The changing demographics of southwestern Kansas is of course getting noticed elsewhere in the state, including Brent Wistrom of the Wichita Eagle, who writes today about Sedgwick County and its largest city, the "Beef Kingdom" of Liberal.
Perhaps a third to half of the independent business storefronts advertise in Spanish. Most others note that they habla español.
This snapshot reflects what's happening in Liberal -- the heart of the first county in Kansas to officially become more than 50 percent Hispanic.
But Liberal's story is about more than percentages -- and nearly everyone believes the town is 60 or 70 percent Hispanic anyway.
Liberal's recent history is about changing cultures. Police officers calling translators at crime scenes. Old white men sipping coffee and explaining how bad things have gotten. A middle-aged father here illegally, living scared with his child's future on the line. Money being earned and sent out of the country. Families dividing and reuniting. Students and teachers struggling and improving.
The Eagle reports that Seward County's Hispanic population jumped from 42 percent of the population in 2000 to over 51 percent now. Two-thirds of the students in Liberal's schools are Hispanic.
Some old-timers in Liberal are resentful of the demographic change, and are assuming that some of the Hispanic newcomers are not in the country legally.
This is a societal trend to keep an eye on.
Thanks for the link:
Americas Top Mall
Related posts:
My Kansas Kronikles: Liberal: Kansas' second Beef Kingdom
Marathon Pundit has gone liberal
Thanks for the link:
Freedom Folks
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