29.4.10

NOTES FROM AN ADOPTED MIAMIAN

**originally published by Distrikt Magazine 02/2006**


Why is Miami so attractive? And more to the point, why has Miami become so attractive for Mexicans? As exciting as the presence of Mexicans and their investments in the region is, we are talking about a new phenomenon that was not always like this.
For decades, Mexicans tended to focus more on California or Texas when looking at the US, be it for investments or vacations, even more so for settling down, regardless of their socioeconomic origin. The main driving forces for migratory patterns, particularly in the case of migrant workers, were family reunion or the ‘oriundez’ factor –a network of natives of a specific Mexican state or, sometimes, a particular town in Mexico. In short, other Mexicans attracted Mexicans or, more specifically, natives of, say Zacatecas, were being welcomed and helped out by groups of Zacatecanos already established in specific areas.
This pattern began to change in the mid 80’s and was completely overcome by a policy of contention of new migrant waves with border operatives at the beginning of the 90’s. We all know the rest of the story and the end result is that migrants - or daily laborers, as they are also known- began to settle down in non-traditional destinations such as Oregon and Washington, the Mid West, Idaho, the Carolinas and Tennessee, New England and yes, Florida. With the advent of the new century, it is evident that the ‘pull factor’ -the demand for daily laborers, not often recognized- is playing an increasingly important role in defining migratory flows.
Professionals and small –and large- entrepreneurs have followed the same trend, settling down wherever there are opportunities. Apart from an extremely welcoming environment for migrants, Florida’s location and its vocation for international trade have attracted Latin Americans for several decades. But Mexicans remained somewhat behind, attached to other places in the US, and possibly the only Latin Americans underrepresented in the state. It was as if Florida were a very rich and eclectic Latin American recipe where the Mexican ‘chilito’ was missing. Well, not anymore.
A first wave of migrant workers who settle down in Homestead in the 70’s was followed by a second, much smaller wave of pioneers in the entertainment industry who began arriving in Miami in the mid 80’s and keep coming as you read. But then the patterns changed in the last decade and Mexicans became the key labor force in agriculture and later in other sectors. As a result, according to the 2000 Census, Mexicans became the largest Latin American community in Florida after Cubans and Puerto Ricans, two groups that enjoy a special immigration status. Most estimates put the current figure of Mexicans in the State in half a million. But, as opposed to most of the other communities who are heavily concentrated in South Florida, Mexicans are spread around the State, with only one out of ten living in Miami-Dade. Mexicans are relatively less visible in this part of Florida, dominant in the rest.
In spite of this, a growing number of Mexicans are investing in a second home in Miami. Some are jumping into the roller coaster of speculating in real state –which, at least for the time being, seems to be going only up. A few have sent their families to Florida, attending their businesses in Mexico and commuting every weekend to Miami. Others have settled for good in the region, identified by head hunting companies for highflying jobs in multinationals or finding opportunities for new businesses. Many more pick South Florida as their destination for vacationing and shopping as often as they can. No doubt about it, the Mexicans are finally here.
What has happened? Issues that could have created tensions in the past have disappeared or at least receded. A decade ago, the majority of Florida’s congressional delegation voted against the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Why? Agriculture. But that was then. Now Florida’s economy is more focused on trade, tourism and services. As some sectors in Mexico did after NAFTA, agricultural entrepreneurs in Florida have adapted to the advantages of NAFTA and are embracing new trade and investment opportunities with Mexico. At the same time, Mexican President Vicente Fox has brought changes to Mexico not only in the domestic arena but also in international affairs, with emphasis on democracy and the respect of human rights. I can think of few places where those changes in Mexico’s foreign policy have been so broadly noticed and acknowledged as in South Florida.
On the other hand, the performance of Miami-Dade’s economy in recent times has been unique in the USA and probably the Americas. While in the past few years, the US economy suffered a contraction and some symptoms of recession, Miami continued to grow, benefiting from cash flows coming from Latin American countries in trouble. Those flows have begun to recede, but the US economy is growing again and consumption expands once more. If the local economy can successfully ride the new cycle of expansion of the US economy, we may be looking at an unusual region in the USA that has enjoyed the best of being in the USA and being of Latin America.
But, fortunately, Miami is much more complex than that. The city and its society have changed dramatically in the past years and keep transforming everyday. Miami is indeed a sophisticated tourist destination, a successful economic experiment –nowadays driven by a real state boom- and an example of racial, religious and social tolerance. Miami is also a passionate city, as anyone can attest to from observing any of South Beach’s dance floors or listening to the heated political debates on AM radio.
And Miami has aspirations, as every world-class city should. Many of those aspirations have to do with economic growth. Others are more related to the soul of the city and its people. The former have been much easier to achieve, although some talk about growing pains. Trying to give substance to its claim of being the ‘Gateway to the Americas’, it is working hard to host the FTAA’s secretariat. But first-rate art, music and film exhibitions have also mushroomed in the last few years and a new cutting edge Arts Center is under construction. As it is usually the case, it has taken more time and effort for cultural or artistic initiatives to mature than their economic development equivalents, perhaps confirming the notion that money is much more pragmatic than culture and thus investors are first to set ground and pave the way for intellectuals.
While all this is taking place, in other regions of the country some fortunately isolated groups are increasingly concerned about the presence of migrants, their ability to integrate and their capacity to transform US society. But if Miami is to be used as an example as to the path some regions of the US might take in the future, a completely different script might be written, a story that might prove isolationists completely wrong.
Is Miami a failed experiment or is it a success story both socially and economically? Miami is indeed a bilingual and bicultural community. Both languages and both cultures coexist in perfect harmony not only not dividing society, but also complementing each other. Spanish is the language of socialization and entertainment, but English remains the language of business and official business.
It is precisely because of its bilingualism and biculturalism that Miami has become ‘the gateway to the Americas’. The industry, particularly in entertainment, has found a very lucrative market niche in doing business with and for Hispanics. And all of this is precisely because of what the anti-immigration rhetoric calls ‘the Hispanic challenge’, in this case to Miami. Not too bad for a region that only 40 years ago was a vacation spot with many non- surfaced roads, where numerous properties for rent were not available for - and I quote some state agents’ signs of the time- “Cubans, Negroes and Jewish”.