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 Catalina Nieto, left, public awareness coordinator for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC), speaks with Mohamad Ali at Thursday's Community Unity Night at the Fly Arts Building. The event was co-sponsored by the Welcoming Tennessee Initiative and El Centro Latino. (T-G Photo by Brian Mosely) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo] |
The project is headed by director/producer Kim Snyder, who works with the BeCause Foundation, an organization created by Richard Kincade, the former president and chief executive officer of Equity Office Properties Trust (EOP).
"We believe in the power of story to help highlight communities and individuals tackling complex social issues right now," Snyder said.
This reporter will also be interviewed by the crew about the Times-Gazette's series of stories on the influx of Somali refugees and their impact on Shelbyville.
The foundation has previously done documentaries on the homeless and its officials feel the topic of immigration and how towns like Shelbyville is grappling with it is a big issue.
"We have been told that Shelbyville was not only an interesting example but a possible way for people elsewhere in the country to learn a bit through open dialog about what is happening here and what people are really thinking and feeling about it," Snyder said.
The film crew was at the American Legion Thursday to shoot footage of Catalina Nieto, public awareness coordinator for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Collation (TIRRC) and Abdul Farah, the social adjustment director of the Somali Community Center of Nashville, who both spoke to the Rotary Club of Shelbyville.
Looking for peace
Farah worked in a refugee camp in Kenya with Somalis, who had fled their war torn county, "where everything that could go wrong, has gone wrong."
He said that many refugees were very happy to be here and some had left family members behind. "They came for a better life and peace," he said.
A big stumbling block is the language barrier, Farah said, adding the Somalis come to America with great expectations, but find their opportunities limited when they are asked about their job experience, which may be just as a farmer or even worse -- they may have no experience at all since they've spent their entire lives in a refugee camp.
Another problem encountered by Somalis is the vast cultural differences. A supervisor might give a refugee a hand gesture meant as "come here," but in their culture, it is interpreted as obscene.
Another issue is the Somali habit of talking loudly, which is interrupted here as rudeness. Farah said that's just the way Somali culture is. Farah related his personal experience with this as he had to learn that saying "thank you" is encouraged when receiving gifts.
He said the purpose of meetings like at Rotary and the goal of the Somali Community Center is to "help to bridge gaps."
Wants reform
Nieto told her own story of being an immigrant from Colombia. Civil war and economic conditions led her family to flee the South American country for Chicago eight years ago, and Nieto moved to Nashville last year to work with TIRRC.
She praised the spirit of hospitality encountered in Shelbyville but said that there is a lot of work to do in Tennessee. Most immigrants come here for jobs and freedom and said that much of the influx of Mexican immigrants was due to NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) which depressed the price of corn.
"In the south, there is fear in the community about immigration and that is stopping reform," she said.
Nieto said that a change in immigration law is needed instead of enforcement, adding that 450,000 low-skilled jobs need to be filled, yet only 50,000 visas are available for foreign workers.
Farah also took informal questions from Rotary members following the program, with some telling him about the refugees' demanding and rude attitudes and hopes that the Somali Community Center of Nashville can give the refugees an orientation on how to manage day-to-day life when they arrive in America.
One member commented on the briefing material passed out to the audience about refugees and said it would be helpful if the Somalis were given something similar when they come to this country so they would know what is considered proper behavior.
Unity
 Director/producer Kim Snyder, with the BeCause Foundation, and an unidentified cameraman were shooting footage Thursday for an upcoming documentary about the impact immigration and refugees have had in Shelbyville. (T-G Photo by Brian Mosely) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo] |
The event was co-sponsored by The Welcoming Tennessee Initiative and El Centro Latino. Questions that were asked were, "What strengths does a unified community have?" and, "What are the first steps that we, as residents, can take to promote unity and the Golden Rule?"
"We in SOCM can put our differences aside and work for a common goal," said Della Nelson, Bedford County SOCM member. "We can also enjoy those differences, instead of fighting them."
SOCM member Joe Partin also said that in his time in SOCM, he has learned how barriers can come down between people.
Doris Smith, another long-time Shelbyville resident and SOCM member, said they want it to be easier for everyone to live in a diverse community.
