Welcome
Wow, where to start? I am a resident of Lafayette who simply refuses to believe that the growing Hispanic and Latino population is a "problem" that needs to be "dealt with". I have serious doubts about whether they are taking "our" jobs, threatening our safety, or otherwise wreaking havoc on what "would be" an idyllic lifestyle but for "them". I think FUD - fear, uncertainty, and doubt - drives a lot of the backlash, and I'm here to try and counter it, in whatever small and unassuming ways I can.
I also have a feeling I'm not the only one in the community who feels this way. And I'd like others who aren't sure WHAT to think, to maybe be able to stop by here and get some answers. I don't have an agenda, I'm not running for office, and hey, I'm an Anglo, so I'm learning as I go just like a lot of us in the community. I have questions, just like everyone. I only intend to explore them, and others' questions, in an effort to understand.
I happen to know a few people in the community who might be willing to help with those questions and issues, and I'm counting on them to stop by and drop a comment or two on a regular basis. (Hello?! Consider yourselves fair warned ;-)
There's a LOT to cover. And I have no idea how this will play out, how often I'll post, or where we'll go. But I have a good feeling about it. And I'm willing to learn, change, and grow from this experience. I love Lafayette - I think it's a great place to live and work. I want to preserve that feeling, and I think the way to do so is to embrace the diversity that is before us. I look forward to the dialog, and I welcome your comments. I hope you'll check back often.
I also have a feeling I'm not the only one in the community who feels this way. And I'd like others who aren't sure WHAT to think, to maybe be able to stop by here and get some answers. I don't have an agenda, I'm not running for office, and hey, I'm an Anglo, so I'm learning as I go just like a lot of us in the community. I have questions, just like everyone. I only intend to explore them, and others' questions, in an effort to understand.
I happen to know a few people in the community who might be willing to help with those questions and issues, and I'm counting on them to stop by and drop a comment or two on a regular basis. (Hello?! Consider yourselves fair warned ;-)
There's a LOT to cover. And I have no idea how this will play out, how often I'll post, or where we'll go. But I have a good feeling about it. And I'm willing to learn, change, and grow from this experience. I love Lafayette - I think it's a great place to live and work. I want to preserve that feeling, and I think the way to do so is to embrace the diversity that is before us. I look forward to the dialog, and I welcome your comments. I hope you'll check back often.
posted by Karen at 10:19 PM
2 Comments:
Karen,
Kudos for doing this!!! I truly appreciate your efforts to legitimately inform yourself and spread that knowledge to other folks in your position. I agree that there is a lot of miscommunication and assumptions feeding the xenophobic frenzy. And I for one stand committed to helping clarify the issue. Just from reading the comments on the JC lately, I think a lot of folks may not necessarily understand the immigration process and how difficult - to say the least of time consuming - the process truly is. For instance, that it takes over a decade to even be considered to enter the US legally is beyond the discourse actually carried out in a lot of responses by individuals who are far removed from the immigrant experience. I think the first step is to admit that there is a lot of details we do not know and work from there to better understand the situation.
Thanks again!
Hello, Karen!
Funny that we seem to run into each other in the most unusual of places.
Nice blog. I am particularly interested in this since Hispanic/Latino outreach is now part of the Marketing Department at Ivy Tech. I've learned a lot in a short period of time, thanks to Fermin Recartes and Ivan Hernandez, both of whom are co-workers. (Fermin is the outreach director who reports to me.)
I really believe that our immigration laws are outdated and need to be adjusted to the current reality in this nation. Our laws are making criminals out of people who are hard-working, honest people who don't want to be criminals.
I hope your blog becomes very successful. See you around!
Post a Comment
<< Home