Thread: Still going to Latino job fair 2/15, encouragement needed!

Well with the site down, I was feeling small and alone in this. I am still planning to go to the Latino Job Fair, but am feeling a little hesitant about how to handle myself and how to approach people.
ADVICE NEEDED. Any advice and words of encouragement will be appreciated.
I emailed our NBC affiliate here about a week ago and confronted them about their sponsorship of this racially divisive event. They have not yet responded. I wondered if they are expecting non-Hispanics to show up in protest?
So far I have no partner in this, but that's ok, would have been good to have someone there to witness this.
I am going to Office Depot and looking at some type of pocket recorder to catch any comments any might say to me.
Advice, advice, advice!!!

The recorder is a GREAT idea! Is there a reporter at the Portland paper that has written on illegal immigration from our point of view? That would be a good ally. You might want to visit Oregonians for Immigration Reform at: http://www.oregonir.org/

elizabeth - contact lars Larson- maybe he can help you in terms of a story- a recorder or even go with you !

I would show up with a video camera and tape converstations with as many people as you can there. Simply get them to say their names and to admit they are there illegally on tape. It'd be even better if you have someone that is and speaks fluent spanish.

Turn a copy of the tape over to ICE and the other to a less than liberal media outlet with your story.

If you go in with a video camera by yourself, you'll probably get mobbed, have your camera, and yourself smashed by the.... "people seeking a better life".



Do the mini-casette recorder thing, instead. Or use one of those button- hole cameras.



Don't be overt unless you have a big escort or two.



Remember, in the new America, Your rights only go as far as the mob's wishes. (or your escorts ability to protect you.)


Just a suggestion, I don't know if your town's police have a history of standing by, and watching the citizenry be beat-down by foreign mobs.

pa

Originally Posted by phoenixashes

If you go in with a video camera by yourself, you'll probably get mobbed, have your camera, and yourself smashed by the.... "people seeking a better life".

I've done it before. Nothing has happened to me or my camera. Ok, granted there are a few mitigating circumstances in my favor. It's still not impossible to do with the right moxy.

Thelma, I emailed Lars and have had no response, so I figure he does not have the time (?).
As for going alone, yep, just me, but I will ask a friend to at least borrow her little recorder. I was going to buy one, but figured I'd just borrow hers.
I think a video camera would make people be more polite than they would if they did not know they were being recorded.
Recording them indescreetly would be the way to go.
It's disappointing up here, knowing there are few who want to confront these issues. Although I realize most have to be at work, thats inevitable.
So (deep breath....) wish me luck and hopefully it all goes well (what am I looking for? I'll know it when I see it and hear it!).

Hi Elizabeth.

what am I looking for? I'll know it when I see it and hear it!

For one thing, you are looking for the reaction you are going to get when you try to apply for a job.

This is how I would proceed:

I also would caution you to be discreet.. your interviewers will be more careless in their words if you just seem to be some poor clueless little white girl than if they catch on that you are there as a protest. If you are planning to openly protest, you could do it after you have been refused on tape. And after you have walked around getting some of the conversations you want on tape.

Here's a little Spanish lesson for you to use on other jobseekers. I wish I could be there with you to get people talking freely in Spanish. But you can ask them...

Este trabajo es para gente sin documentos, o no? (looking very innocently inquiring, like you might be inquiring for a friend who is undocumented)

Is this work for undocumented people or not?

"gente" is pronounced "hente"

There will probably be news coverage anyway, so if you decide to do a protest after you get the refusal on tape, bring yourself and your signage in front of the NEWS. (that also give you a little protection because if people do attack you, it will all be on camera). If you can get photographed with your sign "RACIAL DISCRIMINATION", someone might want to do an interview with you. If they do, tell them your rights have been violated and you have been discriminated against.
Tell them the conversation of refusal and bring them back to the table where it happened. AFTER the interviewer who refused you DENIES everything, THEN produce the tape!!

I think that is the best use of the tape.

G-d Bless. I'll be praying for you. You are a brave girl.

Well I'm sorry to say, I was unable to make it to this today. Have had this weird cold going around and it has turned ugly. I pouted for a bit and then thought thru what else I could do. So I will still attempt to contact the stations that promoted and sponsored it, and it will be by letter.
I will let them know that I will be posting those letters on this site for all to see, and their illegal act of supporting an event that promoted racial preferances in pre-employment screenings is very un-American and also had the potential to be attracting illegal aliens, which is also against federal laws.