Huntington Park Sociology

Clarksville Tennessee is a city that is made up of one hundred and forty thousand five hundred and sixty three people. That makes Clarksville the fifth largest city among others in Tennessee, and it is constantly growing (infoplease.com). The diversity amongst the population is recorded at just under sixty seven percent Caucasian, just under twenty three percent African American, and just over two percent Asian. The socioeconomic status of Clarksville’s population is varied through all strata of the spectrum. Of the seventy six thousand five hundred and eighty one Clarksville residents who are over the age of sixteen there are fifty four thousand six hundred and eighty currently in the labor force and twenty one thousand nine hundred and one not currently in the labor force. Clarksville’s population comprises of thirty six thousand nine hundred and eighty seven households whose yearly income can be defined between twenty five thousand and thirty four thousand nine hundred and ninety nine dollars at six thousand three hundred and sixty eight households, fifty thousand to seventy four thousand nine hundred and ninety nine dollars at seven thousand two hundred and eighty four households, and one hundred and fifty to one hundred ninety nine thousand nine hundred and ninety nine dollars at only two hundred and fifty six households. While this data does not cover the entire spectrum, it paints the picture of an economically diverse city. Education level among Clarksville residents

When looking at the data I see that the structure of the area is leaving some groups below others and having opportunities that others don’t. Especially when looking at the area of education people of the White race are attaining degrees and a much higher rate than individuals of Hispanic or African American races. This lack of educational attainment is giving the two races that are achieving degrees’ higher chances of advancing further in the social structure. This could be because people of those races not are bringing in the income that the others are. The very reason of education could be the cause of these people not bringing in the income they need to attain the degrees or jobs they wish to hold. Another area of inequality is the issue with housing in the area. Individuals are renting at a greater percent meaning with lack of income they are not able to purchase a house, in turn renting

Even in the 90’s the figures suggest that whites consisted of over two thirds of the population in Dover, however ten years later in 2000 Latinos consisted of over 77% of Dovers population whereas only 19% white. In the analysis Dover symbolizes how the whites in the neighborhood lacked the loyalty that the citizens of Beltway had for their community, fleeting at the first signs of a declining neighborhood and not sticking around to defend it. Although this aspect of the study seems to be racist and condescending, signaling out hispanics moving into a community as the result of a decline, Wilson and Taub support their assertions by suggesting class. Race is tightly infused with class, and it would be an analytical mistake to discuss race relations in Dover without accounting for the overlap between race and class” (Kindle Location 1205). They also seem to assert that Dover was a falling community once the industries shut down, leaving most of the whites in the area either poor and on fixed income or rich and fleeting. The poor that did not leave the community became apart of the decline in the city, as well as the majority of impoverished hispanics

Income inequality has a direct relationship with middle class Americans’ destructive and poor lifestyle. In the poor areas of South Chicago, the black communities suffer “higher crime rates, poor performance in school, and family management,” said Robert Sampson, a sociology professor at the University of Chicago. Similarly, Harvard University sociologist William Julius Wilson found “patterns of racial exclusion” and “concentrated poverty” among the middle-class Americans in South Chicago “are much more likely to be exposed to crime and other manifestations of social dislocation and social problems…” Poor minority groups are not only affected by destructive and poor lifestyle due to income inequality but also, poor whites are affected. Poor

A conversation ingrained in my memory involved two adolescent boys from San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD). When asked about their future ambitions, one student casually responded that he would “go to prison like his father.” The other expressed a desire to rise above his inner city milieu, but had little sense his abilities or of his options. In stark contrast, students from Alamo Heights, an affluent neighboring district, held ambitions to become doctors, lawyers, and politicians, and demonstrated an understanding of the prerequisites for their desired career path. The graduation rate of Alamo Heights stood at 98% while SAISD’s graduation rate lingered around 60%. The contrast between these two districts grows more disturbing when considered through the lens of racial equality. While SAISD’s population is 98% minority, the Anglo population in Alamo Heights totals slightly over 55%. Yet, 74% of Alamo Heights graduates achieve a four-year college diploma, while only 4% percent of SAISD alumni attain a bachelor’s degree. An opportunity gap results from this discrepancy, ultimately proving detrimental to social mobility.

The metropolitan area I chose to analyze was New Orleans MA. The data collected by five new realities were greatly affected by the devastation that Hurricane Katrina caused. New Orleans was generally not able to conform to the new realities. The population of New Orleans MA dropped a total of 11% and lost more people than any other of the nation’s biggest urban areas. The New Orleans metro area is more diverse in 2012 than in 2000, with a gain of 40,577 Hispanics and 5,582 additional Asian residents. The Latino population in the metro increased to 69 % between 2000 and 2012 - a rate greater than the nation 's 50 % growth. The baby boomers clustered around the 35- to 54-year old age group in 2000 and around the 45- to 64-year old age group in 2012, mainly because of the decline and outmigration of younger populations. . In regards to education, the proportion of adults 25 years and older with less than a high school education declined, leading to a metro-wide decrease from 22

