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Moraga: A changing demographic
Nothing to fear from a multicultural California
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Growing up in Oxnard during the early 1960s, I received an early introduction to the ever-changing demographics of California and the nation.
During my childhood, the old neighborhood went from a predominately Anglo population to a mix of African-Americans, Asians, multigenerational Latinos, along with the remaining Anglo families.
At my elementary school, children of all races and ethnicities studied together, sometimes in a sweltering classroom during the fall when the Santa Anas blew outside.
At McKinna Elementary, my second-grade teacher was Mrs. Yamamoto, who taught us about the culture of Japan, the names of the islands (Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku) and a version of the old Japanese folk saying, "You are wise to climb Fuji once and a fool to climb it twice."
I thought of that saying when I first saw Mount Fuji when I was in the U.S. Navy during the 1970s and again when I visited Japan during a journalism fellowship in the 1990s.
I also remember that November day in 1963 when Mrs. Yamamoto quietly cried in front of the class after learning about the death of President Kennedy.
When out of the classroom, the students also hung around together. We played dodge ball, squirted each other with contraband water pistols and generally ran amok in the playground.
When we got a little too rambunctious, there was Mrs. Lucky taking charge as the playground monitor to keep order. It didn't help that this stern, but fair, African-American woman lived right down the street from us and threatened to tell my folks if I didn't behave.
Another neighbor of my folks was a friendly Italian-American who had served in the military and even gave me a small but heavy old aerial bomb — that was fortunately missing its explosive elements.
He eventually left the neighborhood for warmer climes, along with Mrs. Jones, who moved away to be with her family after the death of her elderly husband. Those were sad days when they left because they helped give the neighborhood its charm and diversity.
Yes, the old neighborhood has changed. Many of the homes have undergone mansionization with large two-story structures now towering behind the old single-story, ranch-style houses.
While the streets are in need of repair, most of the homes and yards are well-kept with homeowners taking pride in their properties. The old neighborhood continues to undergo changes, including an influx of recent immigrants from Mexico and the rest of Latin America and a return of young Anglo families who are seeking more affordable housing in the county.
I've been thinking about the old neighborhood where my 93-year-old dad still lives, especially after I saw the story in The Star this week about Ventura County having a majority Hispanic population by 2040, about a decade earlier than previously forecast. Meanwhile, Hispanics are expected to become a majority in the state by 2042.
I also read some of the anonymous and often racist comments posted online by readers about that development, with some saying it was now time to leave the state because the influx of all these Hispanics will drive down property values and lead to an increase in crime.
Most likely, the only experience and information these readers are getting about Hispanics and other people of color are via the rants of ultraconservative radio and television talk show hosts or snippets of L.A.-area news broadcasts that excessively follow the mantra that "if it bleeds, it leads."
In reality, the people I know of in my old neighborhood — or in Oxnard in general — are hard-working individuals, including attorneys, business owners, civil servants, educators, real- estate agents and others who take pride in their families and their neighborhoods and are reaching for their own share of the American dream.
By 2040, the Department of Finance estimates that the county's population will include 54 percent Hispanic, 36 percent white, 5 percent Asian, 1 percent black, 0.3 percent American Indian, 0.1 percent Pacific Islander and 2.1 percent multiracial.
Rather than fear these changes, we need to take the attitude that the demographic changes are adding to the rich mosaic of this county and this nation, translating to everything from cuisine (from Azúcar in Camarillo, which features Cuban/Puerto Rican meals, to Tipps Thai Food in Ventura) to music and cultural celebrations.
The world is what we make of it. We can all live behind our sheltered walls and listen to the negativity emanating from the idiot box or go to the Cajun, Greek, Salsa, Scandinavian festivals, the Asian, Indian and Mexican markets, or any downtown in the county and celebrate the rich world we live in.
All we have to do is open our front doors and step outside.
— Frank Moraga is The Star's director of diversity and general manager of Mi Estrella, The Star's bilingual weekly newspaper. He can be reached at fmoraga@VenturaCountyStar.com.
