SDA Presentation, October 2008

BENJAMIN SHULTZUNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE GEOGRAPHY

SOUTHERN DEMOGRAPHIC ASSOCIATIONOCTOBER 31, 2008

Inside the Gilded Cage:The Lives of Latino Immigrant Males in

Rural Central Kentucky

New Latino Settlement Patterns

Latinos traditionally concentrated in Border States and select urban areas (i.e. Chicago)

Population redistributed to other parts of Southwest and Midwest under Bracero and H-2A

Passage of IRCA in 1986 increased mobilityRising nativist hostility in CA and TX in 1980s

and 1990sEconomic turmoil in Mexico during 1990s

New Latino Settlement Patterns

Economic expansion of Southeast in 1990s, Increased need for labor in services, construction,

agriculture, and manufacturingAtlanta, Raleigh, Nashville, Charlotte, and

Orlando Latino population grows by over 600% during 1990s

South (census definition) now home to second largest Latino population in US Mexican-origin is single largest group

Varied community responses Open support Silent acceptance Overt hostility

Study Purpose

Chronic out-migration from many parts of KentuckyLatino population growth in all parts of the state

21,000 in 1990 to nearly 100,000 in 2006

Agricultural and manufacturing communities are now benefiting from increase in working-age adults

Latino population growth, community change, and social adjustment in Kentucky are mostly unexplored

Research in Southeast primarily based on experiences of two states: Georgia and North Carolina

Central Kentucky

Study Questions

How has rural Central Kentucky formed as a new destination? Do immigrants come from established gateway cities,

or directly from sending countries?

What is life like for Latinos in rural Central Kentucky? How are they adjusting socially? What difficulties do

they face?

Methods

In-person interviews conducted between June and August of 2006 One-time Semi-structured Spanish-language Half recorded, half documented on paper

Snowball sampling strategy All male respondents 31 participants Ages range 18 to 44

Formation of the Community

Migration Histories and Prior Experiences 30 of 31 from Mexico Arrived in US between 2001 and 2006 Majority entered new Southeastern gateway (FL, GA,

NC) Young, inexperienced both in employment and

migration Rely on informal social networks

Formation of the Community

• Entry to FL between 2001 and 2004• Agricultural labor, but erratic employment• High competition for jobs, cost of living• Lower than expected wages

• Move to NC or GA between 2003 and 2005• Search for better wages• Agricultural and Manufacturing Labor• High competition for jobs• Lower than expected wages, fewer jobs than expected

• Move to KY between 2004 and 2006• Tobacco labor, then restaurants or factories• Low cost of living• Abundant employment opportunities• Better pay

Social Adjustments and Daily Life

Describe daily life in the community Discuss any positive and/or negative experiences

Near universal first response: It is “tranquilo” here Peaceful, calm, safe

La Tranquilidad refers to treatment by the local population Lack of discrimination, racism, hostility Friendly relations with local population Better social experience than more populated NC or

FL


Contradictions and daily struggles often characterize the experiences of Latinos in the contemporary U.S. South (Cravey 2005; Torres, Popke, and Hapke 2006) Lack of hostility and discrimination, but… Very little contact with local population

Limited social interaction attributed to: Lack of transportation Limited or no English-language ability Population remains “hidden”


Conflicting experiences: acceptance meets isolation “In my house I feel as if I were in a cage. You can put a bird

in a cage, and even though the cage is made of gold, it’s still a cage”

“With my neighbors I say hello, but you learn how people live and that all you say here is hello. It’s not like you go to eat at your neighbor’s house here…”

Life indoorsFear, anxiety, and frustration over legal status also

shape experience Rumors of raids, deportations Slow moving bureaucratic channels Separation from family, fear of traveling


Despite social hardships, economic aspects have been mostly favorable Year-round work Variety of employment options Better pay than in previous states

Many participants accomplish financial goals in KY Buying a house Securing steady employment Sending money back home, but…


Contradictions characterize success Language and legal status limit pay, despite skills Men must work 50 to 70 a week to earn sufficient

income

While participants are grateful they have employment, they also feel exploited and stuck “We all know we’re being exploited, but what else are

we going to do? We have to work, or otherwise we’ll have to go back home.”

Conclusions

Participants move to rural Central Kentucky from agricultural areas in southeastern gateways, especially Florida and North Carolina

Tobacco is a strong initial pullKentucky offers more employment

opportunities, better wages, and a lower cost of living

Conclusions

Daily life brings many contradictions On one hand, life is safe, peaceful, and calm On the other, life is isolated, akin to living inside a

gilded cage On one hand, jobs are abundant and pay is higher On the other, work days are long and there are many

barriers to advancement

Future research Address the diversity of the migration stream Variety of skills, experiences, and legal situations Females, children, and family experiences

The End

Thank You!

SDA Presentation, October 2008

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Transcript of SDA Presentation, October 2008