Sky Harbor Airport

Sky Harbor Airport is obviously one of the biggest and most known airports here in the United States, with a positive background leaving people with good experiences using sky harbor’s services. Of course Sky Harbor Airport also has plenty of history about it and about the land that it’s on today, which most people have completely forgotten about it, or even worse know nothing about the history at all. Before 1935, which was when Sky Harbor became the airport that it is now, the land used to be mostly an agricultural and farming land hundreds of years ago and for a long time. Back in those days farming and good agriculture were a very important and a big deal to people, especially because they wanted the best for their environment. Mexican Americans had a lot to do with fast production in their environment even though they were of low class and weren’t expected to do as much as the Anglos did before them. Chris Lukinbeal (2010), “Urban colonies in the Salt River Valley formed in one of three ways: as working-class neighborhoods on the fringe that filtered down from Anglos to Mexicans”. Like just stated, Mexican Americans took over most of the land that had been started by Anglos and even though Mexican Americans did work for cheap labor they did a good job and they “took over the valley”. Peter M Smith (1995) also commented that “cotton camps were also important and quite common to have, and were also run by Mexican Americans”. It was very interesting knowing that Mexican Americans back in that century were looked upon to do a good job in providing for their environment. Farming and agriculture kept going on for many years, while production kept getting bigger as well. OV Trujillo (1998) did mention that many years later in 1928 Scenic Airways, which collapsed a year later but was later re-built, did the first runway. In 1935 like stated earlier, Acme Investment Company took over and it became Sky Harbor Airport (Dimas, 1999). Since then Sky Harbor has really become one of the most well known airports and continues to grow.

- Valeria Espinoza and Evelyn Ruiz

Sources

Lukinbeal, Chris. (2003). Mexican urban colonias in the salt river valley of Arizona

Smith, M., Peter. (1995). Proposition 187: Global trend or local narrative? Explaining Anti-
immigrant politics in Arizona. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research,
19, p. 664. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2427.1995.tb003534x

Trujillo, OV. (1998). The Yaqui of Guadalupe, Arizona: A century of cultural survival through trilingualism. American Indian culture and research journal, 22. p. 67.

Hohokam Freeway (State Route 143)

Agriculture has always been very important to the people of Arizona in order to have life on the lands. The Hohokam Indians settled here around 300 A.D. They settled here and built canals. They didn’t realize that they would be the reason others were able to settle here many years later. Anglos and Mexican-Americans were a big part of south Phoenix before Sky Harbor took many of their homes in the early 1900’s. Minorities have always had a hard time when it comes to settling and being able to keep their lands. Chase building is an iconic building known for having the beloved Arizona Diamondbacks. Many populated areas in Phoenix have been taken over by now greatly recognized buildings and the history behind it has been forgotten.

Arizona State Route 143 was a more significant area before the freeway was conveniently placed there. The Hohokam Indians were very crafty when it came to making life happen in Arizona’s dry heat. They made a living by growing their own crops through the irrigation systems they made themselves. They were big on growing corn and cotton. The Hohokam came from what is now known as Mexico. They lived here for a couple of centuries (15th and 16th). (John, 2006) There is not a set in stone fact as to how the Hohokam people left this area. There are many theories as to where they went. One of the theories is that they migrated back to Mexico due to a drought in Arizona. The next theory is that they actually stayed here and evolved culturally, becoming what is now known Pima people or Papago. There was an excavation at the site before construction began, and that is when archaeologist discovered a great treasure. (Hayden 1970) The Hohokam site was discovered in 1953. The site consisted of around 55 housing for the Hohokam dating as far as 300 AD. There were many valuable artifacts left behind, such as the material they would use to make their houses and their everyday domestication. Estimates were made when looking as to how far back these artifacts really were; holes are 800-year-old fire pits. Dart said, “Ash in the soil and cracked stones nearby reveal that the structures had been destroyed by fire.” The recent excavation entailed work on four Hohokam dwellings, known as “pit houses,” along the south side of Whitehouse Canyon Road. This is the reason the freeway was named after the people that occupied this space. When construction was about to begin there was an archaeologist sent out because it is a procedure. When they found all of these treasures and bodies, they were removed. (Randall, 1987) Many centuries later, freeway 143 (later known as Hohokam freeway) was going to be built exiting the sky harbor airport. An archeologist was brought in to excavate the area and see what grounds were going to be destroyed. It is a rule that any ground believed to have had a buried past must be checked. Archeologist from U of A came along and excavated the area. They found hundreds of bodies of the Hohokam people underground. The findings have been cremated before being buried and also handed over to the Salt River Pima Community for reburial. This is done in order to put the spirits back to rest. This site is now only merely a highway. Serving a different purpose nowadays. (Woodbury, 1961)

