On the edge of diversity: bringing African Americans and Latinos together in a neighborhood group.
This article describes challenges we encountered when organizing a group of African Americans and Latinos in a community where ethnic tensions had been normative. We relate how the first author, a Caucasian with a university affiliation, entered this diverse community and employed ethnographic methods in an attempt to understand it. The ethnography provides a context for the principal challenge we encountered: ensuring that the group had ethnic balance. Focusing on the group's first meeting, we describe the uncertainty of whether our work would be helpful or harmful to the community. We conclude with reflections on the gaps between science and practice in diverse communities; the utility and limits of ethnography; the multiple ecological levels of influence on the community; dilemmas around a White male taking proactive stances while trying to empower a group consisting mostly of women of color; and the influence of values we brought to the community.
Berryhill
Joseph C
JC
University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, North Carolina 28804, USA. jberryhill@unca.edu
Linney
Jean Ann
JA
D001741:Black or African American; D000884:Anthropology, Cultural; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D019058:Community Networks; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D011209:Power, Psychological; D016730:Program Development; D011822:Race Relations; D015144:Southeastern United States