Final Paper

Rafael Rodriguez

Pathways to Success

PAF 112: Identity, Service and American Democracy

May 2 2021
 I decided to visit the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services in Indio,
California. “Indio is the largest and fastest growing city in the Coachella Valley and eastern
Riverside County.”(City of Indio, 2018) Currently, over 89,000 people reside in the city of
Indio with a majority of the population being of Hispanic descent. Many people seeking help
from the Department of Public Social Services face challenges such as having health
insurance, money for food, and finding employment.
The Riverside County Department of Public Social Services is located at 44199 Monroe
St Suite D, Indio, CA 92201. Driving into the parking lot of this area, I immediately saw three
tents set up outside the building of public social services offering free phones to people. This
area is a bit hectic because there is always a lot of traffic in the city of Indio. The building is
located right off of an overpass and is surrounded by a trailer home community, low-income
apartments and homes that were built in the 1950s. Getting out of my car, I noticed many cars
parked in the lot and palm trees surrounding the area. Palm trees are something that make the
Coachella Valley always look beautiful, they’re sprinkled through out the city of Indio.
Walking into the building, I immediately felt cold because the air conditioning seemed
to be set at a very low temperature. The area was filled with bright, artificial lights and no
windows, except for the doors in the entrance. Once I stepped in, I noticed plastic, gray
benches to the left of me, a line of people to the right, and more doors in the front of me. The
right side of the building contained workers in cubicles ready to assist people and that is why
there was a line formed. I decided to sit down and get a good look at my surroundings.
I noticed that many of the people seeking assistance were of Hispanic descent. This
group included mothers with their children, the elderly, and the homeless. This area was loud
due to children having to wait with their families and people becoming irate due to waiting. I
witnessed one man become so angry that security had to escort him out.
Some things that stood out to me were that they had bulletin boards covering a
majority of the walls and one wall covered with pamphlets. The bulletin boards had
information about how you could apply for assistance on an application on your phone and
child safety laws. The wall covered with pamphlets gave information on how to sign up for
Medi-Cal, CALWORKS, and food assistance. All of these pamphlets were also stapled to
bulletin boards across the walls. There was also a kiosk located towards back of the building
where you could turn in papers fast and not have to wait to be assisted. This stood out to me
because I found it to be a great idea for this group because many of these people have jobs
and may not have time to wait.
I believe a special aspect and strength of this group is that many of these people face
the challenge of not having English as their first language, yet they are trying their best to
make a living. A common misconception about those receiving assistance is that they’re lazy
and want everything for free. Many of these people were already born into poverty and
weren’t given the same opportunities. Many of these people are trying to make it to the best of
their ability.
A nice thing about this particular department is that many of the workers here are
required to be bilingual in order to assist those seeking help. People of Hispanic descent
populate over half of the city of Indio. Many people in this group were seeking Medi-Cal and
food assistance. There were two things that were beautiful in my eyes. First were the many
mothers I saw passing through with their children, having patience and showing confidence.
Their children were becoming upset and they did their best to keep them calm. Second, the
workers’ dedication to making sure clients understood what was need and assisting them to
the best of their ability.
The evidence of social services being given to this group was evident due to it being a
department of public social services. I found that the services were sensitive to the needs of
the residents. I believe the level of sensitivity at this department doesn’t need to be improved.
The location of this building is where many living on low-incomes reside which helps many
people to not have to go far. Many of these people are able to speak with workers and get
assistance that is needed without miscommunication due to workers being bilingual. I believe
this department tries to be as accommodating as they can towards those seeking assistance in
the city of Indio.
I am going to be honest and say that I was very nervous about coming to this area. I
didn’t know what to expect and I am not one for surprises. I was very humbled by this
experience because I haven’t had to seek assistance and it pained me to see the many families
that were. They are people just like me except with a different story leading them to where
they are now. Some of the people that came through looked younger than me and inside I
hoped they’d one day be in a better situation. I believe the feelings of pain and sadness hit me
harder because I had a daughter one year ago. I am similar to them because I am also raising a