"We planned Community Unity Night in the hopes that it can be the beginning of people coming together to try and better understand each other's cultural and religious practices," she said.
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It just might be good if employers looked at the local labor pool before importing workers from a foreign country.
According to an article in this paper on Oct 28th,
Bedford county had 1630 unemployed and with the closing of Summit at least 263 more would be added to the unemployed.
Those who move to a new country typically immediately commence learning the language and the customs IF they intend to stay. Very seldom do they attempt to demand that their new home country suddenly adopt the customs ect of their previous home.
I understand that these people are looking for a better life. However, they should have to conform to the American way of life. I do not think that if I go to Mexico, or any other country for that matter, they should pay for all of my day to day needs like we do here for all of the immigrants. I am sure that next we will have to use tax money to pay for special classes for the Somalians in our school system- while my American born child sits in a portable. I hope that these film makers get the "real" story of how life is here in our town due to all of the immigrants!
We learned a long time ago that the job at Tyson Foods is nasty and deserves more than $8 an hour. There weren't too many born and raised Shelbyvillians who were willing to do this job. Tysons had to bring in these people, as well as hire hispanics, in order to fulfill their labor force so that they could continue paying such low wages and continue racking in the dollar.
My entire family has banned any and all Tyson products and will continue to do so until they actually get employees who actually eat the product they are preparing. I am not sure that the Samolians are completely to blame for coming to Shelbyville. They do have to live and eat just like we do. But there are plenty of jobs out there that pay the same that do not involve touching our food. Well, there used to be.
I hope that everything works out so that we can all live in harmony.
We Americans are again being "nudged" to accept and embrace. I pose a question: What is so wrong with being territorial? Is it not a natural instinct? I have yet to learn of a species that is not territorial to some degree. So why are we Americans being looked down on for being that way. Outsiders are aggravated at us because we will not conduct ourselves in a way that NO OTHER COUNTRY will ever do! What country has a complete open door policy? Even yet, who has come closer than us? If anybody thinks it's easier for us to welcome outsiders than it is for any other country, they are mistaken. At least we've tried to some extent..other countries won't even do that. So come on, Americans, let's be like no other and do away with boundaries and territories...let's see how that goes. No, wait a minute, we are seeing how that's going!
You know, It may not be that we dislike outsiders, it may just be that we feel invaded.
Nieto said that a change in immigration law is needed instead of enforcement, adding that 450,000 low-skilled jobs need to be filled, yet only 50,000 visas are available for foreign workers
Maybe Americans would have a different attitde if immigrants were skilled,educated, and added to society rather than take from it. A small town like Shelbyville is easily overwhelmed when native children are minorities in their classrooms. Every minute of instruction time that is used to catch immigrant kids up acadedmically is one minute lost for the other children.
We must keep education strong and competetive to compete in a global economy. We all lose when education is dumbed down to accomodate those who struggle to understand the language.
Has anyone considered automation for these low skilled jobs?
Tyson Foods has been in Shelbyville for many many years makes one wonder how they ever found enough people to work before the Hispanics and Somalis come to Shelbyville. I would be willing to bet they hired Americans wouldn't you? And everybody I know that works for Tyson Foods make a lot more than $8.00 an hour.
dianatn before the Somaliaians and mexicans there were la oceanians and the Seiberses. But most of the Seibers family that worked there for many a year realized then that their children and grandchildren deserved better and chose to educate them and now they work at better and higher paying jobs.
jbluver00 sorry to tell you but a huge portion of the Shelbyvillians that work there won't eat the chicken either. I know the first time that I heard a worker say that they wouldn't I was shocked. But then heard the stories and realized why. It really is inhumane.
Thanksgiving Day is coming up in a short while.
Maybe,we need to remember how some of the people living in our country then welcomed and guided the outsiders in their midst.
We might also think of the baby in the manger we celebrate next month and how He and His family fled INTO what had once been an enemy nation to find refuge.
Quite a few of our mainstream holidays remind us of times when our side was imperiled,underclass and struggling to find our place in the world.
We are a nation of immigrants and the children of immigrants.
Sometimes,we came here in anticipation of new opportunities.
Sometimes,we came in chains and despair.
