Running head: ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY 1

Annotated Bibliography:

Colonia’s and UTEP students

Carlos Villa

The University of Texas at El Paso

RWS 1301

Dr. Vierra

October 22, 2018

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Research Questions

1. Do people from poor colonias have trouble getting a degree at UTEP? If so, how does the
university help them through their academic career?

2. Why are these homes so poor?

3. Does the socioeconomic status from this individuals affect them when they become part
of the outside society besides those who reside within the colonias ?

4. Are there any environmental health problems due to the lack of resources?

5. What does the government do to support individuals living in such colonias?

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Annotated Bibliography

Edberg, M. C. (2009). El narcotraficante: Narcocorridos and the construction of a cultural

persona on the US–Mexico border. University of Texas Press.

Edberg (2009), claims how Mexican society often lives around violence, that makes

violent remarks acceptable within their society (p.12) . In recent years, Edberg traveled

to Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua and noticed how in the Mexican culture, corridos are very

famous songs played around the city. In this songs, they make graphic remarks on

violence around the city and even exemplify how they will kill someone. As Edberg

described the environment in which these songs where played, he emphasized it was a

norm hearing this remarks, no matter the age, it was culturally acceptable (p.14). In order

to exemplify his claim to his audience, Edberg utilizes various short story’s in which he

includes different ways corridos are heard. As a result, corridos are popular due to the

strong emphasis on ego, and how motivational in a way this songs are. These songs,

relate to what is happening in Mexico, and makes narcotraffickers as powerful

exemplarily individuals who own the world. This, brings an negative message to younger

generations by making violent situations a norm.

Rausura, R. (1988, July 27). El Paso Prospector Newspaper Archives, Jul 27, 1988, p. 10.

Retrieved October 26, 2018, from https://newspaperarchive.com/el-paso-prospector-jul-

27-1988-p-10/

Rausura (1988), points out how in 1988, a colonia named Lower Valley in El Paso Texas

is confined from any life necessities (p.1) . As Rasura emphasizes, this colonia was in

the early stages of colonization, but rapidly grew over a short period of time. This had an

negative effect due to city leaving out important life necessities out of the picture for the
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locals in the colonia. As time passed, the individual’s inhabiting the colonias had a worst

life quality.

Reynolds, A. (1933). The Education of Spanish-Speaking Children in Five Southwestern

States. The Education of Spanish-Speaking Children in Five Southwestern States., (11)

Reynolds (1933), Argues how children who migrated along their parents to the United

States from Mexico, aren’t familiarized with such big change causing themselves to be

resistant against change. The changes that occur so fast, such as a new language, new

culture or even new home can set the child or individuals to fail. As Reynolds said this

children often attend schools that aren’t necessarily prepared to educate this children in

the way they could understand with their native language. By this Reynold’s audience

can best infer upon why majority of the latinos who migrate to the United States tend to

have a harder time adjusting into the new country. Since such big change occurs, many

children cause themselves to fail. To fail in the way of only focusing on themselves rather

than trying to work to get up to date in their new life style. It Is no secret that children

who do this often end up not being well educated or if not worst, fail in life.

Román, M. (2018, April 16). UTEP's Engineers for a Sustainable World awarded for rainwater

harvesting. Retrieved October 26, 2018, from

https://www.theprospectordaily.com/2018/04/16/uteps-engineers-for-a-sustainable-

world-awarded-for-rainwater-harvesting/

Roman (2018), Explains how The University Of Texas At El Paso alongside The Texas

Water Development Board contributed upon getting a small local colonia, Presidio,

Texas a piped water system. Since this small colonia doesn’t carry out a stable local

government, both the University and the Texas Water Board agreed upon complying to

contribute to better such disadvantaged colonia. This, is made possible said Reynolds,
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thanks to UTEP’s engineers and the contribution of providing assistance to the Board.

This, will eventually better the colonia by providing a stable water system. In addition,

not only will the individuals in the colonia will have to worry about water, but also they

can concentrate on alternative ideas on how to better their small city.

Skolnick, A. A. (1995). Along US southern border, pollution, poverty, ignorance, and greed

threaten nation's health. JAMA, 273(19), 1478-1482.

Skolnick (1995), interviews a colonia resident, Cynthia Lopez and her current living

situation at her colonia called Campestre, located west El Paso, Tx. Lopez explains her

troubled living situation by describing how basic life necessities aren’t available in her

colonia. She describes how the water system from the colonia has no connection to water

or sewer lines. Instead they have water pumps that draw water from the Rio Grande flood

plain, which is badly contaminated by human, animal and industrial wastes. In order for

Skolnick to emphasize the situation, he uses wording that grand details to point out

Lopez’ condition. He also inputs studies, in order to back up his interview and personal

opinions by witnessing such necessitous individuals.

As Skolinic goes on with his interview, his audience can best infer how terrible living

conditions are in the colonia Campestre. It is no secret that that colonia is in fact,

extremely poor and have no resources in which the residents can better their life situation.

Mainly, as discussed by Lopez, she points out the water system and its horrid conditions.

