VotUME28 MAY /JUNE 2000 NUMBERS 2000 Annual Meeting: August 12-16, 2000 A Vibrant Latino Presence in Washington, DC by Rose Ann M. Renteria1 found that three out of four Latino adults in the area are foreign-born, most have £tino migration into the Washing­ lived in the U.S. for about 12 years, fewer ton, DC area consists of several waves. than half of the area's Latinos are U.S. For example, civil wars in Central citizens, and more than one third have American during the 1980s and 1990s voted in their native country since coming pushed many Salvadorans, Guatemalans, to the U.S. The area's Latinos also tend to and Nicaraguans into the area. The be less educated and make less money Andean drought of the 1970-19805 than the rest of the population in the area. prompted Peruvians and Bolivians to The lower education levels are partially relocate, and revolutions in the Caribbean due to immigrants from Central American in the last 1950s and 1960s transported who arrived during the 1980s and 1990s. Cubans and Dominicans. Today, nearly The survey showed that Latinos are 60% of Latino immigrants in the Wash­ two times more likely than the population ington, D.C. area identify themselves as at large to hav~ a family member working Central Americans, and about 31 percent two jobs to make ends meet, and that describe themselves as Salvadorans.2 Latino students have the highest dropout County, representing over 18% of gomery County, MD, had 15% Latino Nonetheless, the Latino population rates of any ethnic group in many county's total population, and between students, and Prince William County's remains quite diverse and the distribu­ Washington area schools. In terms of 1990 and 1998, both~ontgomery County, (VA) Latino student enrollment had tion of nationalities tends to vary from language usage, 40% of the respondents MD, and Fairfax County, VA, had over increased by 16% in 1998.4 the rest of the nation (Table 1). said they are able to read English only a 30,000 new Latinos residents in their Growth of the Washington area Latino little, or not at all, and 40% said that they respective areas (See Table 2). In particu­ 1999 Survey population remains an important issue. communicate only in Spanish. The lar, two localities experienced dramatic In the summer of 1999, the Washington According to the U.S. Census, the Latino dominance of Spanish has prompted most growth in the Hispanic population Post, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Founda­ population in the Washington, OC-MD­ counties and cities to respond. Some during the 1990s: Prince William County, tion, and Harvard University's School of VA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), hospitals, police departments, court VA, and Manassas City, VA, as noted in Public Health conducted a locally repre­ has grown from 223, 067, according to the systems, and public schools now actively Table 2. Growth among youth in public sentative telephone survey (in English and 1990 Census, to an estimated 330,544 recruit Spanish-speaking staff. In Virginia, schools has also occurred. Recently, the Spanish), which included 603 self­ .Latinos in 1998, an increase of 48 percent Arlington County's YMCA offers free identified Latino adults in the Washing­ (Table 2).3 In 1998, the Census estimated Washington Post reported that the City of classes for adult English as a second Alexandria, VA, had more Latino ton, D.C. metropolitan area, along with language classes. Area colleges in Mary­ that 9,770 Latinos lived in Arlington 5 students than non-Latino whites; Mont- 309 D.C. area non-Latinos. The survey land and Virginia do the same. However, waiting lists are often the norm. Interest­ ingly, the survey revealed that the A Dream Team majority of the Washington area Latinos have favorable views of government, police, schools, and other institutions. Perrucci, Miller, and Contemporary Sociology This was true even though nearly half of the Latinos surveyed said that they or by Earl Wysong, encouraging new developments in the nourishing the discipline. someone they know had experienced Indiana University field. Within the field, Bob and JoAnn are discrimination. Kokonw Bob and JoAnn have impressive (and active professional leaders. Bob is progressive) professional credentials. currently President of the Society for the Community Issues !Rebert Bob's interests in work, social class, Study of Social Problems (SSSP). In the Perrucci and organizations, and political economy past his posts have included, for Growth issues along with the JoAnn Miller, have led to 14 books, over 70 articles/ example, SSSP vice president (1996-97), gentrification of predominately Latino scholar-warriors book chapters, and dozens of papers. ASA Committee on Nominations (1988- neighborhoods are of particular impor­ of Purdue His most recent books include The New 89}, ASA Organization and Occupation tance to Latinos residing in Washington, University, will JoAnn Miller Class Society (1999, with Earl Wysong) Section Chair {1982-83}, and North D.C. The Council of Latino Agencies, assume editorial and Science Under Siege? Interest Groups Central Sociological Association (NCSA) formed in 1976, currently has 35 member command of and the Science Wars (2000, with Lee President (1973-74). JoAnn is currently agencies in Washington, D.C. The Council Contemporary Trachtman). JoAnn's focus on law, SSSP program Co-Chair. She has served and its member agencies respond to a Sociology at the family violence, and social problems has as the SSSP Law and Society Division number of critical issues for Latinos in the turn of the real 21 51 led to four books, 29 articles/book Chair {1996-98) and as a member of the District, including amnesty and immi­ century. In an era chapters, and numerous papers. She is Council of Division Chairs Nominating grant rights, client's fears of deportation, where main­ currently working on a new book, Love Committee. In 1989 JoAnn was co­ Latino leadership, housing and legal stream media and Hurts: The State's Response to Partner organizer (with Dean Knudsen) of a service for clients, domestic violence and conventional Abuse, based in part on her research as a nationwide conference on "Responses to ensuring an accurate Census count in scholarship too Robert Perrucci Fellow in Law and Sociology at the Family Violence: A Research Confer­ 2000. In particular, the Council works often appear Harvard Law School, 1999-2000. Their ence." In the world of publications, their closely with Latino residents in the entranced by work has been supported in part by professional involvement includes Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, and TINA (there is no alternative) and numerous grants from various sources numerous editorial posts. A sampling focused on "Muggles" (mass consump­ totaling over $1 million. Besides being includes Bob's service as editor of The See Washington, page 41 tion drones oblivious to their circum­ very productive researchers, Bob and American Sociologist and Social Problems, scribed lives in J.K. Rawling's Harry JoAnn have also served as consummate associate editor of the American Sociologi­ Potter books), Bob and JoAnn stand a mentors for many graduate students. cal Review, Social Problems, Contemporary world apart. As seasoned sociological Their continuing efforts to nurture, Sociology, Sociological Quarterly, Sociologi­ 2000Annual veterans, they bring to their CS nudge, challenge, and promote the cal Focus, and membership on the Meeting Program editorship a battle-tested commitment to brightest new lights in sociology are Contemporary Sociology editorial board. critical thought, scholarly diversity, and understated in the c.v. listings of their JoAnn has served as deputy editor of Summary open inquiry. They also bring a keen "professional achievements." Even so, Social Problems, editor of Pro Bono (SSSP appreciation of sociology's scholarly their contributions in this area have been See page 9 foundations and a deep commitment to (and remain) critically important to See Contemporary Sociology, page 5 PUBLISHED BY THE AMERicAN SociOLOGICAL AssociATION 2 MAY /JUNE 2000 FOOTNOTES In This Issue ... fJ1ie l£?(ecutive Officer)s Co(umn ASA's Member Forum: Join the Talk ~e Executive Office staff is in high gear preparations for the 2000 Annual Meeting. The exciting program, summarized in this issue of Footnotes, captures ASA Fellowships the intellectual vitality of the field and the vision of President Feagin and his Program Committee. While this is the third year that the Preliminary Program Burmeister to serve as ASA is on the ASA homepage (http:/ /www.asanet.org) reaching members and other Congressional Fellow; Rinaldo interested persons, we now have a more powerful full-text seaxch engine that is new ASA Media Fellow. provides much more capacity to "ask" questions and "get" answers about the •-..;;.:...~~•-' meeting. This approach is just one of the many ways in which the Executive Office has tried to enhance member communications electronically. Key to our effort is working with sections. With Association support, all sections have listservs Centennials to enhance the exchange of ideas among their members and to broadcast timely and relevant information bom section officers to their members. About 30 percent of the sections have quite Celebrated active listservs that stregthen communication and ties among members. I hope by now members Sociology Departments at have also had the opportunity to visit the ASA member-only area on the ASA homepage. The member-only space includes a searchable e-mail directory of ASA members, the Directory of Tulane and Nebraska-Lincoln Sociology Departments, and the Directory of Aligned Associations. Also, members can verify and celebrate 100 years. change their contact information electronically! By the end of June, Chairs whose departments are Department Affiliates will have access to the member-only area to help connect them to informa­ tion that they as department chairs should have.