immigrants (~50 participants) • Wicomico County (2) • Somerset • Kent/Queen Anne’s County • Caroline • Talbot • Worcester • Dorchester • 3 with service providers

10. Country of Origin 84 % Unauthorized Immigrants

11. Time on Delmarva Median = 2 years

12. Age • Very Young • Median Age = 29 Years Old

13. Gender • 33.5% Female • 66.5% Male

14. Why Come to US • For a better life—34% • To save money—17% • To have work—40% • Family here – 6% • Other—3%

15. Migration Experience • 58%--Delmarva First Migration Experience • 77%--First trip taken to the US NEW IMMIGRANTS

16. Future Plans • Plan to be in same town/city in 3 years • 57% plan to remain • Return to country of origin in 3 years • 42% plan to move back Plan to Stay

17. Years of Education • Median = 6 years • Mexicans (median 6 years) slightly more education the Guatemalans (median 4 years)

18. Number of Children in Household Median = 1 Child

19. Location of Children

20. US Citizen Children • Mixed Status Households • 11 million undocumented residents • 3 million US citizen children

21. Occupation in US • 80% of unemployed are female, nearly all taking care of children • Services = Restaurant, Hotel, Domestic, Maintenance

22. Earnings • Average wage is $7.25-$7.75 per hour • 2/3 have taxes withheld from pay • Average work week is 40 hours • 2/3 send + $200 home each month(+1/3 send +$500)

23. Occupation in Sending Country Agriculture—Peasants, Farmworkers Services—Domestic, Restaurant, Hotel, Retail Sales

24. Endure Hardship to Make a Better Life • “Three days, three nights in the desert without water to come here.” • “It hurt me a lot to leave my kids. My sister took care of them for a long time, but now they are here.”

25. Discrimination in the US • “I don’t know if it’s the color of our skin or our accents. Sometimes I think they feel we’re from another planet.” • “My daughter wasn’t given honors even though she deserved them because she’s Hispanic. I went and talked to the teacher.”

26. Employment Hardship • Because they are undocumented, feel vulnerable at work: • “If you’re illegal, you can’t do anything; otherwise they’ll call the ‘migra.’” • Risk of deportation too great to seek revindication: • “One comes to this country to work, not to look for problems.”

27. Most Difficult Things about Life in US

28. LanguageOver 90% do not understand English or have only limited understanding

29. Language • Despite low levels of English ability, 60% said someone in their household spoke English • 82% of the English speakers in HH were adults • 75% of these adult English speakers in HH were males

30. Language • Typical learning cycle for non-English speaking immigrants in the US is 3 generations • 1st generation learns enough to get by • 2nd generation is bilingual • 3rd generation monolingual English

31. Language • “How can we try to get medical attention when we can’t speak the language?” • “There are times when they don’t tend to you very well…kind of like discrimination, especially if you don’t know the language.”

32. TransportationFocus group participants noted: • lack of transportation as barrier to getting to library. • risks of driving a car. Drive only when it is essential—work, food. Can’t legally obtain a driver’s license if undocumented. • use of public transportation is an option, but libraries still remain hard to access. • poor treatment by bus drivers. • racial tension between riders and drivers.

33. Transportation

34. Library Use • 77% had NEVER visited the library • Of the 23% who had been to the library, the majority had been just a few times

35. Why Haven’t Respondents Gone to Library? • Public community libraries do not exist in Mexico and Guatemala • Do not know about the library and its resources and offerings in the US

36. Language & LibrariesNeed for Bilingual Staff • “When I can’t explain something to someone I feel awkward…you can only use sign language so many times.” • “I was too afraid to get close to the library since I know that nobody spoke Spanish.” • “Since the people who work there only speak English, there’s no communication.”

37. Desired Library Services

38. In the last 12 months sources of information used: • Television—84% • Friends—72% • Family—52 % • Libraries—8%

39. High Levels of Social Isolation • 13% belong to sports/recreational group and 2% belong to social group • Over 50% said they do not have relations with other racial or ethnic group • Of the 46% who do have relations with other groups, 61% said they are work-related only • 75% have family/friends in area • In-group relations strong, out-group relations weak

40. Sources of Support/Services • 56% belong to a religious institution here, 44% do not. Main point of contact for immigrants in receiving communities—apart from work. • Religious Affiliation:

41. Sources of Support/Services • Focus group participants consistently noted: • Church • Catholic Charities • Seton Center in Somerset County • Leyla Krauss • La Esperanza (Use Delaware-based Social Service)

42. Who Helped Resolve Problems Here?

43. Contact with Local Educational Institutions • 16% have attended school here • 27% have taken a class of some type • English—86% • Who Offered the English Class? • Church—29% • Library—18% • College Professor—18% • Other –35%

44. Contact with Local Educational Institutions • 27% said children in their household attend public schools

45. Contact with Health Services • 61% have gone to a hospital, clinic or private doctor, 57% a few times • “We’re a bit stubborn when it comes to our health…As long as we don’t have any broken bones, we won’t go to the clinic.” • Focus group noted language as barrier to accessing health services

46. Police Service Attitudes • 31% do not trust the police enough to report a crime or seek their help. • Reasons for lack of trust:

47. Victims of Crime • Every focus group mentioned tensions between African-Americans and immigrants • Immigrants are easy targets • Language • A lot of CASH • Can’t open bank accounts b/c of lack of documentation (banks now accepting matricula consular identification cards)

48. Victims of Crime • 21% of survey respondents victims of crime

49. Desired Services for Better Life

50. Desire to Learn English • “If it were possible to gain a command of the English language to understand legal immigration issues, and be in good health—that would be great.” • “To get better jobs you always need the language [English].”