Chloe’ Pinnix=I

Christian=C
11/07/2008
I: OK, I’m getting ready to start ok?
C: Oka
I: We are gathering data that is important in helping to understand the barriers to immigrants
incorporated into the trade. This is a research study, research studies include only people how chose to
take part, you are being asked to volunteer, voluntarily take part in this study in order to share your
awareness and understanding of immigrants. This interview will be recorded, the recording will be
used for research purposes only, and it will be destroyed after a transcript is made. No identifying
information will be associated with the transcript in order to protect your identity. You are free to
refuse to participate or to withdraw your consent to participate in this research at any time without
penalty or um prejudice. Your participation is entirely voluntary; you may wish to… we may wish to
quote from this interview even in reports, presentation, or articles resulting from this work. Your
identity will be protected, and a alias will be used in place of your real name. Do you agree to allow
me to quote from this interview?
C: Yes that’s fine.
I: Ok, we’re going to get started, I’m just going to ask you some basic information about yourself, can
you just tell me a little bite about yourself?
C: umm…sure I’m 29, I ammmm in the joint masters of social work program with A&T and UNCG
I: uh-huh
C: umm I have an assistantship with Raleigh Bialy, which is how I think you got umm my contact
information on umm TA a class for him Diversity in full of a Population a undergraduate course and I
ammm doing some work with the Center for New North Carolinian and there America Core access
members. Umm iii also have an internship where I do play therapy and therapy with forester children,
children in forester care, and I am in a community organizer, with a few locate organizations (pause)
umm in the Greensboro area, and I’ve been in Greensboro for about 9 years and I got my undergrad at
Guilford College.
I: Ok and (pause) umm how…where are you from?
C: I was born in San Juan, (pause) Puerto Rico
I: uh-huh
C: My father isss Puerto Rican and my mother is Panamanian and European-American (umm) and I
grow up umm in Arlington Fairfax Virginia, right outside DC for most my life.
I: ok (pause) so are you an immigrant?
C: (long pause) I am (pause) not an immigrant myself, Puerto Rico is a common welsh so I was granted
citizenship, as were both of my parents, because my umm mother was born in the canal-zone in
Panama’ which at the time was under US rules, so she was a citizenship from birth as well.
I: Ok…OK so in what why do you work with immigrants or migrates?
C: umm I have done some organizing in the past with the farm labor organizing committee
I: uh-hun
C: umm and I’ve done (pause) some work with un-ummm at an agencies I used to work with the
Alliances for Aids services where I did interpreting, I did intake and up-dates for people and assisted
people who were not English speaking, who were Spanish speaking umm most of those were errr
recent immigrants some documented some undocumented and ummm in doing some work not directly
but more in an organizing fashion for the Center for New North Carolinians so I’m not working
directly with immigrations in that in that arena.
I: ok well how long have you been working with immigrants and migrants?
C: umm I guess you could sayyy on and off for about five years.
I: OK… um and since you have been doing it for almost five years why did you decide to work with
immigrants and migrants?
C: umm well I just felt because offff umm my own you know, you know I consider myself Latin
American Latina umm and I guess I just felt that as aaaa somewhat of a Spanish speaker it was really
my duty and responsibilities to help umm those who are traditionally under serviced and I’m often
umm categorized as an immigrate umm it’s an population, that it’s at least a Spanish speaking
immigrates are a population that are umm very close to my heart for lots of personally reasons, and at
least the Spanish speaking immigrates umm are one of the largest growing population in the US, so it
just kinda makes sense if you are going to be working umm in the social arena in any way shape or
form, you’re going to encounter umm those how are not native born in America umm in a variety of
hum-umm different backgrounds so that just kinda make sense to be culturally aware and culturally
competent and ready and willing to work with immigrates population.
I: hummm-ummmm…So what is the ethic or nationally make of your organizations that you’ve worked
with in the past or that you are working with now?
C: As far as the people population?
I: YES
C: that we were serving?