By doing this, one can imagine how miserable this individuals are living each day, how

even the most basic and important factor of health is unsanitary. How even the audience

can get that feeling of abnegate by the colonias residents. This interview can open the

audience’s eyes by why the residents of poor colonias don’t have the chance to move up

in life.
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Lamale, H. H. (1969). How the poor spend their money. In The Ghetto Market Place(pp. 1-315).

New York, NY: The free press. (Original work published 1969)

According to Lamale, Conducts a research upon how low income families tend to spend

their money. In order to this, Lemenle did a timeline, starting in 1950’s and all the way to

the 2000’s, and ironically found a similar thing in all the years. In those years, families

with low income divided their earnings in three parts, which was shelter, food and

clothing. This three artefacts are extremely necessary for low income families in order to

survive through their disadvantage. Lamale also stated how families in the modern times,

tend to cut loose in such restricted budget due to government funded programs that help

disadvantaged families have a better quality of life.

Marquez-Velarde, G., Grineski, S., & Staudt, K. (2015). Mental Health Disparities Among Low-

Income US Hispanic Residents of a US-Mexico Border Colonia. Journal Of Racial And

Ethnic Health Disparities, 2(4), 445–456. Retrieved from

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-015-0091-1

Valverde Marquez, Sara Grineski and Katheen Stautud (2015) observed that colonias

residents, have a higher volume of mental instability, within their colonia due to unsafe

environmental conditions as well as poor health care (p.446) . It is no secret that colonias

have a tendency of having low quality infrastructure or overall being overly unsafe to live

In. But those who do, have developed severe mental instability due to traumatic events or

overwhelming health issues. Since colonias are remote areas, their resources upon health

are severely scarce. Causing this conflict to be untreated damaging more those who suffer

from such illness. This, in a way, creates a loop on the colonia society by always having

more people from different generations pass along mental illnesses . This is because,
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those who are already ill, don’t know the reality of their situation and make it a norm. A

norm that will live amongst many genaraions of the coloinias residents.

Mukhija, V. (2010). Agricultural Prosperity, Rural Poverty, and Californiaʼs Colonias. The

Colonias Reader: Economy, Housing, and Public Health in US-Mexico Border Colonias,

72.

Mukhija (2010), claims how the term colonia, isn’t always referring to people alongside

the border who are economically unstable due to them not working, instead he explains

the ironic idea in which there’s in fact poor colonias in one of the richest states in The

United States, California. California according to Mukhija , is one of the richest states,

but as there’s rich people there’s also poverty in the golden state. A study conducted by

Mukhija and the National Agricultural Workers indicate that 36% of farmworkers

employed in California earn less than $10,000 per year, and three quarters earn less than

$15,000 a year (p .#73). With such income, it is no surprise that they inhabit some of the

worst housing In the state. This is because of the description Mukhija provided about the

housing can get the audience to feel pity towards them. In addition, California’s colonias

are so disadvantaged that there’s half a million residents alongside California border.

This alarming number of people is a statement on how unfair the agricultural system is.

In fact, this rapid increasing number of people being underpaid in the agricultural

workspace can cause an effect in the future by having more and more people living in

such poor areas,

Pablo Vila Ethnography at the Border (2003). Ethnography at the Border University of

Minnesota Press Minneapolis, MN 2003.

Vila (2003), claims how colonias are small underprivileged cities, who’s residents are

poor Mexican immigrants who are living in the worst conditions one can imagine. The
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author noted an insight on colonias when on 1990, he and a group of graduate students

payed a visit to El Paso- Juarez border to explore more about colonias. Vila on his book

right away emphasizes how deplorable living conditions are, by describing how even

himself had a personal awake on his social identity. He also noted how it is a grand

difference upon witnessing something so unreal, rather than just read about it. Vila

emphasized how right away he noticed how housing was in colonias. How poverty has

deprived them from using normal building materials to making them replace with second

use artefacts in which the colonias residents use to build their homes. As Vila described

how underprivileged the colonias people are, he intentionally expresses himself by

inputting his feelings to give his audience an insight on how poor this individuals are. By

in a way pointing out how poor colonias people are.

Wallisch, L. S., & Spence, R. T. (2006). Alcohol and drug use, abuse, and dependence in urban

areas and colonias of the Texas-Mexico border. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral

Sciences, 28(2), 286-307.

Wallisch and Spence (2006) Conducted a study from 1,200 adults residing in three

communities: El Paso, Rio Grande Valley and rural colonias in west Texas. This study

showed how many of this residents had used alcohol , drug use, and have suffered or

committed abuse. The studies showed similar drug use across the three sites but higher

rates of drinking and alcohol dependence in the colonias, but colonias scored a higher

rate of abuse.

This is because of the low income and low dependency upon the government. The

colonias in other words are small city’s where is located in the rural with almost to no

law enforcement enforcing the law. Since this research is conducted by both Wallish and

Spence one can best infer how the study showcases what kind of people live in such
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households. This information of such specific problems colonias have, can in other

words, explain how unfortunate colonias society is.