Inflation, unemployment and the economic crisis is a global problem. The economy of the United States has reached its lowest point since the great depression of the 1930s. Deindustrialization, outsourcing and a lack of sustainable jobs have advanced the growth of unemployment in America.
The low income, multicultural communities are greatly impacted by the recession. The lack of sustainable jobs has a lasting effect on families. Low skilled and low educated workers suffer the most. Language barriers are one variable of the socioeconomic issue that is affecting the global community. Conditions exist that leave communities vulnerable to gangs.
Maple is a small multicultural community located in Fullerton, California. It’s the only area of Fullerton where non-whites could purchase property before 1952. During that time, Maple residents were US citizens and were either African American or Hispanic. Maple Elementary School was the heart of the community.
During integration Maple students were bussed across Fullerton and Maple Elementary School closed. Children who lived next door to each other were no longer classmates. Relationships broke down and families moved out as new immigrants moved in.
As the community broke apart, gangs appeared and became mentors to new immigrant youth, teaching them how to survive in an unfamiliar foreign country. Then in 1996, Maple Elementary reopened and a new sense of community began to emerge.
The ‘Taking Conflict Out of the Community’ project was created to help the community of Maple come together as one. Community outreach groups and graduate students in the department of Human Communications Studies are working with high school students in the Maple Youth Council. Under the direction of Dr. Robert Emery, CSUF Faculty Emeritus, with a grant from the JAMS Foundation, they are teaching the students conflict resolution and mentoring skills to reduce gang violence in the Maple community.
The Maple Youth Council will introduce these skills to elementary and middle school students, to better prepare and direct them on a path toward higher education.
The Maple Community Project documentary will examine the effect of the economic crisis and long-term impact integration has had on Maple. It will look at the steps the outreach project ‘Taking the Conflict Out of the Community’ is making to help stop the growth of gangs in Maple.
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