Racial diversity in Northwest Arkansas

[mcheiss]

Yeah that's what I been thinking too. Really seems odd.

Hopefully we can see more of this in the future. Some Entreprenuer will hopefully look at this lack in the market and realize the opportunity.

[Mith242]

I also think it would be interesting if some of the Marshallese tried starting some of their own small businesses and such.

[mcheiss]

San Diego, Los Angeles, and Ft. Lauderdale all have Polynesian Restaurants. Of course, these cities have had well established Pacific Islander populations for decades, while NWA's Pacific Islander Population is only about a decade old.

[Mith242]

San Diego, Los Angeles, and Ft. Lauderdale all have Polynesian Restaurants. Of course, these cities have had well established Pacific Islander populations for decades, while NWA's Pacific Islander Population is only about a decade old.

True, and to be honest I'm not sure if the Marshallese population is here to stay or if most of them just view themselves as just here for the short term and planning on heading back to the islands.

[mcheiss]

True, and to be honest I'm not sure if the Marshallese population is here to stay or if most of them just view themselves as just here for the short term and planning on heading back to the islands.

I've often heard that the Marshallese Population in NWA is around 20% below poverty, not that that's saying anything. I know a lot of Hispanics work in the metro for a while, and then head home to Mexico, El Salvador, or elsewhere in the United States. I would imagine that 47,000 is a bit low, I would say the population is closer to 55,000.

[Mith242]

I've often heard that the Marshallese Population in NWA is around 20% below poverty, not that that's saying anything. I know a lot of Hispanics work in the metro for a while, and then head home to Mexico, El Salvador, or elsewhere in the United States. I would imagine that 47,000 is a bit low, I would say the population is closer to 55,000.

Yeah of course that number doesn't take into account all the ones who are here illegally too. Who knows what number what we're talking about when taking that into account.

[chrisnwa]

True, and to be honest I'm not sure if the Marshallese population is here to stay or if most of them just view themselves as just here for the short term and planning on heading back to the islands.

In that 2003 Compact of Free Association between the US and the Marshall Islands, the M.I. renewed the US DOD Missle Testing site and military base there. The US govt provides economic aide (I believe per capita) to the M.I. Therefore, it benefits the Marshallese and their families if their "permanent residence" is on the Island.

[mcheiss]

I was reading an article on the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, and it mentioned a Marshallese Night Club in Springdale. Anyone ever heard of it?

And there's a Marshallese Grocery Store in the Mathias Shopping Center across from Allen Canning Company called The H&T Islands Food Market, the only Marshallese grocery store in the region.

[KJW]

Wow, I'm shocked at that kind of growth. I always thought the Ft. Smith area had the most Asians in the state, good to see such diversity in the metro.

I knew we had the largest Marshallese Population outside of the islands themselves in the nation, I've been hearing that for four or five years. It's kind of odd that there isn't any Polynesian Influence in the metro at all: (Restaurants, Stores, etc.). May'be most try to integrate themselves into "American" Society as possible.

I'd think that Fort Smith area would have the second most asians in the state with those who settled in FSM after the Viet Nam boatlift, etc...wow, the Fort Smith/Fayettville media market must have some significant asian numbers...not L.A. or San Francisco by any means, but significant as well.

I thought the Marshallese are counted as pacific islanders rather than asians?

[mcheiss]

I thought the Marshallese are counted as pacific islanders rather than asians?

Marshallese are counted as Pacific Islanders. Asians include Indians, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, Sri Lankan, etc.

[masons_dad1]

I've often heard that the Marshallese Population in NWA is around 20% below poverty, not that that's saying anything. I know a lot of Hispanics work in the metro for a while, and then head home to Mexico, El Salvador, or elsewhere in the United States. I would imagine that 47,000 is a bit low, I would say the population is closer to 55,000.

It's weird that so many minority races choose NWA over major metros that are better equipped to handle poverty and have much better low income opportunities with housing, healthcare and even lower taxes and gas and grocery prices. Of course St. Petersburg, FL may be unique in that sense since it is the cheapest big city I've ever lived in.

[Julles]

Just a side note....the Marshallese have been here in fairly significant numbers for quite some time. Back in the late 80's, I remember my friend mentioning that her church in Springdale had offered to share their facilities with a Marshallese congregation.

[mcheiss]

Just a side note....the Marshallese have been here in fairly significant numbers for quite some time. Back in the late 80's, I remember my friend mentioning that her church in Springdale had offered to share their facilities with a Marshallese congregation.

The Census Numbers for the 2000 Census only show around 900 Hawiian & Pacific Islanders in the metro. I don't know the current population, but I know it's atleast several thousand, possibly up to 7,000-10,000.

[Julles]

The Census Numbers for the 2000 Census only show around 900 Hawiian & Pacific Islanders in the metro. I don't know the current population, but I know it's atleast several thousand, possibly up to 7,000-10,000.

