Immigration

Teenage Photographers: Migration of the Minds

editor — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 11:16:11 -0700

Teenagers, many of them children of migrant farmers, frame up photos at Fender's Farm in Washington County, TN, as part of a multicultural education project -- "Growing Tennessee."
Photo: Katie Connors

Rural America has a reputation as the land of Anglo-only residents, of folks who lack culture in part because they've never known people of different ethnic backgrounds. That assumption's wrong, and Telamon’s Youth Initiative in rural Tennessee is proving it.

"Growing Tennessee: Rural Youth Cultivate Common Ground" ("Growing Tennessee" for short) is helping unite the Appalachian and Latino cultures. The project involves fifty students, junior high and high school ages. Half are from rural Appalachian families and half are children of migrant parents. Working with top-notch photographers, the students learn camera basics; then they photograph whatever is important to them and explore their photography -- and their cultures -- with one another.

Some students are migrant workers themselves, others are Latinos who are now native to the area, and others are white farmers’ children whose families have lived in Appalachia for generations. Students are able to share their heritage and background, and break past the "uncultured" stereotypes of Appalachia. Diversity is apparent in the mountains, and "Growing Tennessee" highlights that.

More Latinos Have Less Voice in Washington State Politcs

editor — Sat, 3 May 2008 10:02:34 -0700

For the third straight year, a study of Hispanic representation in Washington state's politics finds Latinos are underrepresented.

New Raids Sweep Up Workers in Five States

editor — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 06:53:09 -0700

Federal officials arrested nearly 300 workers at chicken processing plants in five states yesterday, according to the Dall

What's Holding Back Hispanic Voters?

editor — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:33:39 -0700

In blue: non-metro counties where the number of Hispanic residents more than doubled in the 1990s

Sen. John McCain's position on immigration -- and his Arizona credentials -- may win him Hispanic votes this fall. Sen. Barack Obama has received the endorsement of Bill Richardson, the only Hispanic governor in the US. The Clintons, both candidate Hillary and her husband, campaigned hard and won big among Latinos in the Texas primary. Seems everyone is polishing his or her "Si, se puede." And today, with more Hispanic Americans dispersed through small communities in the U.S., courting the Latino vote means going rural.

But while Hispanics are the fastest growing ethnic group in the U.S., they are less likely than non-Hispanic whites or blacks to vote. And research by the U.S. Census suggests that there are barriers -- actual and/or perceived -- to Hispanic voter registration.

March Begins to Protest Border Fence

editor — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 07:12:07 -0700

Those opposed to a border fence have begun a nine-day protest march across South Texas. The group includes ranchers, school administrators, students and river runners.