Some of you may not be familiar with the Southeast, particularly the region where we are staying during this period of displacement. My parents live in Martinsville, Virginia. It's a small de-industrialized town in the middle of the state, just 20 miles or so north of the NC/VA boarder. Martinsville continues to have one of the country's highest unemployment rates. The traditional employment base of furniture and textiles has disappeared. The Virginia Employment Commission, where my mother works, encourages ex-factory workers to get GEDs, re-train, and compete for small trickles of jobs that come to the area. At the same time, Latino/as are finding the area of to be a good place to relocate. I graduated from Martinsville High School in 1983. On the surface, it appears that not much has changed. But when you consider the infrastructure, increased polarization by SES is clear.
My sister lives in Winston-Salem, NC. She lives in a large home with her husband Brad, a dedicated lawyer & officer in the Army Reserves. They are parents to Owen (8), Elizabeth (5) and Samuel (5 months). Winston-Salem is about 1 hour and 15 minutes south of Martinsville. ItÂs a much bigger city & home to Wake Forest University (where many of my relatives received degrees). While I don't have the data to back it up, my sociological skills tell me this is a town very divided by race & class, with industrial roots primarily in tobacco manufacturing. My sister's neighborhood consists of newly built brick houses, not many trees, and no sidewalks. It's quite a bit different from the neighborhoods we are used to.
The best thing about these places, however, is the loving family that surrounds us. There is a constant stream of laughter, hugs, and smiles. I feel fortunate to be welcomed & loved so much by family.