I: YES
C: umm well at, when I was working at the farm labor organizing committee it was umm primarily
people from Mexico umm some people from all the Latina American countries, but primarily some
people Mexico at the time I haven’t work with them in a little while so I’m sure what the makeup is
right now umm when I was at the Alliances for Aids Services in Durham the makeup was (pause) umm
primarily African-American, we had maybe 20% of our population was Spanish speaking and they
also came from a variety countries, but in Durham primarily Mexican (umm) and like I said was at the
Center for New North Carolinians umm and right now I’m just kinda organizing staff, I’m not working
directly with the people population there.
I: OK… (clear throat)well can you tell me a little bit about the immigrate you work with, like what are
they nationalizes that you, I know I just kind of ask that, but I’m asking again, but what are the
nationalizes of the immigrates that you work with and stuff?
C: Sure umm the immigrates that I worked with well I was with the Alliances were primarily Mexicans
and umm and majority of those people where undocumented so we were doing (pause) really starting to
engage in a much larger outreach program umm because they is always the fear of to coming to get
services uuunn specially with the climate of the country right now, and that was only two years ago, so
umm I umm I’m thinking of that (pause) hopefully the population has gone up, up up at the time it was
primarily undocumented umm Mexicans immigrates (pause) and that also we at least the people that I
work with through the farm labor organization mainly were primarily Mexicans and undocumented
umm some were not umm, I mean by all means I could not work with the entire population just it was
really just the people that I worked with directly umm through umm through fox, umm I know that they
umm you know, they are people from Guatemala umm they are a few people from Colombia, umm it
ranges but, the people that I came in came in most contact with were primarily Mexican descend.
I: umm…OK… well…umm… what were there major concerns or issues while you were working with
them?
C: well the issues that we were working around really included at the time umm just the (pause) work,
being able to organize a union. Umm to be able to stand up for their rights as far as pay as far as hours
umm as far they living conditions and umm this population really didn’t have the transportation and
umm you know we as farm labors all across the states, so really one of our main theme of the time was
to provide umm transportation for everyone to be able to get together umm to have meetings and be
able to come together and really organize themselves umm into a solid labor union and to be to exercise
they rights, so we would go umm pick people up gather in one place where everybody from a
represented from different farm camps would come there would be usually umm a day’s worth of
dissections on a variety of topics that, that run into organizing themselves and, and being able to
exercise they rights and then we would have umm just some kind of interaction mingle with one
another and get to know each other.
I: Ohh ok well what are the differences, what are the different needs of immigrants based on their
country of origin, like do immigrants form Mexicans have different need then immigrates from
Vietnam?
C: yea, I think very umm you know a lot of that is going to depend on you static umm if you know you
are talking if you are working with immigrates from refuges people that are coming from refuges
statics they are going to have different needs, a lot of those people umm weather if they are coming
from umm a variety of countries Asia Africa umm if they are coming on a refuges statics most like
they been, they spent at least some time in a refugee camp, umm a lot of those case people haven’t
work quite some time, umm the food has been delivered to them, umm the things has been ration they
have been in really inhuman umm camps, and offended time have experience incredible trauma, umm
either sexual physical to the lost of family members during abuse so people coming on a refuges statics
are going to need umm a lot of basic support as far as long as learning how to get their basic needs ,
needs meet working finding transportation, using basic things that they may have never seen before,
because they have been living in this camp umm using soap using a variety of things, umm of cause not
every, but the majority of immigrates that come over me English is a second language, that means that
is one of they first skills to be able to communicate with the people that around them, umm they also
need to know they rights, and any immigrate come coming from any country umm as far as education
is consider they children rights, as far as social society disables umm any finical aid that they maybe
eligible for from the government, so umm rights are are another basic need that that need, that need to
be mate, people need to be inform, need to be aware of what they what they rights is in this country and
so that have come over that are undocumented need assists in going in the process of in becoming umm
in becoming an American citizen, and that may require a number of steps from umm English to tutoring
to a variety of thing, umm but unusually being able to meet the basic needs food shelter housing and
learning umm the English languages as way as possible those are umm usually the first things you
would want to consider once people are coming to this country because those are the most, you know
those are the most basic needs that people will need to be mate, in order to start either healing some of
the emotional wounds the thing encounter in coming to American or starting to move up the you know
the quote on quote ladder none of that can be until basic needs are meet and people are able to
communicate with one another.