- Evelyn Ruiz and Valeria Espinoza

Sources

Hayden, D. Julian. (1970), American Antiquity. Vol. 35 No 1

John M. Briggs, Katherine A. Spielmann, Hoski Schaafsma, Keith W. Kintigh, Melissa Kruse, Morehouse, and Karen Schollmeyer. 2006

Randall H. McGuire and Ann Valdo Howar Kiva Vol. 52, No. 2 (Winter, 1987), pp. 113-146
Woodbury, R. B. (1961), A Reappraisal of Hohokam Irrigation. American Anthropologist,
63: 550–560. doi: 10.1525/aa.1961.63.3.02a00070

Woodbury, R. B. (1961), A Reappraisal of Hohokam Irrigation. American Anthropologist,
63: 550–560. doi: 10.1525/aa.1961.63.3.02a00070

Wells Fargo Tower (Plaza)

Wells Fargo Plaza, 2011 (Photo by Dejaren Stewart)

Wells Fargo Plaza Entrance Walkway (Photo by Dejaren Stewart)

100 West Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85003

The Wells Fargo Tower, also referred to as the Wells Fargo Plaza, is a skyscraper located in Phoenix, Arizona at 100 West Washington Street. The building was opened October 25, 1971, but it was originally a First National Bank Plaza. One major area of notoriety for this building is the controversial protests by Phoenix citizens due to one of the offices being used by Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The reason many people dislike him is because of his often racially motivated methods of arrest and treatment of people in his custody. In one case, a drifter named Jefferson Davis McGee was arrested under suspicion of the rape and murder of an 8 year old girl. McGee was not guilty of this crime, or any other, but was arrested and intentionally put in the general population of a maximum security prison. Accused child molesters are usually kept separate because other inmates can inform on or assault the prisoner. This was the exact intention. An example of this is when a community group called Puente, which is Spanish for bridge, announced that they would hold protests in front of the Wells Fargo Plaza on every weekday between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. The intention of these protests was to convince Wells Fargo to have Arpaio’s office vacated. After a number of protests like this, Joe Arpaio was eventually forced to leave his office in 2010. He had started renting the space in 1998 and was set to occupy it through 2013. Unfortunately for supporters of the protest, even though he was evicted early, Arpaio received $360,000 from Maricopa County to move his staff. This situation is just one in which Wells Fargo as a company has become involved in racially motivated debates. Wells Fargo is one of the largest investors in Geo Group, Inc., which is the second largest private prison company in the world. Along with accepting contracts from various government agencies, the company also pushes for stricter rules for the enforcement of immigration. As a result, when Wells Fargo began to financially support them, many American citizens were outraged. For example, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Center, a detention facility in Tacoma, Washington, is known by nearby residents to hold its detainees without rights to the point where people have compared it to a concentration camp. This center is owned by Geo Group and is therefore indirectly sponsored by Wells Fargo. As a result, many Wells Fargo buildings have been vandalized by supporters of the Smash ICE movement, a social movement meant to push for change in the center’s policies.

