FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June. 12, 2001
Julie Levak, Director of External Affairs, California Council for the Humanities
(415) 391-1474
jlevak@calhum.org
SAN FRANCISCO -- Findings of a statewide survey of the California public released today by the California Council for the Humanities (CCH) reveal that few Californians feel there is a strong sense of community in their cities or towns. But a surprising 44 percent of those surveyed strongly believe that telling and sharing personal and family stories is a good way to strengthen communities.
Indicating a lack of connection among people in California's communities, only 21 percent of those surveyed strongly agreed that their city or town had a strong sense of community. Sixty-five percent of the survey respondents said they knew only a little or nothing at all about the history of their communities. And, 67 percent said they knew only a little or nothing at all about the cultural backgrounds of the people in their communities.
The California Stories Survey findings are consistent with those of the nationwide Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey, reported in early March. A key finding of the Social Capital survey, designed by the Saguaro Seminar at Harvard University, is that people living in places that are ethnically diverse and that have large numbers of recent immigrants face greater challenges in building connections to their communities. The Social Capital survey also finds that quality of life and happiness were highest in "socially connected" communities where residents trusted, socialized, and joined with others.
Other studies find that it takes time for new residents to put down roots, build trust, and establish social connections. As a result, new residents tend to feel more isolated.
" It's not a huge shock that Californians often feel unconnected to one another," said James Quay, executive director of the California Council for the Humanities, the organization that commissioned the California Stories Survey. "There has never been a time since 1850 when more than half of the people living in California were born here. Half of California's growth over the past three decades is due to immigration. And the Census 2000 figures only confirm that the diversity and the transience of California's population continues to increase."
Stories Bring People Together
" What is surprising," Quay continued, "is that nearly 40 percent of the people surveyed strongly agreed that California would be a better place to live if people were more aware of each other's history and background. And, almost half of those surveyed strongly agreed that sharing stories and histories is a good way to increase feelings of community. Public officials and policy makers don't usually think cultural activities--such as programs that involve the public telling of personal stories--are essential to a community's overall health. But many Californians clearly do."
Perhaps most surprising is that when asked by a survey researcher over the phone whether they or a family member have a personal story that they consider part of California's story, almost half (44%) of those surveyed responded with a specific story.
" We've been involved in consumer survey research for more than three decades," said David Cresson, president of Consumer Survey Center, the research firm that conducted the survey. "We typically have a pretty good sense of what level of consumer response to expect, but even we were surprised at the high level of public interest in telling stories and, in particular, the willingness of respondents to tell personal or family stories."
When people were asked what type of story topics might be of interest to other Californians and would bring them together, 50 percent of the respondents had at least one story idea. Almost 25 percent of these were stories about the history or experiences of different ethnic and cultural groups. An equal portion was stories about moving or immigrating to California.
Stories Strengthen Community
" There is no doubt that California's diverse population and large number of immigrants are a tremendous asset to the state," Quay said. "But communities that don't have an infrastructure in place to help build strong social connections among residents often face very difficult challenges. Our survey findings indicate that cultural activities should be part of the solution."
In conjunction with the California Stories Survey, CCH commissioned intensive focus group discussions with cultural agencies and related organizations throughout the state. The constituencies of these groups were representative of the broad ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic diversity of the state. Focus group participants overwhelmingly echoed and confirmed the findings of the survey.
The California Stories Survey comprised a sample of 404 English-speaking heads of household throughout California. Averaging 25 minutes, the survey was conducted by telephone using random-digit dialing during April 2001. The survey was designed in conjunction with La Piana Associates, Inc., a national management-consulting firm specializing in the nonprofit sector.
Founded in 1975, the California Council for the Humanities is an independent, nonprofit funder and creator of programs that seek to enrich California's cultural life and strengthen its communities by promoting the public's involvement in the humanities. The humanities explore human histories, cultures, and values. CCH periodically conducts research to ensure that its programs meet the needs of the public. More information about the California Council for the Humanities is available at www.calhum.org.
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