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Hispanic forum at Richmond church
Coalition uses humor to teach immigrants about serious issues
BY JUAN ANTONIO LIZAMA
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Sunday, August 27, 2006


Portraying Walter Mercado, a flamboyant astrologer well-known among Hispanics, Cristina Rebeil appeared with a flowery oversized robe and a white mop-head wig.

The character Mercado supposedly had just crossed the border illegally and wanted to know from those already here how the system works.

"Look, Walter," said another actor, "the first thing you have to know is that you have to be careful who you tell about your immigration status. A lot of people will ask you questions about this, and you don't have to answer them . . . especially to the police."

The skits were a humorous approach by a coalition of Richmond-area organizations trying to help the Hispanic community with serious matters.

Yesterday's forum, conducted in Spanish and English at Branch's Baptist Church in South Richmond, sought to educate immigrants about the education system, citizenship benefits, the importance of voting and how laws are passed, and the need to get involved to make changes. About 75 people, most of them immigrants, attended.

Organizers held voter registration on site, too.

Rebeil and a group of amateur actors dramatized how a bill passed in the House of Representatives last year would make illegal immigrants felons and how their involvement - whether they were legal or illegal - has an impact on proposed federal, state and local laws.

A major issue to Hispanics that was dramatized and discussed was education, especially college education for illegal immigrants.

Douglas García, a Virginia assistant secretary of education, spoke about Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's preschool initiative. He also emphasized that education decisions are made at all levels, and he explained how parents can get involved in their children's education.

"Something that I've seen in the Latino community, unfortunately, is that [many] parents are not involved in the education of their children," he said. "If they are not involved, it's going to be very difficult for a student to succeed."

State Sen. Benjamin J. Lambert III, D-Richmond, said he will support a bill carried over to next year's General Assembly session that would give illegal immigrants in-state tuition if they meet certain criteria.

He also spoke to the group about the process of how laws are enacted in the assembly.

The reason he became involved in politics, he said, was to make America what it should be. Lambert, who is black, recalled how he attended a segregated school and how proud he was that his generation has made significant changes to the law.

"This is why groups like you need to become involved to change a law, amend a law and get rid of some laws and make America what it should be."

Rebeil said she was moved by Lambert's story about living through segregation.

"To have him tell his experience, it really came home for people," she said.

Calletano Soto, a carpenter from Mexico, said he was glad he came to the forum.

"I learned that as an immigrant, I must not walk with my head down."


Contact staff writer Juan Antonio Lizama at jlizama@timesdispatch.com or (804) 649-6513.