Day opens up dialogue in community about immigration integra

[jp_48504]

Publish Date: 11/19/2006


Dialogue partners Bill Cohen, left, of Boulder and Carlos Parra of Westminster participate in Immigrant Integration Dialogue Day at Niwot High School on Saturday. About 50 people were in attendance. Times-Call/Lewis Geyer

Let’s talk
Day opens up dialogue in community about immigration integration

By Katherine Michalske
The Daily Times-Call

NIWOT — About 70 people — including a home-schooling suburban housewife, the founder of the Latino Chamber of Commerce and a Peruvian immigrant — broke through the language barrier Saturday to share their hopes, fears and concerns about immigration.

“The way to really start understanding things is for people to meet people,” said Ann Rick, who was one of 70 people who gathered at Niwot High School Saturday for Dialogues on Immigration and Integration.

While the discussions remained fairly open, the dialogue addressed specific topics: education; family and culture; jobs and economy; public safety and law; health and services.

People conversed one-on-one and in small groups, with the help of interpreters, and found common ground and differences.

Alejandro M. Rosas, who emigrated from Oaxaca, Mexico, said he works 80-hour weeks to improve the lives of his family.

That story had a familiar ring to Walter Gallacher, whose family immigrated from Scotland before he was born.

“My father worked 60 hours a week so we wouldn’t have to work so hard,” Gallacher said.

But Rosas noted that not all Mexican immigrants are here to stay.

“People come here to help their families and go back,” Rosas said in Spanish.

And many in this country see that as a problem.

“I think we agree that a few years ago, immigration was handled differently. People came into this country, and they assimilated,” said Charlie VonSchlesien, a home-schooling mom after conversing with Peruvian immigrant Jorge Bensus with the assistance of a translator.

Bensus agreed, saying, “In general, the immigrant comes here to make something and take it back to their country. They’re not interested in assimilating.”

That’s not the case, though, with Maria Lourdes Sosa.

“I love this country. I’ve been here 15 years,” Sosa said in Spanish, as she choked back tears while discussing her life as an undocumented Mexican immigrant.

“I have no intentions of going back,” she said.

Immigrants who have assimilated still face challenges, noted Miguel Medina, founder of the Latino Chamber of Commerce. Medina was 15 years old when he emigrated from Puerto Rico with his father in 1954.

Medina said he has experienced discrimination, and even his grandchildren have had people treat them differently because of their appearance.

“When something like that happens, I try not to get mad. I try to change it around,” Medina said. “You have to try to put that aside and keep going with your dreams.”

After Medina shared a personal approach to dealing with negative stereotypes, others shared a larger viewpoint on combating problems with immigration.

“I don’t think we’ll be able to solve the problem until we look at what’s happening in these other countries,” said Jo Stowell, who was visiting her daughter from Spokane, Wash. “We have to start thinking globally. We have to start thinking beyond the nation.”

While much of the meeting was about integration of immigrants, Creighton Stewart, who attended Community Dialogues on Immigrant Integration meetings in October, pointed out that little was being said of illegal immigrants.

“I find this whole thing to be

one-sided. What’s not coming out is that the undocumented immigrant is a problem,” Stewart said.

But he added that illegal immigrants are “afraid, and it disturbs me that they’re afraid. I don’t believe you should be afraid in the United States of America.”

While the dialogues tackle an issue that can be overwhelming, they all come back to the community.

“Moving to a different community is hard, and not just if you’re from another country,” Myrna Ann Adkins said. “Being a newcomer and learning about that community is difficult. The more the community helps in that process, the easier it is.”

Dialogues on Immigration and Integration will continue with an Action Forum from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 2 at Niwot High School. The forum will focus on solutions to immigrant integration. To register or for more information. call 303-443-0419, Ext. 117, or e-mail info@immigrant-integration.org.

Katherine Michalske can be contacted at 303-684-5336 or tcnewsintern1@times-call.com.
Bensus agreed, saying, “In general, the immigrant comes here to make something and take it back to their country. They’re not interested in assimilating.”

That’s not the case, though, with Maria Lourdes Sosa.

“I love this country. I’ve been here 15 years,” Sosa said in Spanish, as she choked back tears while discussing her life as an undocumented Mexican immigrant.

“I have no intentions of going back,” she said.

Immigrants who have assimilated still face challenges, noted Miguel Medina, founder of the Latino Chamber of Commerce. Medina was 15 years old when he emigrated from Puerto Rico with his father in 1954.

Medina said he has experienced discrimination, and even his grandchildren have had people treat them differently because of their appearance.

“When something like that happens, I try not to get mad. I try to change it around,” Medina said. “You have to try to put that aside and keep going with your dreams.”

After Medina shared a personal approach to dealing with negative stereotypes, others shared a larger viewpoint on combating problems with immigration.

“I don’t think we’ll be able to solve the problem until we look at what’s happening in these other countries,” said Jo Stowell, who was visiting her daughter from Spokane, Wash. “We have to start thinking globally. We have to start thinking beyond the nation.”

While much of the meeting was about integration of immigrants, Creighton Stewart, who attended Community Dialogues on Immigrant Integration meetings in October, pointed out that little was being said of illegal immigrants.

“I find this whole thing to be

one-sided. What’s not coming out is that the undocumented immigrant is a problem,” Stewart said.

But he added that illegal immigrants are “afraid, and it disturbs me that they’re afraid. I don’t believe you should be afraid in the United States of America.”

While the dialogues tackle an issue that can be overwhelming, they all come back to the community.

“Moving to a different community is hard, and not just if you’re from another country,” Myrna Ann Adkins said. “Being a newcomer and learning about that community is difficult. The more the community helps in that process, the easier it is.”

Dialogues on Immigration and Integration will continue with an Action Forum from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 2 at Niwot High School. The forum will focus on solutions to immigrant integration. To register or for more information. call 303-443-0419, Ext. 117, or e-mail info@immigrant-integration.org.

Katherine Michalske can be contacted at 303-684-5336 or tcnewsintern1@times-call.com.

http://www.longmontfyi.com/Local-Story.asp?id=11268

[Newmexican]

I used to live in Niwot. It is the hip pocket of ultra libral, Boulder.

[2ndamendsis]

“I love this country. I’ve been here 15 years,” Sosa said in Spanish, as she choked back tears while discussing her life as an undocumented Mexican immigrant.

“I have no intentions of going back,” she said.

POPPYCOCK!
If she LOVED this country so much she'd have learned rudimentary English by now...........15 freaking years!!

[jp_48504]

“I love this country. I’ve been here 15 years,” Sosa said in Spanish, as she choked back tears while discussing her life as an undocumented Mexican immigrant.

“I have no intentions of going back,” she said.

POPPYCOCK!
If she LOVED this country so much she'd have learned rudimentary English by now...........15 freaking years!!