Growing up, I perceived myself as a minority in a predominantly Hispanic and to a lesser extent Asian area based solely on the restaurants in the area and how often I would see Spanish and an East or Southeast Asian script on the sign for a store. The latter is seen in the fact 55.9% of the population spoke Spanish or Spanish Creole and 87% of this group spoke English “less than well,” indicating it may be at least a second language for them. Asian and Pacific Island language speakers makeup 5.2% of the population, however, a greater degree of assimilation was seen in this group with only 64.4% of this group indicating they spoke English “less than well.” Another factor in this is that over 60 percent of the population (61.3%) is foreign born with the vast majority (90.8%) speaking Spanish or Spanish Creole at home. A quarter mile from my house there was an entire plaza of Southeast Asian stores and restaurants and a half mile away was another, larger plaza with mostly Mexican and other Central American businesses and spaces. In spite of this economic activity, the two thirds of residents rented rather than owned their homes and nearly 80% of the total population lived in these units. Additionally, 82.1% of the Spanish speaking population over the age of 25 have earned less than a highschool diploma. Such data are emblematic of the relationship between being a person of color in this country and the barriers to

Many inner cities within the United States are comprised of people living in poverty and many of these people are people of color. One of the largest and poorest neighborhoods in the United States is the South Bronx. The South Bronx is extensively racially segregated and the plights that the residents face are horrendous (Kozol, 1995, p. 3). It is conservative belief that the people of color that inhabit the deteriorating inner cities of the US remain in such dire conditions is attributable to their own individual choices, lifestyle, and culture. This belief that the persistence of racial inequalities is attributable to individual lifestyle cannot explain the continuance of inequality once these individuals acquire the education and skills

Griswold, L. (2018, May 15 ). Fresno teen accused. Retrieved from The Fresno Bee : http://www.fresnobee.com/latest-news/article211203959.html

The socioeconomic inequality in america creates disadvantage which perpetuates in the life of people of color with scarce resources. Some of the many factors of inequality in america are segregation and discrimination in the educational system. The United States has a high population of minorities segregated throughout all fifty states, this reflects on the economic and educational inequality in neighborhoods of different races, this the reason segregation plays an important role in today's unequal society. In modern America, gentrification maintains racial and low income segregation to keep low income African Americans and immigrants in specific parts of cities throughout the United States. This system makes people of color move out of their old neighborhoods into low income areas that have low income educational system.

Latinos, and particularly those of Mexican descent, represent the largest growing ethnic or racial minority group in the United States with over 56.6 million in 2015 (U.S Census, 2016). Hispanics constitute 17.6 percent of the nation’s total population. According to the US Census Bureau, the Hispanic population is projected to be 119 million by 2060, and would constitute 28.6 percent of the nation’s population (US Census Bureau, 2016). Not only are Latino’s the largest ethnic minority, Latino’s are disproportionately poor, with one- third living in poverty and two-thirds living in low-income households (Turner, Guzman, Wildsmith & Scott, 2015). The interaction of multiple disparities in the Latino community puts Latino students at a disproportionate

The problems of race and urban poverty remain pressing challenges which the United States has yet to address. Changes in the global economy, technology, and race relations during the last 30 years have necessitated new and innovative analyses and policy responses. A common thread which weaves throughout many of the studies reviewed here is the dynamics of migration. In When Work Disappears, immigrants provide comparative data with which to highlight the problems of ghetto poverty affecting blacks. In No Shame in My Game, Puerto Rican and Dominican immigrants are part of the changing demographics in Harlem. In Canarsie, the possible migration of blacks into a working/middle-class neighborhood prompts conservative backlash from a

Compared to California’s education demographics, San Leandro has a higher percentage of high school graduate, but a lower percentage of higher educational attainment compared to the entire nation (bachelor’s degree or higher). Using Thompson and Hickey’s model for social class in the United States (2005), my family would be considered working class. This is defined as “clerical, pink and blue collar workers with often low job security; common household incomes range from $16,000 to $30,000 [and] high school education” (Thompson et al., 2005). My mother currently works as a part-time waitress and is going to community college to receive an associate’s degree in accounting. My father has been working as a full-time cook at a Chinese restaurant in Oakland Chinatown for about 25 years. His highest level of educational attainment is high school. These racial and social class demographics are important in understanding my social location.

An overall consensus based on this survey was that Latinos would have greater opportunity when educational and job-related obstacles were overcome thereby enabling this significant and increasing segment of the population to be supported and welcomed to be a full-fledged actor in every facet of life in the United States. The survey indicated that barriers to such opportunities frequently were conditioned on available social and economic resources, whether one is male or female, and the length of residency in this country. This survey constituted the second one conducted by the foundation to gain greater insights into the effects a slow economy, public policy decisions, and illegal offenses were imposing on the lives of minority families in various communities around the

People of different classes are moving away from each other not just in how much income they make but in where they live. America is breaking down into economically homogeneous enclaves. (Dreier, Mollenkopf, & Swanstrom 12)