Throughout New York and New Jersey, communities were devastated as Hurricane Sandy hit their shores in the final days of October. Entire cities and their communities suffered enormous damage and losses, now estimated to be in the billions. Businesses, homes and public building (schools, hospitals, etc.) were severely flooded and trees brought down by powerful winds scattered the roads. Although it was a month ago, there is still a massive amount of recovery work left to do.
Immigrant day laborers play a major role in post-disaster cleanup, relief and reconstruction. In many ways, day laborers are like first-responders in first phase reconstruction efforts. Like in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, Day Laborers are initially hired to perform cleanup, removal, and demolition.
The experience from Katrina, as in other disaster incidents, taught 3 important lessons to highlight related to day laborer recovery work:
- Day Labor work was integral to recovery but under appreciated (proven by wages, inattention to health and safety, and anti-immigrant abuse);
- Small funder intervention can help build lasting community institution; and
- As immigrant day laborers rebuild devastated cities, they not only reconstruct homes, offices and buildings. The also rebuild a sense of community and their valuable contribution within it.