- Brandon Lev and Dejaren Stewart

Sources

Barraza, E. (n.d.). New batch of protests target Wells Fargo. Retrieved from http://barriozona.com/protests_target_wells_fargo_tower_in_downtown_phoenix.html
Dolan , E. (2011, November 10). Wells Fargo takes heat over investments in private prison industry. Retrieved from http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/11/10/group-calls-on-wells-fargo-to-come-clean-about-private-prison-investments/

Holstege, S. (2010). Arpaio to get $360,000 to help move staff. Arizona Republic, B.3. Retrieved from http://login.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/docview/807433860?accountid=4485

Nelson, R. (2003). Jailhouse justice: New evidence suggests Sheriff Joe’s running his empire as if it were a Mexican prison. Phoenix New Times, 32(108), Retrieved from http://login.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/docview/207479552?accountid=4485

Stern, R. (2010). Wells Fargo booting sheriff Joe Arpaio out of its downtown phoenix building, source says. Phoenix New Times, Retrieved from http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2010/02/wells_fargo_booting_sheriff_jo.php
Wells Fargo plaza. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.glasssteelandstone.com/BuildingDetail/2740.php
(2008). Property destruction turns up the heat: Riot 2010 & smash ice. Earth First, 28(6), 20-21. Retrieved from http://login.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/docview/221809883?accountid=4485

Arizona State Capitol

1700 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85034

The Arizona State Capital is the location where all the major state legislation is created. Bills including SB 1070 and the Indian Child Welfare Ace have been reviewed and either passed or rejected here. This site was chosen because it is the center of politics and power for Arizona. Everything we have spoken about in class, in someway or another can be traced back to the government and this is where the government does its work in the State of Arizona.

Throughout US history there has always been issues with the Indian people. In this case an act was passed that would remove Indian children from their homes if it was deemed their welfare was at risk. Barbara Atwood talks about this law and how controversial it has been because it was seen as a way to “whiten” Indian children.

An article by David A. Selden reviews the process in which SB 1070 went prior to being signed. He points out the defects in the legislative procedures and practices that were demonstrated by the Arizona State Government. He speaks about how this law is controversial due to the possibility of racial profiling.

Not everything is left to the legislation of Arizona though. In some cases such as Medical Marijuana the decision was left up to a vote of the people. Both of these are systems this country was founded on both but both seem to be flawed in one way or another. The article by Melanie M. Wall talks about how the states who have passed the Medical Marijuana law have seen a rise in adolescent Marijuana use.

The capital building is no longer where legislation is created but is now the Arizona Capital Museum. The executive offices have been moved to the adjacent buildings, which is where legislation is created.

- Dejaren Stewart and Brandon Lev


Sources

Atwood, Barbara. "The Voice of the Indian Child: Strengthening the Indian Child Welfare Act Through Children's Participation." Arizona Law Review 50 (2008). Lexis.com. Web. 27 Nov. 2011.

Seldan, David A., Julie A. Pace, and Heidi Nunn-Gilman. "Placing S.B. 1070 And Racial Profiling Into Context, And What S.B. 1070 Reveals About The Legislative Process In Arizona." Arizona State Law Journal 43 (2011). Lexis.com. Web. 27 Nov. 2011. .

Wall, Melanie M., Ernest Poh, Magdalena Cerda, Katherine M. Keyes, Sandro Glaea, and Deborah S. Hasin. "Adolescent Marijuana Use from 2002 to 2008: Higher in States with Medical Marijuana Laws, Cause Still Unclear." Annals of Epidemiology 21.9 (2011): 714-16. ScienceDirect. Web. 26 Nov. 2011. .

Phoenix Rescue Mission

1801 S. 35th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85009

The Phoenix Rescue Mission was founded in 1952 by six businessmen from Phoenix. It was originally known as the Phoenix Gospel Mission and was originally located on S. 3rd St in Phoenix. The Mission’s goal was to provide an evening meal, Chapel services and clothes to migrant workers and vagrants. This site was chosen because for almost 60 years the mission has been helping people who are unable to help themselves do to their inequality. Throughout the years there have been many different directors but the goal has stayed the same, to help.

The Mission started out serving between 35 and 50 people each day but has now expanded to hold 150 emergency shelter beds, a 21 bed addiction recovery program, career education as well as Chapel services, service countless people each day.They also provide daily necessities to people such as a toothbrush. One might not think that this is very important to a homeless person but there was a study done that shows the relationship between dental issues in homeless and their depression. Minor things can turn into major ones, especially when you are homeless and something as small as brushing your teeth daily could be the difference between life and death for a homeless person.

