community ethnography

8/6/2019 Community Ethnography

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Community Ethnography

Santa Ana is wildly concentrated—the demographic make up of its residents particularly

consistent. As a resident of Santa Ana, I am personally subject to its reputation by means of

association. The assumption is that it has a high crime rate, resulting from great need in the city.

The reality is that in comparison to “all cities and towns in America with a similar population

size to Santa Ana, the crime rate in Santa Ana is one of the lowest in the nation for its size.”1

Thus, this is not an issue of the city’s demographics rather than sheer fact that it has a dense

population. The table below displays data from the US Census. Its purpose is to provide a clear

depiction of just how concentrated Santa Ana is as compared to California. In every case listed

here, the percentage is doubled (or halved) from one to the next. For example, California’s

Hispanic population totals 32%, whereas Santa Ana is comprised of 76%. Similarly, 77% of the

population graduates high school statewide. In Santa Ana, this statistic is nearly halved at 43%.

CALIFORNIA SANTA ANA

Persons of Latino/Hispanic Decent 32% 76%

Foreign-Born Persons 26% 53%

Non-English Home Language 40% 80%

High School Graduates 77% 43%

Bachelor’s Degree 27% 9%

**US Census Bureau, http://quickfacts.census.gov/

Demographic Comparison between California & Santa Ana(Percent of Population)

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1 Neighborhood Scout, http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ca/santa-ana/crime/.

http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ca/santa-ana/crime/

http://quickfacts.census.gov/







There is clearly an issue in education, one that cannot be gleaned from statistics alone. Though

California had prided itself in its diversity since the Gold Rush, minorities are still without great

cultural capital. In most of the school in Santa Ana, students are entered into English Immersion

programs in which the idea is “sink or swim.” It entails rapid language learning, often at the

expense of academic content. For this reason, students are ill-prepared for the challenges of

school down the road. In a conversation with my praxis advisor, she noted most families stress

the importance of education. This is not the cause of the notably small percentage of high school

graduates (and even smaller percent of college graduates), far from it actually. The tendency to

blame families can be expelled. The truth is, our system of education caters to the dominant,

middle class population. Though it has made leaps and bounds, it is still ill-prepared to serve

urban communities.

Zoom in — Washington Elementary is a product of the city and of the community

surrounding it. Flower Street is the community’s main throughway. In the mornings, the street is

lined with children and families making their way to their respective schools. The dense

population necessitates a high

number of schools on the given

street (elementary, middle, high,

and community college).

Downtown Santa Ana is no more

than a half mile down the road,

making up the arts and business

hub of the city. It is eclectic—a

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combination of overpriced “hippy” businesses, thrift stores, the community arts center, the

courthouse, etc. For this reason, the diversity of people downtown is great. It is a dual language

place of business. Many of the store owners/salespersons speak English and Spanish, making

themselves accessible to the variety of people that grace their doors. This simple exchange of

language is of great benefit to the city. In the residential communities, the population is much

more concentrated. The area surrounding Washington Elementary is no exception. It is ethnically

Latino and linguistically Spanish. There is no immediate need for two languages because the

community is in unspoken agreement. Moreover, the city bus system is widely used. One of my

focus students ride the city bus to school with her mamá in the mornings. For sake of feasibility,

she gets off at the station by Washington Elementary and her mamá continues on to work. From

conversations with my praxis advisor, this is not rare.

Zoom in, again — the immediate area surrounding the school has many valuable resources.

Single family homes are filled with multiple generations. The community is matriarchal, the

authority inherited through the female lineage. The

mothers/grandmothers play an important role in

transmission of culture. The abuelas are the crossing

guards, the lunch ladies, the helping hands, the

watchmen, and so much more. Their nurturing nature

is infused into home and school. In our modern

society, the focus on the family is loosing sight. In this

community, it is not the case. In conversation with my

praxis advisor, she noted that families depend on each

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other for childcare. One mother voluntarily cares for a friend’s child knowing that the favor will

be returned. Without excess cash for childcare, this is an important exchange not to be taken

advantage of. Moreover, the immediate community is home to the Memorial Recreation Center

of which offers formal dance

classes, a preschool academy,

and an after school program

(see brochure on page 5). The

cost of these programs are

very low considering how

much one would pay for such

activities in another

community (i.e., full-day

preschool costs $99/mo). In

addition to these formal activities, the center’s park and pool are open to the public. These are

popular after school attractions—I am privy to the kindergartners play day stories. Lastly, and

most importantly for the purposes of this project, the community offers free English classes.

They are well-advertised in the school newsletter, on the bulletin board in the recreation center,

etc. Funded by the city, this is an important resource for families. It provides access to English

that would otherwise be difficult to find (and afford, for that matter).

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