Ok, so maybe there were only a few hundred of them, but they had a church! I remember distinctly that it was the late 80's, b/c that is the time period that my friend was dating the guy whose Dad pastored the church that offered to share their facilities with the Marshallese congregation. It was a very small Assembly of God church in an older part of Springdale - Glad Tidings Assembly on Huntsville Ave. I looked in the phone book just now and it shows a Marshallese Assembly in Lowell. They must have purchased/built their own facility.

[Mith242]

It's weird that so many minority races choose NWA over major metros that are better equipped to handle poverty and have much better low income opportunities with housing, healthcare and even lower taxes and gas and grocery prices. Of course St. Petersburg, FL may be unique in that sense since it is the cheapest big city I've ever lived in.

Compared to California cities though the cost of living here is so much cheaper.

Just a side note....the Marshallese have been here in fairly significant numbers for quite some time. Back in the late 80's, I remember my friend mentioning that her church in Springdale had offered to share their facilities with a Marshallese congregation.

I wasn't sure when they started coming over but yeah I was under the impression that it goes back a while. Then it was word of mouth that started bringing more over. But I admit I don't recall why the first ones picked NWA in the first place.

[masons_dad1]

Compared to California cities though the cost of living here is so much cheaper.

Compared to most major metros or states NWA is cheaper, but then NWA is still quite a bit behind those metros as far as infrastructure, low-income housing, retail, large employers, pay... the list goes on. When NWA catches up so will the cost of living. There's no way a region that has lacked any kind of planning for the growth it's seeing today can remain affordable. I may be biased because I lived in St. Petersburg, FL which is a hard city to beat for attraction and affordability.

[KJW]

Compared to California cities though the cost of living here is so much cheaper.

I wasn't sure when they started coming over but yeah I was under the impression that it goes back a while. Then it was word of mouth that started bringing more over. But I admit I don't recall why the first ones picked NWA in the first place.

Again, the big special section (it had LOTS of pictures and stories, both from Springdale and the Marshall Islands themselves) indicated that one man (now in Franklin County, strangely...it mentioned why he moved there but I forgot why) was pretty much responsible for the word getting out that NWA was the place for M.I. expats to be in America.

Interestingly, I remember seeing a movie which made it look like the Marshall Islands were the most significant place between Hawaii and Australia in the Pacific Ocean.

This is still amazing folks:

- Our Asian population of 8,300 (the paper broke those numbers down among Filipinos, Chinese (wow, if W-M really gets more Chinese expats to locate here...), Japanese, Asian Indians, etc.) represents a number that's DOUBLED since four years ago, and is now the largest Asian population in Arkansas.

- Our hispanic population is now somewhere between 47,000 - 55,000 in NWA...isn't that the size of the cities of Pine Bluff or Hot Springs?

- Our pacific island Marshallese population is the largest in the world outside the Marshall Islands group itself.

- Our "African-american" population (someone please post the updated 2006 NWA numbers here if you can find them) has, in Bentonville alone, increased by factors of ten plus since 1990.

We once talked here that this area may be as diverse as St. Louis. St.L has a different kind of diversity, one I'd almost call "euro-centric" due to all the immigrants of that city's earlier days. We're in something unique here...we may never have the numbers of a city like that, but this is still a phenomenon fascinating to watch (and to say that we were in NWA to witness as it happened).

[mcheiss]

I couldn't find African American Numbers for the NWA Metro, I wonder if e-mailing the census bureau would help.

[mcheiss]

Okay, 2005 Census Numbers from Springdale show 2,000 Marshallese in the city, however, there is a significant amount of "Others" in the census, which puts some estimates up to 6,500.

[Mith242]

Yeah while all the others might not apply to the Marhsallese you have to figure some of them would.

[mcheiss]

I saw there was an asian grocery store off Thompson street today.

Anybody else heard of it?

[Mith242]

I saw there was an asian grocery store off Thompson street today.

Anybody else heard of it?

I'm not sure if it's the same one I went to a few years ago. The one I remember focused mainly on Chinese food but also had a little Japanese and Korean food.

[mcheiss]

I'm not sure if it's the same one I went to a few years ago. The one I remember focused mainly on Chinese food but also had a little Japanese and Korean food.

It wasn't huge but it had a fairly large assortment. I think the name of it was B&K.

[Mith242]

I was in the NWA Mall for the first time in about a year. It has changed quite a bit in it's selection of stores. Anyway since Matt mentioned the Asian grocery store I thought I'd point out there was an Asian decor store there I never knew about.

[mcheiss]

I was in the NWA Mall for the first time in about a year. It has changed quite a bit in it's selection of stores. Anyway since Matt mentioned the Asian grocery store I thought I'd point out there was an Asian decor store there I never knew about.

Is it right near the food court?

I may have been to that. I sure hope the Promenade can get something like that.