I: umm ok, what are the most difficult case you face while working with migrates?
C: umm really the fear of outsiders, as as far as in in my interaction with a lot of immigrates that are
kinda undocumented, so umm they really is just that fear and that mistrust that they are not safe and
they are not going to be safe coming for help umm or coming to seek out resources they is a real
hesitation because they don’t know if they are going to encounter they don’t know if they are going to
encounter someone that’s real friendly, they don’t know if they are going to encounter someone that
speaks there language l, they don’t know if they are going to encounter someone how has umm a stake
of turning them in if they are illegal so really that’s kinda the first bit of service that I that I would think
that fear factor of the unknown.
I: umm ok well do you collaborate with others, umm working on issues regarding immigrates?
C: yes, yes, I have in the past and umm while working for the Center for new North Carolina’s yea they
is a variety of programs and research studies and umm and training that American core members are
putting together and research that they are engaging in umm as far as learning more about the
immigration population, finding out more about the needs of the immigrate population in Greensboro
and the Triad area umm so collaborate with a number of organization in that aspect and with umm
flock, you know we were all you know it was all voluntary at least, for us it was all voluntary, so we
all collaborate with a variety of people from across the triad, and umm correlating places, date times,
and things like that umm and of course collaborating with the population we were working with, and
while like the alliance where really collaborating with umm a number of organization to really start an
outreach program to be able to to connect to the community the immigrate community Spanish
speaking immigrate community, both document and undocumented so we were collaborating with a
variety of of non-profit organization in Durham.
I: ok well umm what specific services do you guys provide for immigrates in Greensboro?
C: In Greensboro right now I’m not working directly with any immigrate population so umm they are a
number of service anywhere from the Center of New North Carolinian, which is how I’m afflicted
with,(I:ok) umm and they do go research translating interpretation umm assists people in gaining
documentation they are a variety of services that come under they, umm there and then umm they are a
variety of service specify for refuges umm there’s an organization which is in High Point but service
the population in from Greenbo, from Greensboro as well, umm well at least, and so there is a number
of umm (long pause) of non-profit organizations that faith base organization that provide services can
go anywhere from tutoring language transportation, and umm also a buddy, (cough, cough), sorry I’m
kinda sick (know its ok) (cough cough) umm so those are just some of the services that are out they
right now that are being deliver, but I’m not directly delivering any of those services.
I: ok well, what are the barriers, what are the barriers to providing services, like when you were
providing services what type of barriers where there that you did you came come across?
C: I think the biggest barriers, like I said before for umm a lot of people is just the fear of at least the
Spanish speaking undocumented workers umm the fear of coming to an organization not knowing who
they are going to encounter (hmm) they needs to be people in organization that are bilingual (hmm)
umm and they needs to be translation services that are available if there’s no staff directly they on site
(hum) umm that offend those are the two biggest barriers the fear because of undocumentation and the
fear because they don’t think they will encounter someone how will understand them. (OK) (cough
cough cough) I’m sorry (no it’s ok) umm so I think those are the two biggest barriers of the services.
I: Ok Well do you umm do you do migrates know about the services that are offered at umm do CNN,
CNNC, or C yea sorry CNNC or other umm companies or organization out there, do they know about
their services?
C: umm I figure that they are umm some I think do and some don’t, it all depends on how much the
outreach the agencies has done (cough cough cough) to the to the populations umm when I was
working in Durham that was a big part of what we were trying to get up with outreach umm at least for
out agencies for the working on trying to overcome that barrier but I think with (cough cough) the
Center for New North Carolina , there pretty well known and so they do a pretty good job on getting
their name out there but again it just depends on the workers and what they encounter during their
process.
I: ok (cough cough) well umm (cough cough) well what can be done to increases services to
immigrates?
