BIENVENIDOS Agenda 6/17/04

Welcome and IntroductionProject UpdatesDL Task Force—June 28, 2004,

3:30-6:30 pmNeeds AssessmentOpen

Changing Face of Delmarva

Tim Dunn, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Sociology

Amy K. Liebman, MPABEACON ConsultantSalisbury University

June 17, 2004

Latino Immigrants on Delmarva

1990 2000 Growth

Wicomico County 610 1842 202%

Sussex County 1,476 6,915 369%

Accomack County 452 2,062 356%

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/

ActivitiesMeet Monthly to

oExchange InformationoDiscuss Problems and NeedsoWork on Solutions

Raise AwarenessConduct OutreachConduct ResearchFacilitate Training

oCultural Competency

Project Adelante

Eastern Shore Regional Libraryo Raineyl Coiro, Elizabeth Bellevance

Salisbury UniversityBEACON—Bienvenidos a Delmarva

oAmy K. Liebman and Memo DirikerFulton School

oTim Dunn -- SurveyAna Aragones, Janitizo Outtara, Jen Jackson,

Marinna Padley, Ignacio & Denise Pomareda, Neda Biggs

Horizon Marketingo Ron Appin –Focus Groups

IntroductionProject 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 serviceso Conduct needs assessmento Share resultso Work with libraries to develop

marketing plan

Methodology 185 Ethno-surveys, snowball/network referral sample

Wicomico, Somerset, Caroline, Worcester 11 Focus Groups

o 8 with immigrants (~50 participants)Wicomico County (2)SomersetKent/Queen Anne’s CountyCarolineTalbotWorcesterDorchester

o 3 with service providers

Country of Origin

75 %

19%6%

0

10

20

30

4050

60

70

80

Mexico Guatemala Other LatinAmerica

84 % Unauthorized Immigrants

Time on Delmarva27%

12%

19%

16%

9%

5%

12%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Median = 2 years

Age

Very Young Median Age = 29 Years Old

2%

56%

32%

10%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

15-17 18-30 31-40 41-54

Gender

33.5% Female

66.5% Male

Why Come to US

For a better life—34%

To save money—17%

To have work—40%

Family here – 6%

Other—3%

Migration Experience

58%--Delmarva First Migration Experience

77%--First trip taken to the US

NEW IMMIGRANTS

Future Plans Plan to be in same town/city in 3 years

o 57% plan to remain

Return to country of origin in 3 yearso 42% plan to move back

Plan to Stay

7.9%

16.3%

34.3%

24.7%

14.6%

2.2%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Years of Education

Median = 6 years

Mexicans (median 6 years) slightly more education the Guatemalans (median 4 years)

Number of Children in Household

Median = 1 Child

48%

14%20%

10% 9%

0

10

20

30

40

50

0 1 2 3 4 or more

Location of Children

44%

34%

9% 10%4%

05

1015

202530

3540

45

US Citizen Children

Mixed Status Households11 million undocumented residents

3 million US citizen children

Occupation in US27%

18% 18%

9%

15% 14%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

•80% of unemployed are female, nearly all taking care of children

•Services = Restaurant, Hotel, Domestic, Maintenance

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)

Occupation in Sending Country

Agriculture—Peasants, Farmworkers

Services—Domestic, Restaurant, Hotel, Retail Sales

36%

26%

10% 10%

6%4%

16%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

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.”

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.”

Employment HardshipBecause they are undocumented,

feel vulnerable at work:o“If you’re illegal, you can’t do

anything; otherwise they’ll call the ‘migra.’”

Risk of deportation too great to seek revindication:o“One comes to this country to work,

not to look for problems.”

Most Difficult Things about Life in US

36%

19%

11% 10%8%

5%3%

8%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Language Over 90% do not understand English or have only limited understanding

Neither speaks nor understands English

44%

Doesn’t speak English, but has a very limited understanding of English

28%

Speaks and understands some English

20%

Doesn’t speak but understands English well

3%

Speaks and understands English well

5%

LanguageDespite 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

LanguageTypical learning cycle for non-

English speaking immigrants in the US is 3 generationso1st generation learns enough to

get byo2nd generation is bilingualo3rd generation monolingual

English

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.”