By giving people career education they have the ability to enter the world and fend for themselves. Some people who have major mental illnesses tend to have trouble holding down a job due to their metal illness and career education can help fix that. By teaching someone a set of specific skills they are able to get survive. An Article by Craig M. Coldwell and William S. Bender talks about how assertive communities such as this one have effectively helped people with mental illness learn to survive in life.

Another thing that shelters such as these do is help people that others don’t want to help, such as ex convicts. Not only do they help ex convicts but it also gives them the ability to survive in the world, legally. But unfortunately not everyone can survive legally, a study done by Stephen Metraux and Dennis P. Culhane examining relationship between shelter use and the reincarceration rate of approximately 50,000 people who were released from a New York State prison. Their study found that about 11.4% of the people involved entered a shelter within two years of release and 32.8% of that group were again imprisoned. It is places like the Phoenix Rescue Mission that help people get back on their feet or give them an alternative way to survive that does not include illegal activities.

This site would relate mostly to the activism theme that will be discussed in this course, because it represents people going out of their way to help others. In this case it is a religious based reason to help others, their website says the God is calling on people to help. But in class we have also spoken about the massive rise in the prison population and the study done by Metraux looks at what happens after imprisonment

- Dejaren Stewart and Brandon Lev


Sources

http://www.phoenixrescuemission.org

Coldwell, Craig M., and William S. Bender. "The Effectiveness of Assertive Community Treatment for Homeless Populations With Severe Mental Illness: A Meta-Analysis." The American Journal of Psychiatry 164.3 (2007): 393-99. PsychiatryOnline | Home. Web. 27 Nov. 2011. .

Coles, Emma, Karen Chan, Jennifer Collins, Gerry M. Humphris, Derek Richards, Brian Williams, and Ruth Freeman. "Decayed and Missing Teeth and Oral-health-related Factors: Predicting Depression in Homeless People." Journal of Psychosomatic Research 71.2 (2011): 108-12. ScienceDirect - Home. Web. 28 Nov. 2011. .

Metraux, Stephen, and Dennis P. Culhane. "HOMELESS SHELTER USE AND REINCARCERATION AFTER PRISON RELEASE." 3.2 (2004): 201-22. Works.bepress.com. Web. 27 Nov. 2011.

Sky Harbor International Airport

View of new (center) and old (background) control tower (FindTheBest)    

Western Airlines delivery to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, 1972 (Goleta Air and Space Museum)

3400 East Sky Harbor Boulevard, Phoenix, AZ 85034

To many, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a quick getaway in the center of a large city that is easy to access. This airport is used as an airport and air carrier to transport people, equipment and services internationally (Aviation Week, 2011). It is a fast-growing airport where many (tourists, business people, and residents) fly in and out from. Founded in 1928, Phoenix Sky Harbor airport was just a small, ordinary transportation center that became large and important post-wars (Aviation Week, 2011).

During World War II, the War Department needed to locate four air training centers. These centers needed to be on flatlands on the east, west, and north end of the city. Four were built where they produced airplane parts and balloons. As manufacturing emerged, in 1942, an AiResearch plant was built at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport by Garrett Corporation. From then on out, Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport kept expanding. After the Cold War, in 1947, the city of Phoenix became a huge attraction due to its weather, people, and businesses. The city became the largest center of trade. Due to this, the population increased up to sixty three percent since the 1940s (Konig, 1982).

Now, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is one of the nation’s five fastest-growing airports. With a great number of travelers from around the world, the airport’s structure creates difficulties with maintenance and keeping up with everything. In 2001, with the expanding business at the airport, proposals had to be made to go wireless, improve car rentals, open a third runway, improve employment centers, and to accommodate easier access through light rail (Balzer, 2001).

In September of 2010, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport became a new home of the United Service Organizations center (USO) for military members. USO is a non-profit group that offers support, entertainment, and comforts veterans, military members and their families at many different locations (Gersema, 2010).

With Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport being overly crowded and busy, the security, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) should be at top notch. In 2008, they faced not their only problem. TSA is in charged for securely and safely checking baggage and people as they cross a check-point. However, for ongoing days, TSA shutdown for four hours every night. This was allowing an open door for anything and anyone to get through. Airports face many dilemmas and get taken care as quickly as possible (Kaufman, 2008).