Posted by Tobin.Kelly1 on July 13, 2007 at 4:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Is anyone else in Ventura County as fed up as I am reading about how in Frank Moraga's world we're all just supposed to "Step out our front door and celebrate the rich cultural diversity of California" and then go have a burrito at some Mexican restaurant and call it good? And to justify his whimsical point of view , he reiterates the projection that California will have a Hispanic majority by the year 2042, so what he really is saying is that, we may as well get used to it, its coming whether we like it or not. Well here's a few reasons why many people, especially in your "old" Oxnard neighborhood and many other areas in Ventura County, are hesitant to "step out their front door". Because chances are when they do venture out their front door they hear Spanish being spoken across the fence instead of English. Its a sad statement when less than 1/3 of the 25,000 "English Learning" students in this county are tested at average or fluent in the English language. Or a community college system with less than 25% of Hispanics getting a diploma or moving on to a four year program. And reading about Hispanics who have been in Ventura County illegally for 15 or 20 years and not learned English, much less making any other attempt to assimilate into the community. Also when they venture out, its to walk two blocks down the street to get to their car because of the overcrowded housing, illegally altered garages and subsequent lack of street parking even with cars being parked in everyones front lawns. In a lot of areas when they venture out, its into a third world environment nothing short of Los Angeles or Tijuana Mexico. Take a drive down to the Oxnard Transportation Center, then go two blocks over to the La Colonia area and then tell us what not to fear Mr. Moraga! It's no wonder that people are leaving the state in mass more than ever. So quick, that quite possibly you could knock another decade off of the projection for Hispanic majority and make it 2030 and most would not be surprised. But don't be so quick to blame the radio talk shows and the main stream media. With all due respect Mr. Moraga, we don't need those people or you to tell us what going on in our own back yard.
Posted by kelly13 on July 13, 2007 at 9:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The "old neighborhood" Mr. Moraga talks about went thru many changes but they had one thing in common....they were all Americans. Americans of all races, but Americans. That has always worked and always will.
The problems we face now are with illegals who do not want to be Americans. The negative impact on all our neighborhoods is from the people who don't share the same values.
We don't need radio to tell us what we see everyday. But it is reassuring to hear we are not alone in our frustration.
To try and make the overwhelming problems we have a race issue is misleading and unfair. How can you justify accusing radio of misinformation and yet writing a newspaper article that mislables the problem?
Posted by AskingQuestions on July 15, 2007 at 9:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What problems with illegals? They are here to harvest our produce or work the fields, cook our meals in restaurants, clean our hotel rooms, and very often clean our homes. Why do many families hire "illegals" to clean their homes? Answer: because they work quickly and are cheap! The real issue here is that many want the work output of these individuals, but do not want them to live here! This is racism pure and simple.
The only way to stop illegial immigration is to stop the incentive to come here: offer no employment. But then who will do this work? I have an idea: Every high school, college and university student (including those who attend private schools and those who are home schooled) must work the fields, do janitorial work, restaurant work, and housekeeping in order to receive their diplomas -- a sort of internship in life. Think this will work? YEA RIGHT! Truth is, if the employment were eliminated, a small number of willing workers would take the jobs but the rest would go unfilled and our economy would collapse. Even if wages were raised to entice workers, the consumer would rebel and again our economy would collapse.
Reality is our economy needs the work provided by the "illegal" immigrants. Answer give them amnesty for helping keep our economy healthy! Good deeds should be rewarded. Even a prison/jailed convict gets rewarded for good behaviour, and thse people ARE NOT convicts. Just hardworking people.
Posted by Freedom1 on July 17, 2007 at 6:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Our "economy would collapse" without illegal workers? Same blackmail approach that those who see no problem will illegal immigration use to support their position. At least "AskingQuestions" calls it like it is - "amnesty." I just happen to believe that the American ingenuity would accept the challenge - increase crop mechanization would sure be a good start. I'd sure like to see our local high school and college students doing the jobs they used to do in the hospitality and service industries - jobs that are now given to illegal aliens. If it is determined that the work that illegal aliens perform is a necessity - give them the right to work here legally, but never citizenship. Citizenship should never be the reward for illegal behavior - to anyone.
Posted by Tobin.Kelly1 on July 17, 2007 at 7:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ah yes there "asking questions" (nice name) especially since you seem to be all about preaching and not simple fact. For example...THEY'RE NOT CONVICTS BECAUSE MOST HAVE NOT YET BEEN CONVICTED...YET! But they are ILLEGALLY BREAKING THE LAW! Last I checked thats why we call them ILLEGAL ALIENS. Give ICE a chance to round them all up, enforce the laws of the land or at least get the word out and see what happens! You're a bit jaded in your thoughts if you think for one second that this country can't mow its own lawns, or paint its own houses or do its own dishes. And by the way, just how many McDonalds, Burger Kings or Taco Bells in this nation would have to close for the ECONOMY TO COLLAPSE? You're a joke...
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