The Latinization of Rural Places in California: Growing Immiseration or Latino Power?

Interdistrict Transfers, Latino/White School Segregation, and Institutional Racism in a Small California Town

“…The majority of Latino/a residents are employed in low-wage occupations (e.g., on the farm, in canneries or warehouses), whereas some earn higher wages in professional occupations such as human and social services. As have those in other urban and rural areas of the United States, the Latino/a population in El Río has increased substantially (Allensworth & Rochin, 1998;Kandel & Cromartie, 2004). According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2000), El Río's population was 59% Latino/a (of these, 90% were of Mexican origin) and 37% "White-only"; the remainder were other minorities.…”

“…Although schools in these areas tend to be the most integrated (Orfield & Yun, 1999, p. 24), this study portends a troubling pattern of educational White flight: As small towns become more racially diverse, school transfers may enable wealthier, White parents to abandon predominantly non-White schools. Given the rapid growth of the Latino/a population in nonmetropolitan areas (Allensworth & Rochin, 1998;Kandel & Cromartie, 2004), this research indicates that small towns may "repeat the experience of the central cities" (Orfield & Yun, 1999, p. 24) in creating segregated schools. Finally, although some districts have used voluntary interdistrict transfer of minority students as part of their desegregation plans (Fife, 1997;Hankins, 1989;Uchitelle, 1996), this study shows that transfers can also exacerbate segregation, enabling White parents to leave schools with high minority enrollment.…”

The Challenges of Fostering Community Participation: A Case Study of a Community-Based Organization in Rural California

“…Like many California towns (Allensworth & Rochin, 1998), El Rio has shifted from a European American to a Latino majority (59 percent; of these, 90 percent are of Mexican origin). Over one-third of the total population was born outside the United States.…”

Non-Hispanic white flight: Hispanic settlement and changing community characteristics in non-metropolitan Iowa

“…If these economic, occupational, and social trends continue, communities with Hispanic concentrations and growth maybe heading towards declines in human, financial, and social capital (Allensworth and Rochin 1998). Even though Hispanic places experienced growth in percentage of high school graduates over the age of twenty-five between 1990 and 2000, it was significantly less than that of the non-Hispanic places.…”

“…Creating bilingual media and news outlets allows Spanish-speaking residents access to important community information such as school events /announcements, public safety information, local business advertisements, and community news. Allensworth and Rochin (1998) also suggest that many of the economic differences experienced by communities with growing Hispanics and loss of non-Hispanic whites can be eased through organizing language programs and addressing issues of affirmative action. A concerted effort within the community to address Hispanic inequalities in the workplace, along with immigration status and policies, language initiatives, and representation within the community would facilitate Hispanic community involvement and ease the hardships of migration to unfamiliar places, with the intent of raising the overall community well being.…”