Due to past events, such as the 9/11 terrorists attacks, airport security has modified into top-notch “protectors”. Security was much more cautious and sort of fallen to practice differential racialization. Certain races would be “randomly” chosen for a body search. Around this time, it was those of Arab decent (Murphy, 2002).

- Yonas Moges and Deveron Carr


Sources


Balzer, S. (2001, Feb 16). Growth creates greater challenges across the board. The Business
Journal – Serving Phoenix & the Valley of the Sun. Retrieved November 28, 2011 from http://galenet.galegroup.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/servlet/BCRC?srchtp=adv&c=1&ste=31&tbst=tsVS&tab=2&aca=nwmg&bConts=2&RNN=A71019042&docNum=A71019042&locID=asuniv&finalAuth=true

Gersema, E. (2010, Sept 02). Sky Harbor land USO. Arizona Republic. Retrieved November
28, 2011 from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/docview/749696980/abstract

Kaufman, D. (2008, Jun 16). Security Risks at Sky Harbor. TelevisionWeek. Retrieved
November 28, 2011 from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/docview/203851170/abstract

Konig, M. (1982, Spring). Phoenix in the 1950s Urban Growth in the “Sunbelt”. Arizona and
the West 24:1, 19-38. Retrieved on November 28, 2011 from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40169000

Murphy, S. Contemporary Practice of the United States relating to International Law. The
American Journal of International Law 96:1, 237-255. Retrieved November 28, 2011 from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2686141

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (2011). Retrieved
November 28, 2011 from http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/WADProfileDashboard.do?parameter=showProfile&orgName=Phoenix%20Sky%20Harbor%20International%20Airport&orgid=15465

Escalante Community Center

Entrance to community center (City of Tempe Arizona)

Halloween, 2011 at the Escalante Community Center (About.com)    

2150 East Orange Street
, Tempe, AZ 85281

(480) 350-5800

Kids and community members attend Escalante Community Center because it is a center that tries to promote diversity to different cultures from every background. It focuses on socially organizing different programs for the youth of all different backgrounds within the community. These programs are offered through the Tempe Community Action Program, which was one of the Neighborhood Youth Corps. The Center was established in 1969 as a program that could meet the needs of the community. One of the Escalante’s main focuses was and still is teen dropout prevention. It offered youth employment programs to encourage kids to stay in school also to help them earn money that would help for the expenses of school, such as books, fees and clothing.

After 1971, the Escalante Center has merged into the community service department, meaning the center wants what’s best for the community and is making change to improve the needs of the neighborhood. The Community Service Department strives to enhance Tempe’s quality of life through superior customer focus and sustainable educational, recreational, and cultural and social services. It offers social and physical fitness programs to compliment daily nutritional meals. They have a variety of programs to fit the needs of preschoolers, youth, teens, seniors and families. The difference between what the center was and is now is that it had so little variety of programs that it offered then but now it offers year-round programs for all ages. A few of the programs are: the Youth Assistance Program, the Tempe Community Action Program and the Escalante Senior Center. The center began to offer social and physical fitness programs to compliment the senior’s daily meals. The Center is not just a center for a specific race or gender of people, but also a center that is for a vast variety of people of all different races and financial backgrounds. Majority of the Communities population consists of Hispanics, African Americans, and Caucasians.

This center is surrounded by a community where numerous walls are tagged up, and houses and cars are beat up. More so a run-down neighborhood full of crime; that did not stop the community from finding the Escalante Center as a second home. It is not often that you see a run-down neighborhood in Tempe; however, the strength of the community has been uplifting the youth in providing a better future. Escalante is a private company that is categorized under social service and welfare organizations. The center is also sponsored by numerous non-profit organizations that help families and individuals in need (Johnson, 1994).

- Yonas Moges and Deveron Carr


Sources

Johnson, D. (1994). Escalante community center history. City of Tempe Arizona.
Retrieved November 5, 2011 from http://www.tempe.gov/escalante/escalante_community_center_history.htm