Offline Social Networks in Information-Gathering Processes Among Latina Migrants in New York and North Carolina

• In Event: Intersections of Race and Ethnicity and Gender

Abstract

This qualitative paper describes the role of offline social networks in the information-gathering processes among Latina migrants in New York and North Carolina. Thirty Latina migrants from four different countries were interviewed to understand how they gather relevant information (i.e., about jobs, health services, and education opportunities) and how they establish social networks. Even though most of the participants have access to technology, they heavily rely on family members and other migrants to acquire information. Some differences were found in the information-gathering patterns depending on level of education, but, for the most part, these migrants trust word of mouth and offline social networks, regardless of legal status in the United States, nationality, or level of access to technology. These results seem to support other scholars’ findings that offline communications and face-to-face community-building efforts have strong relevance among migrants, in this particular case, female Latino migrants, even in the Digital Age.

Author

• Vanessa Bravo, Elon University