Sometimes,we have been assets and,sometimes,we have been invasive blights.
The people who come here now aren't that different from the folks who arrived a hundred,five hundred or a thousand years ago.
If they face some bigger challenges,they have more support structures to get them past their initial problems.
As hard as things are right now,I don't see much we can't resolve with a little thought and determination and a perspective that sees each day and each person (whatever his or her origins) as a potential solution instead of a potential problem.
I bet Steve Mills would confirm that thistles were brought here for the contributions they could make.
They became a curse when their virtues were forgotten.
One person sees a yard full of dandelions and thinks of them as noxious weeds.
Another sees that same plant as a flower,a medicine,dandelion greens and dandelion wine.
We can't afford to pretend there won't be problems with new folk coming in.
(They're just as flawed and human as those born and raised here.)
But,we can't assume that we no longer have the skill of bringing new people and cultures into this country and incorporating the best they have to offer while they acquire some of the blessings of calling this their home.
If we can assume that no one arrives on this planet without having some unique virtues and means of earning our respect,then we can find common ground with people unlike ourselves and our culture whether we're on our own turf or far from where we were born.
"What strengths does a unified community have?" and, "What are the first steps that we, as residents, can take to promote unity and the Golden Rule?"
If you wish to become an American, then this is what we are looking for. If YOU do not wish to become an AMERICAN then LEAVE!!!
1. Common language, that's English and not Spanish btw.
2. Acceptance of existing culture and willingness to fit in.
3. Productivity of immigrants to produce and not rely on OUR government for assistance.
4. Respect for property maintenance standards within Shelbyville and adhering to OUR standards NOT their standards that they are accustomed to in Mexico, Somalia, etc. They are coming to MY country and they have to fit in HERE.
Enough said fellow citizens of Shelbyville???
Brett the pro immigration Jett with conditions.
When I went to grammer school, they taught me that Ellis Island was in New York. And it was there the melting pot of America.
My question is: "Was I sleeping or when exactly did Ellis Island become Bedford County???????
I know Tyson had a sign near the Mexico boarder that said: " Come to Bedford County, Shelbyville,Tn. U S A and we will hire you.So that must of been the beginning of the end.
Didn't know they had so much power to keep the ones who are not to be here.
When will the proper people who runs this county have enough B-lls to get of Tyson and the ones who are not supposed to be here???????????
I wonder if those filmmakers spoke to local law enforcement, corrections officers, and probation/parole officers? Now that's a group of folks who can tell you the REAL impact of immigration on small-town America!
These people come to my country they take our jobs get everything handed too them food stamps free medical care free pencions, I worked hard for the same company for 44 year paid my taxes paid my social securty taxes never ask any one for any thing from any one when my wife died I ask for help I was told I couldn't get any help at the same time the place had three families of mexicans in there and they gave them what thay ask for they have never piad one cent in taxes in this country isn't there something wrong with this.
YES!
I love how this American factory who is an employer of hundreds of American workers has announced that it's closing down, and it's automatically blamed on immigrants? That doesn't even make sense.
While I do agree that the local business should all be hiring local, legal citizens and American workers, instead of importing people, I don't think you can blame the immigrants for that. You have to blame the factories.
Also, these people who are "stealing" your jobs aren't sitting around drawing welfare, food stamps, etc. They're working.
Broad generalizations just aren't a good thing. I know plenty of lazy, good-for-nothing, welfare-drawing Americans who could use a good kick in the shorts. Maybe we should start blaming THEM. If those people would get off their butts and work, there wouldn't even be a market for immigrant workers.
I'd also be interested to see some kind of documentation about this alleged Tyson sign at the Mexican border. I'm definitely no fan of Tyson (I boycotted them long ago), but I tend to disbelieve things such as that, unless I see some solid proof.
And to freakyfriday- hate is ugly. You should take a long look at yourself and what you just said. Hating entire races or nationalities of people is just wrong and you sound like an idiot.
I occasionally visit the Health Dept for things such as immunizations(which are much less expensive there and I do pay for them) and for TB skin tests. When I am there, there are many,many more immigrants than Americans. I know they are immigrants because they do not speak English. If they are there for free services, then how can one say that they are working?