Strong networks provide extremely helpful and important resources to every individual. Establishing a network, whether through social media or personal interactions and meetings, can be very beneficial in an endless number of situations. This is especially true for immigrants who leave the comfort and security of their families and native culture and are faced with unfamiliar situations- language barriers, not being accustomed to social norms, looking to establish themselves, find a job and a good school for their children etc. Studies show that immigrants arriving to the United States, and elsewhere, tend to end up settling in culturally diverse cities (Gimpel, 1999).
Immigrants of the same ethnic group often end up in clusters within a given region, probably as a coping mechanism so as to avoid major culture shock. Once settled in these areas, immigrants are able to reestablish themselves and begin networking within the community.
It is also extremely important for campaigns and organizations to have a solid, vast network in order to be effective and make a significant impact. The CABE network can be represented through a VUE map as seen below (clicking on the image will enlarge it). This is a preliminary network representation based on my own research and will probably evolve as I learn more about the CABE organization.
Sources:
Gimpel, James. “Migration, Immigration and the Politics of Places | Center for Immigration Studies.” Center for Immigration Studies. Oct. 1999. Web. 06 Apr. 2012. <http://www.cis.org/InternalMigration-GeographicMobility>.
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