The Mexican Community of Forest Hill, Louisiana
Summary and Conclusion
The Mexican population of Forest Hill has played a substantial role in the growth of the nursery industry within the region. Community members are extremely hard working and, according to nursery owners, are willing to take labor intensive jobs that most native born residents will not. Because their jobs require that they work outside, they must put up with the occasional cold day and the hot and humid conditions characteristic of a Louisiana summer.
In addition to their importance as laborers, the Hispanic population of Forest Hill contributes to the community in a variety of other ways. Several former immigrants, for example, now manage nurseries in the area. A number of others have opened businesses that contribute to the health of the local economy. The Vargas brothers, for example, arrived in Louisiana in the mid-1980s and eventually came to work for the Doug Young nursery. After years of hard work and saving, they achieved the “American dream” in the year 2000, when they finally were able to open their own nursery.
Overtime, many immigrants have established permanent roots and now call Forest Hill and the surrounding area home. Because they are now part of the community, several Hispanic workers, such as Fernando Martínez, serve as volunteer firemen. Undocumented workers no doubt live and work in the area, but the majority are documented and are legally permitted to work in the United States. As a result of their legal status, they pay taxes that help pay for community services. They also play an important role as consumers of local goods and pay sales taxes that contribute to the economic health of the state and region. Merchants who depend on the patronage of the local Hispanic population note the large drop in sales each winter when much of the population returns home to visit their families in Mexico.
The Hispanic residents of Forest Hill are very proud of their traditions. When driving into the town, however, there are only a few indications within the landscape that indicate to visitors that a large Hispanic population resides in the area. This, no doubt, results in large part from the heavy work schedule that workers maintain. Few within the Hispanic community, for example have time to practice traditional crafts or play instruments. The community primarily maintains its traditions by taking part in religious and secular celebrations. Due to the lack of institutions that cater to the local population, the church is the focus of the community. The importance of religious tradition to the community is recognized by the town of Forest Hill, which now closes its offices on Good Friday. In addition, Mayor Young stated that she often attends quinceañeras and other events.
Although not always obvious on the landscape, these celebrations allow the local Hispanic population to celebrate religious traditions, the importance of family, and cultural heritage. Traditional foods, music and dancing are all part of these events and allow parents to pass on their tradition to their offspring. Tensions sometimes arise between Hispanic workers and the native population over such things as the playing of loud music, but these appear to be minor in nature and infrequent. According to Mayor Young, there is a mutual respect between the two groups. Both groups, she said, are aware that they depend upon one another for their livelihood.
Dr. William Manger is an Assistant Professor of Geography in the School of Social Sciences at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. This article was prepared as part of the New Population Project. Dr. Manger can be contacted by e-mail at: mangerw@nsula.edu.
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