C: well (pause) I think one of the first thing that need to happen, is umm all agencies that have a space
or is working with immigration populations really need to try to come together figure out what they are
doubling up and what services are not being mate, (hum) because they are a lot of services that may be
double up from agencies to agencies and then umm once that’s been umm deiced (cough cough) I think
the biggest thing is (umm) outreach and make sure that people know what is available to them and
umm and that once you know what’s been, what’s being offered what’s being (umm) what’s not being
offered and making sure you are meeting all of those thing making sure that your name is out there and
that people know that you are a safe place to come to receives services and (umm) that you would be
understood and that you would be respect and you would be treated Justas any other person that would
walk in. (cough cough cough)
I: Humm ok (long pause) what services are there specify for immigrate child children that, that like
they child or what kind of service are provide to there child?
C: (cough cough) umm well I think a number of services again it’s going to depend on the agencies but
umm usually tutoring services and umm service that may go out to umm child of any umm ethic
background regards to hum any temporary assists needing families (cough cough) food stamps
medicate umm and things like that, but really interpreting and torturing services and umm service
specify through umm family services they provide umm some mental health services some services to
certain immigrate population but again its going to vary depending umm on agencies to agencies what
they directly focused is.
I: ok and umm to your knowledge do the school offered services to make it less difficulty for children?
C: (cough chough) I’m sorry can you can that again?
I: ok to your knowledge do the schools offer services to make it less difficulty for the children?
C: No, to my knowledge they don’t (laugh) honestly
I: yea
C: umm the (pause) I think that there are some school that may try and reach out but I think that over
all umm just as with African American students right our school systems is really umm not focus on
children of color our school system is mainly focus on white students and they is a lot of prejudice and
racism and they is a lot of fear offered time for parents to come in and engage on the child education
because they don’t feel fully respect they they don’t feel fully understand and they children are offered
the once that are the quickest to get sup ended the quickest to drop out and the quicks to fall behind in
grades without any really take coming in and and taking concern so that’s one area that services really
need to be step up because the school system and I’m not saying that this is you know through any fault
through any individual teacher or anything like that, but the way that our school systems is especially
under the umm title one funding and and title and umm one no child left behind that the school systems
as a systems is at friendly to immigrate children
I: ok
C: umm and just as African American student are offered the first to be taking out of the classroom they
are offered the first to be held back and offered the first to drop out.
I: So
C: that’s kind of a long blunt (laugh during this part, so I’ m not sure what she said) on that particle
topic
I: No its ok its ok um so with that being said do umm immigrate immigrate children differ from
immigrate adults, like are are they different or do they act different from adult immigrate?
C: No I think immigrate children are offend caught and of course it depends in at least when you are
talking about umm children how are either born here or children how have spent you know coming
here at an early age, ummm they are offend caught in between worlds umm in they home they are
speaking Spanish and they are experience one thing and living they culture identity, outside of the
home they they umm offer they are not being taught English, umm and they don’t have a change to
caught up to to the children in the classroom because English is not they first language umm and its this
kind of pull between holding on to your culture identity and your roots and assimilating it to white
main stream culture and scudding and that and that, so immigrate children offend need a lot of support
as far as and that’s agina if they came over here at a young age umm and they offend need extra support
in getting they reading and writing umm skills on not necessary on the level but because they are
learning a new language they need extra support getting to where they should be at they age in a new
school system umm so they needs are going to be a little different and umm and and depending on the
age immigrate how may be a little less fearful umm at times of main stream culture because they are
interacting with it on a more on a more consisted basic so there immigrate children offer service a a
bridge between they family and the outside world so they need a lot of support in that area as well,
umm I do want to say that they is a a new comer school is a new school umm that it is caters to to
immigrate children and immigrate families and so I’m usually in that school system and they needs are
going to much more mate they they much more sensitive and much more aware of what needs to be
done umm to much sure that the children do succeed and so I do what to say that that school is out
there and they obverse are providing services but I think that the public education systems in generally
are not sensitive to the needs of immigrate children and families.
I: ok well I have I have some more question to ask but before i go on there this word that I’m not going
to say correctly so I hope that you understand what I’m trying to say but should service be focused on
immigrates sufficiency of gosh I’m just going to spell it out ok, I’m sorry, is that ok?
C: yea that’s ok
I: sufficiency
C: sufficiency
I: Yea, oh that just a hard word for me to pronounce its just hard for me to pronounce it.
