BOISE, Idaho (CN) — Idaho is changing, and changing fast. Expansion in the state capital of Boise has left it almost unrecognizable from just a few years ago. So-called coastal refugees from the West Coast have sent the state’s population skyrocketing, making Idaho one of the fastest-growing states in the country.
One major and unsung hero behind all this growth is Idaho’s Hispanic community. A driving force behind the state’s agriculture-focused economy, their growth has outpaced that of every other racial group in the state for the last three decades.
And yet these gains have not always translated to Hispanic people in the Gem State, who experts say are underinsured and underrepresented in state politics and business. As the state’s Hispanic population continues to grow, community leaders are scrambling to understand and address these gaps.
Take business loans, an important tool for immigrants hoping to climb up the economic ladder. In Idaho, Hispanic people are rejected for business loans at higher rates than their non-Hispanic counterparts, said Mari Romos, executive director at the Idaho Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Differing cultural perspectives on money management could play a role in that gap, but there are also “barriers of communication between the financial institutions and our families,” Romos said in an interview. “There is a need for these institutions to change some of their processes and handle them differently, so more people can qualify for these loans to grow their business.”
Among the processes Romos would like to see changed is the reliance on technology and technical English in the business-loan application process. Loan forms are often written in dense legalese, and some major banks and lenders in Idaho expect applicants to fill out the forms online. Both can be a big hurdle for Hispanic people seeking loans, Romos said.
“There is a whole different language in business that even a native English speaker might struggle to understand,” Romos added. “When somebody’s first language is not English, all of that financial language could be a barrier.”
Just translating the documents into Spanish might not be enough. “We have a lot of first-generation Hispanic families in Idaho with literacy levels that are not up to par,” said Margie Gonzalez, executive director at the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs. She urges lenders to think outside the box when it comes to reaching Hispanic loan applicants, including with tools like radio campaigns.
“A lot of families still get a lot of their information through a radio outlet, believe it or not,” Gonzalez said. ”Translating documents is just not the only answer.”
Business loans are just one area where Hispanic Idahoans are lagging behind others in the Gem State. Many Hispanic people here work in agricultural jobs that don’t provide health insurance, leaving around 25% of Hispanics uninsured compared to the state average of about 13%.
That imbalance has spillover effects, resulting in worse health outcomes for Hispanic people in Idaho. Compared to their non-Hispanic counterparts, Hispanic people in the Gem State are more likely to be overweight and to struggle with issues like diabetes. In Idaho schools, Hispanic kids are less likely to join any type of athletic team — if they can even afford it.
Like with money management, some of these inequities might be linked to different cultural perspectives on medical care. Hispanic families may put their faith in home remedies and non-traditional medicine before visiting a doctor or hospital, Gonzalez said.
Still, just like with business loans, simple changes — like longer operating hours at clinics — could go a long way towards closing this gap, she said.
“A lot of our Hispanic families work non-traditional jobs,” Gonzalez said. “They don’t work eight to five.” By offering medical services at more convenient times — say, from 1 until 8 p.m. — the state healthcare system can help ensure that Hispanic Idahoans are able to make routine medical visits and seek out preventative care. “A lot of families wouldn’t end up in the ER."
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