I think this is a story of hope. Sampier said the Hispanic immigrants are family-oriented and religious with a strong work ethic. I'm so excited to have lived here and participated in this. But occasional cultural misunderstandings have complicated relations between native-born Arkies and the new arrivals. In Rogers' Sunset Street neighborhood, about 35 white residents complained at a public meeting that the now largely Hispanic neighborhood was seeing increased public drinking, loud music, litter and code violations.
People are tolerant of visitors.
City officials who investigated found that Spanish-speaking residents were unaware of city codes because the codes were written only in English. The police chief assigned a Spanish-speaking officer to field questions and complaints in the area. Differences across cultures inevitably lead to some tension, she said. The Marshallese have a much different concept of property ownership, privacy and family. For example, a native-born Arkansan might never consider taking a ride without permission on a bicycle left outside a neighbor's house, but an immigrant from the Pacific Islands might think nothing of it, she said.