South Dos Palos finding new voice for social change

UC Merced exhibit reveals wants, needs

This week's news about Merced County being named the worst place in the nation to find a job was probably no surprise to the people of South Dos Palos.

The small-but-historic location that was once home to a thriving railroad station, textile mill and food packing operation, lives on today with — as one New York Times contributor put it last year — "the dubious distinction of having the highest unemployment rate in Merced County."

That would be about 47.1 percent, compared to the city of Merced hovering at 16.9 percent. Officials say the former rate is largely due to the ins-and-outs of seasonal agricultural labor in the area located two miles away from the main town and inhabited by 1,600 or so residents.

But South Dos Palos is also one of the county's often-overlooked, unincorporated areas where the norm continues to be defined by poor roads, few sidewalks, little street lighting, infrastructure that's lacking (to say the least), and a very uneven housing quality.

It's a good thing this steadfast community has endured with an inner strength — one that has fought impoverished conditions since the days of the Dos Palos Poverty Fighters of the 1960s.

And over the past five years, several local organizations, state agencies and researchers at UC Merced have made an intensified push to create social change by collaborating and, quite frankly, pursuing government grants.

Part of this was done by hitting the pavement with street-by-street, detailed household surveys administered by a group of about 30 undergraduate volunteers from UC Merced under the leadership of Robin DeLugan, a professor of anthropology. Their significant findings — along with some history and photographs of South Dos Palos — will be presented as a small exhibit on the third floor of the Kolligian Library on the UC Merced campus. The public is invited to an opening reception this Sunday from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Visitors will learn that a majority of South Dos Palos renters and homeowners are spending up to 44 percent of their household incomes on housing costs.

They will learn that public transportation is so infrequent people will spend what little money they have on gas for essential shopping or medical attention located miles away.

They will learn that many residents feel incredibly uncomfortable walking rough, poorly lit rural roads where "loose dogs" are feared.

DeLugan's group also found that some 65 percent of the community's residents do not drink the tap water. The water apparently meets state standards, but many don't like the taste and color. Some simply don't trust it.

"It gives you pause on what the response from government will be," DeLugan told the Times. "It's like these poor communities pay even more because they have poor quality of services and infrastructure. And they don't have a very loud voice to advocate for themselves. They are not getting the attention. They are marginalized.

And you find that it is not just South Dos Palos. You can see how this replicates throughout the valley."

DeLugan said a lot of relationship building in South Dos Palos has been made through a network of educators from UC Davis, Berkely, UC Merced and local groups that goes by the acronym CURAJ — Community, University Research and Action for Justice.

Other champions for the Dos Palos area include Denard Davis, former assistant superintendent of Merced County schools, and County Supervisor Jerry O'Banion, who worked to secure funding for the George Washington Carver Community Center.

The refurbished meeting place is now Ground Zero in the local effort for a better tomorrow.

Says an optimistic DeLugan, "The town is starting to capture the concern of key stakeholders in the county."

Hopefully, South Dos Palos will capture more interest with the new UC Merced exhibit, and even more research in the coming months as DeLugan and others start to focus on quality of housing and needed development projects.