There are two popular groups living in El Barrio; Puerto Ricans and African Americans. According to the 1990 census, sixteen percent of people living in El Barrio were unemployed compared to nine percent for all of New York City (Bourgois, 4). Thus, "about one-half of the residents in the neighborhood may be classed as poor, and the other half as very poor" (Bourgois, 63). .
The conditions of El Barrio are unpleasant compared to other places in New York City. For example, this is a description of streets in East Harlem during the 1930s, "the street was very dirty, refuse of various kinds such as watermelon rinds, banana peelings, broken glass was everywhere" (Bourgois, 63). These descriptions by ethnographers could as easily apply to the 1890s as they do to the1990s (Bourgois, 67). Even inside of many apartments of residents living in El Barrio were poorly taken care of due to poverty. For example, as stated by a philanthropic aid society, "Basic requirements for even minimal living [are] lacking the looting of water pipes, radiators, toilets, and bathtubs- (Bourgois, 66) There are also many pests including mice and rats that are in many of the buildings in El Barrio making the conditions even worse. Moreover, almost forty percent of El Barrio's tenants lived in the Housing Projects in the early 1990s and an additional twenty percent lived illegally in overcrowded project apartments. .
Dignity and respect are sought by everyone despite color of skin, gender, or race. As Bourgois (2002: 324) states, "like most humans on earth, in addition to material subsistence, they are also searching for dignity and fulfillment." Even people living in poor neighborhoods, such as El Barrio, want respect and pride. For instance, when Candy tried to show respect by dressing well, the judge misunderstood her and hurt Candy's feelings. Candy thought that if she would respect the judge, in return the judge would respect her.