Beyond Just Our Poverty

Mark Trevino moved into his brothers home after his had burned down. Trevino lost his niece a year ago in a fire at his parents home.
Richard Trevino lives with his brother. They have no running water, air conditioning or heat. His only form of heat is a small space heater that sometimes does work. A heater just like this one caused the fire that burned down their mothers home.

Mark, already in his late twenties, was jumped at his neighbors house by five men. His ribs were swollen, face bruised, and his back was severely scratched from dragging him on the concrete. This sort of group violence is not uncommon he said.

A man takes food to his dogs. "Even the dogs are poor in the colonias," he said jokingly.

Like many poverty stricken areas, drugs are an escape from the turmoils that have surrounded their daily lives in the colonias. This user said he has been smoking crack as a way to get rid of all the pain in his life.