Coming to America: Historical and Contemporary
Perspectives on Immigration
Friday, April 30, 2010
8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Hannaford Hall at the Abromson Community Education Center
at University of Southern Maine
Immigration has been and continues to be an important and complex issue for Maine. For centuries different groups of people have made their home here, often coming from impoverished or war-torn areas of the world. When they arrive, however, many find new challenges in adapting to their new home, while residents (many of them descendants of immigrants) also struggle to accept the changes in their community. This program will include plenary and breakout sessions that explore the past, present and future of immigration in Maine and the US.
Schools are part of the communities that often struggle to accommodate long-time residents and new immigrants. Not only are there language barriers, but the tension that cultural differences can cause can seem insurmountable. This program will engender discussion, exploration, and understanding of these differences, with the hope of diminishing these difficult barriers. Included in the sessions will be a panel of young people who are immigrants themselves, an exploration of how family history can affect individuals' perspectives, and a discussion of the ethics of immigration.
Maine Humanities Council is pleased to announce that there is a limited amount of funding available for K-12 teachers to bring students to this engaging event. Funded through the Dorothy Schwartz Opportunity Fund, this will allow schools to pay for bus transportation to USM. Maine Humanities Council will welcome the students at no charge.
To be considered for this, please submit a one page application explaining how this program will fit into your curriculum. Please also verify that your school cannot support field trip costs, and also include your contact information. We encourage schools in close proximity to collaborate and share buses if possible. Please email your application to Martina Duncan, mduncan@mainehumanities.org, by April 1st. Questions may also be directed to Martina Duncan.
Presented by the Maine Humanities Council with support from the
National Endowment for the Humanities through the We The People initiative.
Photo from laverrue at Flicker: license
