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Difference between revisions of "Colonias (USA)"
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Colonias face many challenges. The policy emphasis has continued to prioritise the building of infrastructure able to improve the quality of life, such as enabling direct access to potable water, paving roads, provisioning drainage, street lighting and trash collection, and removing wastewater and contaminants. Infrastructure improvements are sporadic and evolving affairs—the gains of which are distributed unequally among ''colonias'' dependent upon local organizing and political will and influence. For example, South Texas-based community organizations La Unión del Pueblo Entero and ARISE have assisted more than 25 ''colonia'' communities in securing street lighting since 2016 (Taylor, 2019). They have done so by organizing committed ''colonia'' residents at the grassroots level and by exerting public pressure, presence, and plans at government meetings of county officials. | Colonias face many challenges. The policy emphasis has continued to prioritise the building of infrastructure able to improve the quality of life, such as enabling direct access to potable water, paving roads, provisioning drainage, street lighting and trash collection, and removing wastewater and contaminants. Infrastructure improvements are sporadic and evolving affairs—the gains of which are distributed unequally among ''colonias'' dependent upon local organizing and political will and influence. For example, South Texas-based community organizations La Unión del Pueblo Entero and ARISE have assisted more than 25 ''colonia'' communities in securing street lighting since 2016 (Taylor, 2019). They have done so by organizing committed ''colonia'' residents at the grassroots level and by exerting public pressure, presence, and plans at government meetings of county officials. | ||
Ongoing crises in access to healthcare and health insurance, poverty and public safety are more difficult to address by policy. More than two-thirds of ''colonia'' residents lack health insurance and half of ''colonia'' households earn below the poverty line (Barton et al. 2015). In contrast to urban neighbourhoods in South Texas with comparable low incomes, ''colonias'' report lower rates of crime (Richardson and Pisani, 2017). This finding is remarkable, given that ''colonias'' receive very little public protection and public services. Half of all ''colonia'' residents engage in seasonal migratory work in the agricultural fields or in informal work, which suggests that ''colonia'' income-earners would benefit from supplemental, complementary or alternative work arrangements (Barton et al. 2015). Half of ''colonia'' residents also lack a high school education or proficiency in English (Barton et al., 2015). Improving educational access and adult education, including English language training may reduce pronounced gaps in fuller participation in the larger economy and society. | Ongoing crises in access to healthcare and health insurance, poverty and public safety are more difficult to address by policy. More than two-thirds of ''colonia'' residents lack health insurance and half of ''colonia'' households earn below the poverty line (Barton et al. 2015). In contrast to urban neighbourhoods in South Texas with comparable low incomes, ''colonias'' report lower rates of crime (Richardson and Pisani, 2017). This finding is remarkable, given that ''colonias'' receive very little public protection and public services. Half of all ''colonia'' residents engage in seasonal migratory work in the agricultural fields or in informal work, which suggests that ''colonia'' income-earners would benefit from supplemental, complementary or alternative work arrangements (Barton et al., 2015). Half of ''colonia'' residents also lack a high school education or proficiency in English (Barton et al., 2015). Improving educational access and adult education, including English language training may reduce pronounced gaps in fuller participation in the larger economy and society. | ||
The stigmas of living in ''colonia'' communities and the infrastructure challenges are addressed by the residents with relying on a shared culture and strong familial ties. More permanent solutions to problems faced by ''colonias'' may come in the form of increasing public awareness and investing in meaningful immigration reform (Richardson and Pisani, 2017). | The stigmas of living in ''colonia'' communities and the infrastructure challenges are addressed by the residents with relying on a shared culture and strong familial ties. More permanent solutions to problems faced by ''colonias'' may come in the form of increasing public awareness and investing in meaningful immigration reform (Richardson and Pisani, 2017). | ||