There were two groups-one men and one of women-representing the African American community. The first group of nine men were participants in a men’s fellowship at Antioch Baptist Church. The second group of six women were all members of The Sunshine Ladies. The men ranged in age from thirties to eighties. The women all were over age 65.

Participants in both groups appreciate the quality and pace of life in Hall County and Gainesville, citing the same qualities as those in other groups-the lake, the natural beauty, the small town atmosphere, good friends and neighbors.

But when asked what they dislike about the county, these groups articulate three powerful, perhaps controversial issues. They are concerned about the impact of illegal immigration, by the perceived disparity in attention and investment coming to African American neighborhoods, and the breakdown in youth and families, especially the impact to drugs and gangs.

It is a sensitive subject, but many of the African American men focused on illegal immigration and the impact on work, schools, crime and community priorities. When it comes to the workplace and the local economy, men see Latino workers competing for jobs with African American young adults, and driving down salaries and wages at the same time. Lower wages mean that some African Americans are less motivated to pursue work, even when jobs are available.

Said one participant when he was asked what he disliked most about the community, "All the Spanish-speaking people. They are taking the jobs." But then he added, "Our people are too lazy to take those jobs."

Another man told of visiting his elementary-school-age children and learning that 17 of the 22 children in his child’s class are Latino, about half of them not yet knowing English. He commented pointedly about the extra work of the teacher to try to communicate with her students, saying, "What a burden to take care of all that. Everything is centered around Spanish now. English is like the second language and it ought to be the first language."

Another man told that his wife failed to get a job she applied for because she could not speak Spanish. He said, "This is America. If this were Mexico I wouldn’t have a problem with that, but this is Georgia. Why do you have to be bilingual to get a job?"

Women in the second group are less focused on immigration and any impact on work, but they also express concern about difficulties finding good jobs that pay a livable wage. Said one woman, "You’ve got to leave the county to get a job that pays enough money to live. Jobs in Gainesville are minimum wage. You’ve got to go someplace else to get a good job."

Men agree. As one put it, "You can’t find decent jobs in this area." He went on to explain that the only jobs available are either professional ones, or jobs at the lowest end of the pay scale that are usually taken by Latino workers. The jobs in the middle with a livable wage are gone. "There are no replacements for those lost jobs," he said.

Some in these groups blame the increase in Latino population for the increase in drugs and crime. As one put it, "Once upon a time you never would have heard about a two-to-three million dollar drug bust in Gainesville.

I hate to keep blaming Hispanics, but Hall County did not have that many drugs until they got here."

Both groups feel that areas of the community traditionally known as African American residential areas, are suffering from inattention and unequal investment of government dollars. One man put it this way, "For the most part, everything south of the tracks has not been looked at. On this side of town, there is not much being done to improve the neighborhood. While millions are being dumped everywhere else, but not here."

These African American residents believe more should be done to improve quality of life in Black neighborhoods. Areas needing improvement include reducing problems of soil erosion, addressing the negative environmental impact of a nearby dump, installing sidewalks, beautification projects and additional parks and recreation areas.

They would also like to a more balanced approach to fighting crime in African American areas of town. Participants in both groups trust the police, but they would like to see more of them. There is a belief among some that police do not patrol in their communities on an equal basis because police officials have been discouraged by some residents who don’t want police around. As explained by one participant, "Some people complain to police saying, ‘Why are you always down here?’" The feeling among these groups is that the police should ignore self-serving complaints and patrol anyway.

African American residents worry that the area economy, where real estate prices have risen far more than wages, means the next generation of African American families will not be able to invest in their neighborhoods, either. "The economy is screwed up," said one, "African Americans can’t afford a

home, and if they can afford it, they can’t get a loan." Said another, "Housing is going way up in cost, but the jobs don’t match."

Concerns about unequal investment and attention also apply to the school system, where African Americans see too many resources going to accommodate non-English speaking students, and too little going to fight the drop out rates among high school students, Black, White and Latino. Said one, "People fail to realize all the accolades our schools get are geared toward the way they serve Hispanics. There is a false impression that we have these class-A schools, but if you look at the drop-out rate, it is appalling."

Parents in the men’s group want to see more emphasis on academic achievement in the schools, and less on sports. They feel that youth who are good at sports are allowed to slide academically and held to a lower standard by their teachers. Those who are not good at sports may be overlooked, and their talents not fully developed.

These participants see the link between education and crime. They see the relationship between under-educated youth with too much time on their hands, and the rising drug and crime problems.

As in so many other group discussions, these African American residents are very troubled by trends in youth behavior and the ramifications of broken homes and disinterested parents. Although none worked for the school system, those in these groups made comments very similar to school counselors and nurses, saying things like:

"Parents won’t show up. We have to be involved with our kids. We can’t think it’s just up to the teacher."

"There is no parental involvement. Once you get to middle school, parents drop out."

"Some parents are just there . . . you’ve got to take an interest in your kids."

"It’s like the kids tell the parents what to do."

Residents in both African American groups see a need for a comprehensive response to the problem. Said one man, "Somehow we’ve got to get everyone involved-the parents, the church, the schools, the community. The kids need us. We’ve got to step up."

Said another, "One thing we’ve got to learn from Hispanics is-they’re like a beehive. They work together. We all want to be individuals, instead of  working collectively."

Perspectives On Health Care & Insurance

When asked to describe ways to improve Hall County in the future, participants in both groups focused on children and youth. They would like to see more recreational facilities in their neighborhoods to keep kids involved, learning and out of trouble at night and after school. They would also like to see a greater emphasis on academics, keeping kids in school and preparing them for college and a better career options in the future.

• If these groups are representative of the larger community, there is a lot of resentment and concern related to immigration and the impact of a growing Latino community. There is concern that immigrants are taking jobs and are lowering the income potential for jobs that remain.
• There is also the perception that as the community adjusts to meet the needs of the growing Spanish-speaking community, limited public resources are being diverted from the African American community. This is seen in schools and in investments in community infrastructure and beautification.
• They are concerned that low-paying jobs in Hall County will force ambitious young people to leave the community to find work. Those who remain in Hall County won’t be able to afford a home, due to low wages and rising real estate prices.
• African Americans want to see more investment in the South Gainesville/Athens Highway areas of the community, which they feel is often overlooked among community priorities.
• Like others in the community, African American parents and grandparents are concerned about youth risky behavior and the failures of parents to be involved effectively in the lives of their children. They see the need for community-wide initiatives to address the problem.
• Students and parents need to be held to higher standards. There should be more emphasis on academic achievement in schools and efforts to reduce the dropout rate.
• Consistent with other groups, African American families are more concerned about health insurance than health care. For those without health insurance, access to care is a problem. However, even those with health insurance worry about rising out-of-pocket expenses and co-payments leading to health expenses they can’t afford.