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.

Transportation38%

36%

13%6%

3% 3%

05

10152025303540

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

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

Lack of Information

59.7%

Lack of time/schedule problems

20.1%

Language Barrier 5.5%

Transportation Problems

4.9%

Other 9.7%

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.”

Desired Library ServicesESL 29%Legal/Immigration Information 18%

Health Info 13%

Small Business Start-up Info 7%

US Culture & Key Organization Info

6%

Homework Help for Children After School

6%

Labor Rights Information 6%

Drug and Alcohol Programs Info 5%

Work Opportunities Info 4%

Family Relations Info 4%

Housing Info 2%

In the last 12 months sources of information

used:Television—84%Friends—72%Family—52 %Libraries—8%

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

Sources of Support/Services56% belong to a religious institution here,

44% do not. Main point of contact for immigrants in receiving communities—apart from work.

Religious Affiliation:Catholic 57%

Pentecostal 32%

Adventist 9%

Baptist 2%

Sources of Support/Services

Focus group participants consistently noted:oChurchoCatholic Charities

Seton Center in Somerset CountyLeyla Krauss

oLa Esperanza (Use Delaware-based Social Service)

Who Helped Resolve Problems Here?

Friends/Boyfriend/Girlfriend 26%

Church/Religious Organizations

26%

Family 25%

No one 18%

Other 5%

Contact with Local Educational Institutions

16% have attended school here27% have taken a class of some type

o English—86%

Who Offered the English Class?o Church—29%o Library—18%o College Professor—18%o Other –35%

Contact with Local Educational Institutions

27% said children in their household attend public schools

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

Police Service Attitudes 31% do not trust the police enough to report a crime or seek

their help. Reasons for lack of trust:

45% 46%

9%0

10

20

30

40

50

Scared /fear

Languagebarrier

Unsure ofhow helpfulpolice can

be

Victims of CrimeEvery focus group mentioned tensions

between African-Americans and immigrants

Immigrants are easy targetso Languageo A lot of CASH o Can’t open bank accounts b/c of lack of

documentation (banks now accepting matricula consular identification cards)

Victims of Crime21% of survey respondents victims of crime

55%

33 %

9%

3%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Robbery Assault DomesticViolence

Kidnapping

Desired Services for Better Life

ESOL Classes 20%Transportation Services 19%

Immigration Papers/Documents 16%

Better Jobs 13%

Health Services 13%

Better/Spanish Speaking Police 6%

Information provided in Spanish 5%

Other 8%

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].”

Service Provider Perspective

Problems Facing Immigrants: Service Provider Perspective

Discrimination: “Little kids, eight and nine years old…I see and hear remarks that they make to Hispanics. I then say, ‘Excuse me, you will not speak like that, they are humans just like you are.’”

LanguageTransportationLack of documentation (further denies access

to services)

Problems Facing Immigrants: Service Provider Perspective

Immigrant distrust of providersCultural differencesFamily ViolenceAlcoholismDepression: “The women. They tend

to stay to take care of the kids and don’t have the opportunity to be in contact with other people…there’s a lot of depression and stress.”

Difficulties Serving Immigrants: Service Provider Perspective

LanguageLack of cultural competency

among providersLack of understanding

SummaryNew, inexperienced immigrantsIsolated from receiving communityWeak/new migrant social networkHere to stay in this regionGrowing, growing, growing populationHardworking, industrious

Service ProvidersNeed for an informational/community

center and libraries have great potential to serve this need.

Need to educate immigrants about libraries.

Need to conduct outreach:o “The biggest hurdle is that they have to be

told that the library is a great place to go for information.”

Implications Bilingual Staff Trained Staff

o Cultural Competencyo Language

Outreach, Outreach, Outreacho Word of moutho TRUST

Institutional Changeso Signs in Spanisho Flexibility on requirements (undocumented pop.)

Libraries Linking with Community

Linkages with other service providing agencieso Partner with area providers to offer

extended programs and services o Host service program outreach effortso Information