C: No you are fine
I: so
C: you can go ahead
I: so should services be focused on immigrates sufficiency?
C: umm are the services that focus on immigrates is that what you said?
I: should services be focused on immigrates?
C: oh yea umm well I think that they need to be they really needs to be (cough cough) a focus on the
immigrate population umm from a variety of ethic background because they its just ahhh such current
need in a to not focus on it is not realist umm so yea I think they needs to be a number of program that
are focused on immigrate families and immigrate children and providing service to them umm to help
them transition smoothly as smoothly as possibly into the US, but they also need to be a number of
programs that are really tackling immigration policies and fighting for the rights of the immigrates in
the US, because umm that’s really were we will be able to see the change in polices come from is
through programs and organization immigrates and they families to to stand up for they rights, and of
course that is for undocumented workers is going to look a little different which is why you really need
to set up programs but umm I think that is one area that I think we will need to get a lot stronger in.
I: ok so what (cough) are some barriers and into becoming sufficiency?
C: umm documentation is a hug barrier you know if you are fearfully of going out and getting resource
for yourself then the since of umm dependence umm on however the worker is that is working with
them advocating for them so documentations plays a role in that umm and you know as I said
immigrates who are coming on a refuges statics are going to facing a different kind of dependence
umm because they are not use to in many case not all but in many case they are not used to umm being
sufficiency so its moving from one state of not being self sufficiency to another state of not sufficiency
and making that transition and learning how to do umm very basic things learning how to get yourself
to work, find a job, being able to get to work everyday, learning how to get to work enrolling in school,
thing like that it really takes a balance of umm providing the information to an immigrate allowing
them to make they own and supporting them as much as possible and they getting umm from either
point to point b umm or filling out the application you really need to be they umm support system and a
resource and not doing the work for people because people are capable of doing the work on they own,
sometimes it just many take a little longer and you may have to go through some changes to get they.
I: umm ok well how long well since you where just talking about going through to different changes,
how long do you think it takes an immigrate or a refuges to become sufficiency on they own?
C: oh I think it can take years umm depending on the family and the family state umm and and for
undocumented families can take a little longer
I: umm ok well umm you were just talking about documents how like an visa and citizenship how does
documents like visa or citizenship or being a citizen or not having a visa play a role in the services that
are are umm provide are given?
C: well I think they are specific services that are are grid to people that are document but umm you
know you know even that being the case that will far out weigh the services that are they so while they
are services that are they they may be good services to help people more through those channels umm
but the needs far outweighs the amount of services that are they umm and not having you know umm a
visa and not having papers it going to really stop you from seeking out services because they are going
to be afraid of what’s going to happen if you do seeking out so its really a matter of what outreach has
been done to you to make sure that you know the services that are available to you and that once you
know you know hopefully you don’t have to get on the waiting list to be able to receive some of those
services but otherwise most of the time you will umm so it can really delay the time and length of the
services that are delivered and it can even delayed them seeking out for the services because they are
afraid of what the consequence would be.
I: umm ok well umm in your opinion umm should agencies have resections on the basis of documents?
C: should agencies have resection on say that one more time!
I: on the umm basis of documents!
C: ohh umm (cough cough) well I think that’s kind of that’s kind of a hard question to answer I mean I
think that funding (clear throat) is going to be a large role it’s going to play a large role in whether or
not documentations umm has yea affects service at all umm I mean that’s kind of hard to say whether
or not an agencies should I think that they should be enough agencies to provide help to people that are
not document but I also understand the agencies because of they funding streams they may not be able
to provide without documentations (hu-umm) umm so so while I understand and I respect that I do
think that they needs to be agencies that gear towards serving undocumented immigrates.
I: umm ok well what do you believe is the hardest part in adjusting to the American society?
