Colombian Immigrants

Pedro Cano Sr., One of the first Colombians in Rhode Island

Mexicans are not the only Hispanics living in New England, but there are many Colombians who live in the region. Rhode Island in particular has one of the Colombian populations in the country, mainly living in central falls. The Welcome to Rhode Island website states, “ In this study of the Colombian community of Rhode Island, the City of Central Falls plays a very important role. For it is here that active recruitment of labor by local factories was influential in bringing the large Colombian population to the state.” I have many none minority friends who know that I am from a spanish speaking background but they always assume that I am Mexican (nothing wrong with that). But when I tell them that I am Colombian, they are shocked are were not aware of the high number of Colombians living in Rhode Island.

Link: http://welcomingrhodeisland.tumblr.com/post/27573253212/colombians-in-rhode-island

 

Industries

Construction, health services, and manufacturing jobs are one of the major employments in New England, both by Americans and immigrants. According to Antoniya Owens, 44 percent of New England immigrants are work in these jobs. Other forms of employment by immigrants are by barber shops, nail solans, and dry cleaning services. Owens states that it is 19 percent of immigrants work in manufacturing and 31 percent works in food services and accommodations. This presents the idea that immigrants are willing to work hard in order to be secure financially as oppose to finding the easy way out, such as abusing the welfare system.

Labor Participation

Many assume that immigrants come this country and use the welfare system in order not to work. However, this stereotype is not true in all cases in the sense that it is the nation as a whole who have this perception of immigrants. New England immigrants have a major impact on the labor industry in the region.  According to Antoniya Owens, author of the article “New England Immigrants and the Labor Market”, “. In 2006, immigrants and natives aged 25 and over had virtually equal rates of labor-force participation in New England.” (Owens 13).  The rates depends on the genders, 79 percent of men are likely to work in the labor market as opposed to women, where 60 percent of the participate in the work force. The stereotype that immigrants only come here to take advantage of the welfare system is not true in this care because there is a high participation rate within New England immigrants who look for jobs to better themselves just as every American.