family and trying to do my best. I hope to one day be able to help these people achieve their
best life possible.
Historical and Current Context of Population
Riverside County began its journey in 1923 by offering a welfare program to the
public that was ran by two employees. When the United States Congress passed the Social
Security Act in 1935, this allowed for more public assistance. The Riverside County
Department of Public Social Services now employs 3,400 people and offers assistance
through programs such as Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKS, and General Relief. They have
offices in Blythe, Indio, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Banning, Hemet, Perris, Temecula,
Lake Elsinore, Norco, Arlington, Moreno Valley, and Riverside. (Department of Public Social
Services, 2014)
The office I chose to visit is located in the Coachella Valley in the city of Indio. Many
residents of the Coachella Valley struggle financially and live in poverty. Specifically,
residents of the Eastern Coachella Valley, this includes Indio, Coachella, Mecca, Thermal,
North Shore, and Oasis. “39% of the population in the Eastern Coachella Valley lives in
poverty, nearly double the state rate.”(Arellano, 2018) Many of these residents rely on
agriculture as their main source of income. “These areas also house most of Coachella
Valley’s immigrant population. According to a 2016 five-year community survey estimates,
50% of the population is immigrant (including the citizen and non-citizen immigrant
population).” (KCET, 2018)
In 1950, an irrigation project was done which changed agriculture in the Coachella
Valley. During this time, the Bracero Program opened the U.S. Mexico border to men to help
meet the demands for agricultural labor. This has helped form today’s demographic makeup
of the Coachella Valley. Many of these residents identify as Hispanic or Latino and are less
likely to have a college degree. “In fact, 58% of the adult population has had less than a high
school education. The disparity is even larger for immigrants who are not citizens; 67% of
non-U.S. citizens in the eastern region have less than a high school education.” (KCET, 2018)
Due to limited opportunities for education, many in this region are often employed in
low-wage jobs. This population of people also faces a language barrier. “71% of the foreign-
born population (5 years or older) in the east reports that their ability to speak English is less
than “very well” according to the American Community Survey. The inability to
communicate has significant implications for the integration of immigrant communities into
society.”(KCET, 2018)
While the government provides services for people of this population, many living in
this region face environmental racism. A study was done in 2013 showing that many living in
this region are surrounded by water, air, and soil that are polluted. “The report cites in
particular concerns with contaminated drinking water, excessive pesticide application, failing
septic systems, illegal waste dumps, inadequate housing and unpaved streets. In one of the
more notorious cases, kids at an elementary school in Mecca became ill – allegedly from
odors wafting over from a toxic waste facility next door.” (Potter, 2013) Local activists are
doing their best to bring attention to these problems by spreading awareness and holding
conferences for change.
The residents of this community face economic hardships due to low wage jobs, less
opportunity, and language barriers. This research relates to what I observed at the Department
of Public Services because the people seeking assistance were these residents. Many were of
Hispanic descent and their main language was Spanish. Many were applying for health
insurance and food assistance. These residents are trying to make a living for their families
with low wages and improper living conditions. The people in this community are strong and
more than often, care for more than one family member. “The extended family and friendship
networks are held in high esteem and are the basis of Latino culture. Family members feel a
sense of obligation to provide for, and receive support from, one another both emotionally and
materially.” (Robinson-Wood, 2017, p. 174) Being able to immerse myself in this community
and learn about the struggles they face was a very eye-opening and humbling experience. I am
glad I was able to learn more about a struggling community in my area and hopefully, I can
one day help in making changes for them.
 References

Arellano, Gustavo. (2018, April 18) Coachella makes millions, but the festival’s

impoverished Mexican neighbors see very little of it. Retrieved from:

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-arellano-coachella-valley-

20180418-story.html

City of Indio. (2018) Demographics. Retrieved from:

https://www.indio.org/about/demographics.htm

County of Riverside. (2014) Department of public social services. Retrieved

from:

Potter, Suzanne. (2013, July 24) New report maps environmental issue in

Eastern Coachella Valley. Retrieved from:

https://www.calhealthreport.org/2013/07/24/new-report-maps-environmental-

issue-in-eastern-coachella-valley/

Robinson-Wood, Tracy. (2017) The convergence of race, ethnicity, and gender:

multiple identities in counseling. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.