Latino Voices: Examining Immigration in OUR Community

Migration is the oldest action against poverty. It selects those who most want help. It is good for the country to which they go; it helps break the equilibrium of poverty in the country from which they come. What is the perversity in the human soul that causes people to resist so obvious a good?
-JOHN KENNETH GALBRAITH

*video courtesy of We Can Stop The Hate

Valued Contributions of Immigrants to Our Community and State

Hateful rhetoric and dangerous myths are becoming common place in our daily conversations and media depictions of immigrants and the issue of immigration. The Resource Center approaches immigration from a perspective that celebrates the immigrant community and does not criminalize it. Minnesota’s new immigrants infuse our communities with much-needed economic development, increasing resources for government, schools and businesses. Their experiences, creativity, love for family and dreams for the future help make Minnesota a dynamic place to live.

Program Description

Latino Voices aims to highlight these contributions in order to foster greater understanding of the importance of immigrants and a fair, humane immigration system to our state. The program consists of a three-member panel, made up of a recent Latino immigrant, a Latino business owner, and a social service worker that works with the Latino Community. An experienced facilitator guides the panel and inserts key facts about the past and present reality of immigration in this country. Panelists discuss their reasons for coming to the United States, what life is like for them now, the successes and challenges immigrants face, and their hopes and dreams for the future.

After the presentations of the panelists, the audience is invited to ask questions. This provides a safe space for the enhancement of social dialogue and promotes mutual understanding between the audience and the panelists. It is our hope that this understanding will spread from the audience into the community, promoting greater understanding between cultures.

Program Outcomes

The Latino Voices program is designed to:

• Spread knowledge and understanding of the valuable economic and social contributions of Latinos to the State of Minnesota
• Create understanding of the global economic forces that cause people in Latin-America to leave their homes and migrate to the Unites State for work
• Dispel myths surrounding immigrants and immigration that perpetuate anti-immigrant sentiment
• Empower panel speakers as effective presenters and advocates
• Put a human face on the issue of immigration, fostering deeper personal understanding between people of different cultures
• Build a constituency in support of fair and humane treatment of immigrants
• Advocate for changes to policies and practices that are discriminatory or harmful to immigrants
• Position the Latino community to effectively address injustices in our economy and system of government
• Empower the non-immigrant Latino community to dispel stereotypes and secure education, health care, and employment
• Empower and provide support to social justice groups in faith communities to take action in support of immigrant rights

Book a Panel Presentation for Your Organization

To book a panel presentation for your group, please contact Stephanie at 612-276-0788 x1.

Learn More About Immigration

For more information on the issue of Immigration visit our immigration page.