Marc, Matt and I visited the site on Friday and had a chance to talk with Jaime briefly.  We had brainstormed a series of questions that we wanted to address with Jaime, we also wanted to leave him space to share with us his own ideas.  We wanted to make the information that Jaime shared with us available to the larger group.   As we walked and talked, I scribbled notes:

We looked at the crosswalk from the high school, and Jaime mentioned that a mother and daughter were struck and killed by a semi-truck in 2000.  The bus shelter at the entrance to Nuevo Amanecer is named in their honor.  The crosswalk to the high school was installed shortly there after.  There is still no crosswalk at the entrance to Nuevo Amenacer.

We talked about incorporating a craft / farmers market in the firetruck turnaround plaza.  Jaime seemed to really like the idea, mentioning that many of the women at Nuevo Amanacer sew, and that the ability to generate wealth is critical to physical health.

The existing basketball courts in Phase One are well used by the high school residents of Nuevo Amanecer.  High school aged youth are also involved in the Community Center, tutoring after school ans staffing the computer lab.  High school youth are also involved in after school academic academies.  Jaime cited a 95% high school graduation rate among Nuevo Amanecer youth.

Jaime also mentioned that kids can grow up embarrassed of their farm working parents.

Looking at the site, Jaime mentioned that he’d like to see arches or public artwork or painted benches.  He also hoped to see activity in the center of the site – like a common garden.  He thought too that it might be nice to incorporate the existing gardens in with the new development.

Jaime said that there isn’t a lot of exchange between the residents of Nuevo Amanecer and the market rate apartments to the east.  The apartments have a majority of Latino residents.

Jaime hoped that the chain link fences could come down – and that there could be a straight and welcome path through.

Marc asked about enclosed outdoor space and Jaime said that they should be open enough so that kids couldn’t get in and be hidden from view. Jaime mentioned that outdoor gathering space was essential.  People like to come out, hang out, and know their neighbors.  I asked about a water feature.  Jaime liked to idea as long as it wasn’t dangerous to kids.

Jaime mentioned that in Woodburn, people don’t talk to their neighbors very much, saying a fear of differences keep us away from one another.

I asked about feelings of discrimination / prejudice.  Jaime mentioned that a study done recently by the Oregon Social Learning Center showed that residents of Nuevo Amanecer were feeling discriminated against and that it affected their stress levels.