Migrants in the City Project

The “border” zone that I chose to look at was at the northwest corner of Cave Creek and Bell Road.  I had been told by several people that this is a major day-laborer meeting place.  Today it doesn’t seem that busy, but there are about 10 day-laborers scattered about the plaza.  I’m told on most days both the northwest and southwest sides of the intersection are full of day-laborers.  I have heard about a man with an orange flag waving people in to the day labor center. 

To me this signifies a place where the local and global intersect, because it is an international labor market found within Phoenix.  It is evidence of the large supply of low-wage workers to be found in the area, boosting the local economy.  This idea was discussed in Saskia Sassen’s article "The City: Strategic Site/New Frontier," (in Quaderns d'Arquitectura i Urbanisme: Frontera, Barcelona: Collegi d'Arqiutectes de Cataluna, 2001:12-15).  Also, like Sassen’s article, this spot represents a ‘new frontier’ in the sense that it is a place that these workers have presence and visibility on a daily basis. 

 

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