C: oh gosh umm I think I think they are a number of things umm languages is a hug umm a hug barrier
it’s very hard to to go outside and being to umm engage and understand the systems in the world and
the world around you if you are not understood by the people outside your house, because also the
great you know they is still a lot of prejudice and serotypes type that accompany umm immigrates of
any ethic background so those always have to be umm the serotypes always have to be overcome and
faced umm especially if you an umm its offering a hug part and you know people are coming from
completely different cultures and backgrounds and the US is umm a capitalist umm you know society
driven by pop culture and (laugh) you know morals and values are exhibited and are very different
from other countries you know well roles are reversed umm role are pushed gender roles, roles between
the parents and the child umm roles are changed in the home, umm to many families different
background you know know cultures and practices through norms that you have and through identity
roles um m roles between parents and child are though are are all very different in the United States and
so being able to find a way and maintaining you culture identity you culture and yet still and sill
assimilate which is a horrible word to use but umm you know somehow assimilating the US culture
umm you know the US status is the hardest part, your roots and your culture identity and your values
with the values of umm any culture and you know that would be the same as for someone from the US
background going to a different country I think.
I: well since you said that umm languages was a really hug hug part of umm adjusting to the language
barrier umm what is being done to assist with the language barrier to immigrates that are new to the
area?
C: can you say tha last part again?
I: hum what is being done to assist with the language barriers for immigrates that are new to the area?
C: deep breath (cough cough) umm I’m sorry one one time the phone is kinda fuzzy?
I: yes its ok I’m sorry I don’t have really good service either what is being done to assist with the
language barrier for immigrates that are new to the area?
C: oh um well I think and this is offend a struggle too, umm they is ESL programs that you can enroll
at umm at GTTC and a variety of others umm non-profit and umm CNNC and they are a variety of
ways that you can get English as a second language umm one area that I think that be less programs
and polices really need to more senetive that the other languages are spoken other than English umm I
think that Spanish speaking students and other students that that find a common fellow in their student
body that speak their language should engage in there language on they on in the classroom and they
should be no fear of that, umm this whole idea of losing they language of origin and speaking only
English I think is really detrimental to the psych and that umm and the identity of the immigrate
population so well I think that they is needed to be a push that offers services to offer English as an
English language there also need to be a push in the US for us to not be so umm you know focused on
me culture and one language umm and that we really need to branch out in learning other languages
and providing services in other language and providing documentation in both languages umm I think
that’s one big area we could work on. (cough cough)
I: umm well oh does the agencies does your agencies have any interpreters that the agencies you did for
or that you know doing work with outside of now, do you know if they have any interpreters?
C: umm yea also have interpreters on staff.
I: ok well do you think that Greensboro is culturally, or a culturally diverse place?
C: oh yea I think that Greensboro is a culturally diverse place I think we probably have a lot more umm
work to do around Greensboro to bring out culturally diverse and it but Greensboro is defiantly a
culturally diverse place
I: umm Ok well in your opinion does the increasing number of immigrates to Greensboro present a
problem?
C: the increasing number of children in Greensboro?
I: no does the increasing number of immigrates to Greensboro present any problems?
C: umm well I think it all depends on how we handle the influx of the population umm you know right
now its hard a lot of people aren’t working as it, so you gotta a lot of people that are living in this
country that are native to this country that are umm not able to find work so umm that may present a
problem there. But I think is we prepare prepare our agencies and the job markets and umm increase
the minimal wages and umm and they will be things that we can do to to ease some of the some of the
problems that make umm a large immigrate population, but I think in the long run have that population
is really just going to make Greensboro umm a better place to live in the long run through the culturally
diverse umm through you know a worldwide array of people and experiences and umm to the growth
of the city I think it’s going to benefit the city in the long run we really need to step up as a city umm
and start to provide the services that are necessary to make through transition smooth.
I: well what are some of the ways your organization have organization have help with the community
to become more aware of immigrates?
C: umm I think that outreach is a large apart doing outreach at schools umm and people that are
delivering the services and outreach to teachers and admission umm and I think that that’s probability
the biggest role umm the community play is informing people of umm what’s going on here umm and
of the kind of population that are coming in here and the kind of services that are mate that are need to
to be mate.
I: ok so how successful have you been or have or organization been?
