Chapter 6: Health Issues
Chapter 8: EducationA theme that emerged from the interviews and focus groups we conducted is that of the cultural diversity of Durham County. This issue has both positive and negative sides to it, according to residents. Says one community member:
I think even though you hear in the press lots of negative things about blacks and whites fighting with each other. The reality, I think is that much less of that is going on and that we embrace each other and celebrate the differences.
Another says, "I like living in a community that lives in (racial) tension in a fairly healthy fashion." While many acknowledged the tension that comes with cultural diversity, most seemed to view community member's responses to this tension in a positive light. One long-time resident sums up this view: "It's an exciting place to live. It's open, honest community. It's a community where racial matters are openly discussed."
An important topic related to the cultural diversity of Durham County is the growing Hispanic population. This topic was brought up repeatedly by both service providers and community members we interviewed. It is difficult to say exactly how many Hispanics there are in Durham County, as 1990 Census data are not likely to be very accurate. However, there are some measures available that hint at this rapid growth. For example, from 1996 to 1997, the population of Hispanic schoolchildren increased by 19.8 % as compared to a 5.3 % increase for African American students, and a 0.1 % decrease for Whites (Durham Public Schools, 1997). An indication of why this growth is occurring comes from one service provider: "The construction industry and meat processing - the economy of this area attracts a lot of workers. Private industry are advertising not just in other states, but in other countries like Mexico and Central America to bring people here." This service provider also points out that "there are thousands of those (low skilled jobs) that traditionally, lately Americans don't want so they're filled by Latinos. But there are no opportunities to grow or learn different skills."
Along with rapid growth for this population sector, the issues of racial tension and competition for resources have arisen. For example, health services that have historically served primarily African-American populations are now serving more and more Hispanics. One service provider estimates that 50 % of the population served at the Durham Health Department is Hispanic. Another provider says that some low-income community members who feel they have been underserved are saying "How is that when we get our piece of cake we have to share it with somebody else." A community member notes that "There have been tensions between African-Americans and Hispanics, because sometimes they are struggling over the same economic territory." These two groups are starting to live in the same parts of the city and as a service provider points out, "Mostly Latinos are coming to live in areas where usually low income Whites and African Americans were living. An apartment complex that used to be 99 % African-American are becoming 99 % Latino." Close proximity and (real or perceived) competition for resources has contributed to the racial tension among these populations.
Another issue brought up by Durham community members and service providers is that of crime and safety in the Hispanic community. There is a good reason for this. Between January 1st and July 22nd of 1997, 98 Durham Latinos were victims of violent crimes, making up 15 % of all violent crime victims. However, Latinos make up only about 6 % of Durham's total population (Latinos of Durham County, 1998). This figure only includes reported crime; there may be many more unreported crimes. Says a service provider: "All the statistics show that there is no crime but we know that's not true...there are almost three cases of people being robbed in the community every week. people that go to the Emergency Room - so we know that it happens..." A community member gives a possible explanation for why this crime against Hispanics is occurring:
Safety is also a big issue with the Latino community...most of the population is illegal...so the fact that they can't get social security numbers means they can't get a checking account...that's a huge problem in that community - safety on pay day.
Latinos may be afraid to call the police due to their legal status or because of language barriers. In order to address these concerns and strengthen ties with the Latino community, the Durham Police department has established the HOIST program (Hispanic Outreach Intervention Team).
A common theme that came up repeatedly in interviews is the need for more bilingual staff for health care and other services, as well as English as a Second Language courses. Language barriers can be a significant challenge to people getting their health care needs met or for even knowing who to call or speak to when they have a problem. While some services are close to meeting the need for Spanish speaking health professionals, others are more limited in what they can offer. A service provider mentioned the Lincoln Community Health Center as having Spanish speakers "in every department…and it's still not enough." This provider also notes that mental services are very difficult for Spanish speaking women in particular to access. "Mental health related medication is an extremely difficult process. There are limited bilingual social workers and counselors in other agencies who are able to assist the Spanish-speaking residents but they aren't able to prescribe medication." Another service provider notes that "it is hard to find native (Spanish) speakers with skills in public health."
Not being able to communicate with service providers can create frustration for Hispanic community members, as they may feel that they are not valued. While organizations are attempting to find more Spanish Speaking staff, many service providers indicated that English as a Second Language courses are increasingly being offered and increasingly in demand. For example, in the Durham school system, there is roughly one ESL teacher for every 50 foreign-speaking students, and of these 1500 non-English speaking students 60 % are Latino (Nifong, 2000). In response to this particular issue the Asociacion de Padres de Familia (Hispanic Parents Association) was formed. Although in its early stages, this organization will help to provide a voice to Hispanic parents who may feel that they have no one to turn to when facing school-related concerns. Many of the service providers and community members we talked to also mentioned that ESL classes were offered at their churches or organizations, including the Little River Community Center, El Centro, and the Lincoln Community Health Center.
Two community organizations have been particularly important to the Hispanic community: El Centro and Casa Multicultural. Casa Multicultural is a volunteer run grassroots organization that works at the community and neighborhood level with working class Latino immigrants in order to develop leadership and bring about social change. El Centro is another resource for Latinos that runs a youth group, a women's group, as well as offering computer classes, counseling, and HIV/AIDS education.
The cultural diversity of Durham County is both an asset to the community as well as a source of tension. Durham's newest residents, Hispanic/Latino families, have entered into this mix of cultures and have faced a number of challenges to acculturating to the area. While Durham offers many resources for Hispanic families, such as El Centro, Hacia La Paz Familiar (which addresses domestic violence in the Latino community), the HOIST program, and others, there are still areas where improvement is needed. In order to best serve this rapidly growing population, more ESL classes will be needed, as well as an increase in bilingual service providers, especially for the areas of mental health and public safety (police and 911 operators). Ivan Parra of El Centro has said that "Durham is the most equipped city in North Carolina to deal with Hispanic/Latino issues" (The State of Durham's Children, 2000). Although this may be true, there is still a long way to go in order for all Durham citizens to receive the same level of care from service providers.
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Chapter 6: Health Issues |
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