C: umm well I think that the farm organization has been umm very successfully that have engaged in a
number of umm base roots organization with the farm labor community umm I think that the Alliance
for Aids services was in its very being stages in the outreach programs and if they were able to keep it
up um and able to (cough cough) excuse me… to draw in umm Spanish speaking staff then they on a
strong road in being able to successful deliver services and I think that umm the Center for New North
Carolinas is probability one of the most affected portal entry for immigrates here
I: umm well do you know how or how would you measure the succeed and failures of the organization
umm helping communities becoming aware of immigrates?
C: Umm helping the community becoming aware of immigrates?
I: umm
C: I think umm that really you’ll be able to tell by the climate of Greensboro whether or not the
organization is doing an effect job umm sharing stories sharing the reality of what immigrates go
through and I think that if agencies were able to do that affect then you would see numbers of anti-
immigrates go down in the area.
I: umm well umm in your opinion how do people in the community fell about the foreign born
population?
C: umm I think that you know in my community umm people are very welcoming and open and
accepting and one hundred percent understanding of what’s going on umm that they are needs that are
they to be mate. Umm then I think that they are going to be pockets in any community that umm are
not very (laughing) friendly or welcoming to the immigrate population umm of any background and I
think you are going to find that anywhere you go, and that’s one of the largest things that people can
work on is really working on you know the climate for immigrates umm here and across the US really
and really umm working and trying to change the social stigma and the social, that immigrates are umm
not as willing of living in this country.
I: umm ok well what the major different between the large cities in the US as compared to the triad area
in their reception of migrates?
C: umm well I think it depends on the south kinda right now as far as immigrates go but the south may
not be as welcoming as a lot of other areas were as up north you know the north umm as truly been a
hot spot for immigrates as far as DC, New York Cincinnati, umm a lot of those places umm are I think
the idea of immigrates umm population in the 1980’s up north is just something umm something that
people are used to because it’s a lot it more part of their history up north, well at least from my
experience because I lived in DC, umm to here I think that it’s a little bit of a newer umm I don’t want
to say a phenomena but I think that the people are becoming a little bit more aware of it now and so so
many so with anything like that it’s going to take a little longer for the social climate to try and change
and become a little more reaccepted umm but then you got if you want to count Florida as the south
which a lot of people don’t (laugh) you know Florida has been a hot bed for immigrates for some time
and its going to remain and immigrates and parts of Florida new York and DC, have been able to find
ways to umm to keep they culture roots and also drive umm successfully in the area umm so I think its
going to depends on where you are in the US and of course you know places like Arizona and places
like Texas are going to look very different in where they may be a heavy number of immigrate
population but there is a large number of people that are against the immigrate population that are
coming in, so it’s going from place to place.
I: oh ok well since you said that do you every feel immigrate are every, do you feel that immigrates are
every discriminated against?
C: yes yes I do
I: ok and in what ways do you feel they are?
C: umm well languages I think is a hug barrier, because they have a ascent people feel that they IQ
seems to go down, umm so that is an thing which I don’t really understand that, but I think that’s a very
Europe way of thought umm so when people open they mouth and they have an ascent then that’s
going to affect a lot not all but a lot of people reception of them umm I think that both that people
believe that anybody that was not born in the US umm you know on the main land of immigrates I see
that all the time people ask me if I’m an immigrate or if I’m an citizenship umm people where
questioning Obama citizen and he was born in Hawaii, you know like people have a really strong
serotype of what it’s means to be an immigrate umm and then also depending on what you look like,
you know we still for whatever people want to say umm you know we still live in a races and a umm
society that stereotype people and we are umm did something beep?
I: umm no it’s not my phone.
C: ok I just want to make sure
I: ok
C: umm so I think people are still stuck on stereotypes based on their ascent based on the color of they
skin umm based on a variety of things, how many kids they have when they go into the store you know
where or not they have given up they culturally dress you know if you come out of the house and not
wearing jeans and a tee-shirt, if you have something on their head, or if you was wearing a traditional
Indian, you are going to get look at differently then you know a lot of other people so I think that we
make a lot of spans judgments about people and we rush to put people in a box so that we know how to
interact with them and I think that umm that is one of the way people umm immigrates umm are really
stereotype in the country particle
I: well which groups do you think are discriminated against?
C: Which groups do I what?
I: which group do you think are discriminated against, like which group do you think are discriminated
against the most?
C: umm (deep breath) oh gosh that’s hard to say I think that umm it depends you know a lot of you
know if we are talking about umm direct immigrate you know depending on your language and the
color of your skin umm I think that the darker your skin is the more you may be discriminated against
but I also think that there is a variety of umm people from Vietnam from lose I mean a variety of
countries Asian Americans also experience extreme amount of discrimination umm it may look
differently and it may come in a different form but I think that each pocket of immigrates umm faces
discrimination equally and in a number of different arenas I think that umm people how may look
European umm may face a little less than people how may people how have assents and people that
may be from European countries may face a little less discrimination but I’ll be hesitation to put one
groups discriminated above another, you know I mean I wouldn’t want to just count any culture
experience of discriminated and stereotypes its all equally damaging to the psyche.
I: well umm who do you think does the most discrimination against immigrants and migrates?
C: umm hum again I think it depends you know I have encounter umm well I think hopefully if you are
in an intense working with immigrate population you have checked your own stereotypes and you your
bags at the door umm I don’t think that’s always happen you know that just a hope, but I think that they
are groups for every culturally background and every races that discrimination I don’t think that you
know solo in one you know in the hands of one people you know what I mean?
I: yea hu-unn
C: umm so I think that I would be hesitant to say that once group discrimination against another group I
think that that all groups discrimination and that members from all groups discrimination in some way
shape or form.
I: umm ok well that is it for my questions this is all the question I have right now or that I will have for
my interview...
C: that great I just realized that my phone is dying hold on for one second.
I: (laughing) ok
C: ok it occurred to me that I kept hearing that beeping and that I should probably look at my phone
and it was dying, but its pulled in now (laughing) but do you, did you get all the information you need?
I: yes I just have one last question do you
C: ok
I: do you have any last remarks immigrates incorporated into the triad, or anything else related to what
we have discussed?
C: umm well I think that and what program are you in at UNCG?
I: I’m in the sociology department
C: Ok umm I think that they are umm a number of things that we need to do in Greensboro to make as I
said you know to make the climate more reaccepted to immigrates populations and I think that a lot of
work that we need to do as umm you know if you are working in a social services sectored or of you
are working in umm you know really in any sectored now days in Greensboro the immigration
population is so big we really just need to do as much as we can to shade a light of reality on immigrate
experience to start umm really challenging the stereotypes to start asking yourself how we want the
immigrate population to view us as a city and how the world and you know how we want the world to
view us as a city, because what we do and you actions are going to umm are going to represent us, and
so do we want to be a city that is really culturally diverse and that is very welcoming and then we really
need to do the work, to be able to say that is true and that is going to come through the social climate
and the the immigrates here feel safe here do they feel like umm welcome that they needs are going to
be meet or do they feel like they are going to be face with discrimination or are they fearfully of going
out to seek services umm and I think we need to start answering, asking and answering those questions
to yourself and that would really gear us umm as far as were we go with immigrate population and I
think that um for those who are working with social services sectors how are native born US citizens
then umm really need to do a lot or work around culture competences and around umm stereotypes and
we all, its impossibility to grow in the US without having stereotypes so if we are going to be working
with immigrate population we really need to look at ourselves and look at our own prejudices and start
educating ourselves about countries and culture outside of our own world, because we tend to be very
one world view and we really need to start breaking out of that shell and changing and being educated
ourselves about countries and culture that are different from our own, because really what’s going to
make someone feel welcome is if you respect them and let them know that you don’t know everything
about them and you don’t know the answers and you do want to learn about them, but not because they
are different, but only because you want to know them and want to know about them, and if someone
feels respect and of someone feels they are being treated like an human being, then the relationship is
going to be a positive one or not you you speak the same language, then those feelings are going to
come through and just you trying to interact with them and you are trying to understand they language
then you are putting that effort forward, so I think they is a number of things that social service
providers that are native born can really do to make immigrate services more affective umm and
engage in immigrate service more, so yea that’s all.
I: ok well I’m going to turn off this recorder now
C: sorry I have a horrible phone, I’m sorry for that.
I: no its ok.
C: ok
I: but thank you for talking with me today.