Posted on 07/11/2005 7:28:30 PM PDT by bayourod
SUMMIT COUNTY - The faces of immigrants comprise more and more of Summit County's cultural landscape each year, as foreign workers and their families search for a better life in the High Country.
One has only to enter a local grocery store, elementary school or ski resort to meet residents that hail from West Africa, Eastern Europe, South America, Central America and Australia. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 12 percent of Summit County's population was foreign-born that year.
Yet for all the opportunities Summit County affords its immigrants, the community sometimes struggles in its ability to meet the needs of an increasingly culturally diverse population, according to Christina Carlson, executive director of Summit County's Family and Intercultural Resource Center (FIRC).
Accessing quality child care, enrolling in schools, learning English, finding a doctor, communicating with government officials or neighbors, understanding the legal system and feeling like a valued and welcomed part of the community can all be challenging for members of the foreign-born population.
But, with the help of a grant from the Colorado Trust, Carlson and other community leaders are working to make Summit County a more welcoming place for immigrants.
"One of the things we tend to forget is how global Summit County is," Carlson said. "As a community, if we can rally around that, we have an amazing opportunity as a culturally diverse place to live."
The Colorado Trust selected Summit County as one of 10 Colorado communities to develop and implement immigrant integration plans. The foundation has dedicated $6.4 million statewide to the effort.
Thus far in Summit County, immigrants and community leaders have spent the past several months brainstorming and cataloguing a list of ideas and actions specific to local needs. The result is a recently unveiled, four-year plan that calls on schools, local governments, businesses and service providers to each take a fresh look at ways to bridge cultural divides.
The plan suggests that area employers hold career fairs in multiple languages, create written materials that define employee rights and provide translated information on the skills required to climb through the company ranks.
It suggests that town halls have adequate translation services and encourages officials to mentor immigrants into positions of leadership.
"We need to be reaching out to immigrants and make them feel welcome," said Breckenridge town manager Tim Gagen. "We all have to be as proactive as we can in regard to language and translation issues."
Schools superintendent Millie Hamner plans to sit down with Carlson and a copy of the immigrant integration plan when she meets with school principals in preparation for the upcoming school year.
"I'd like to see the school district be at the forefront," said school board president Kristy Johnson. "We believe the cultural competency of our staff is a critical piece."
In the coming months, Carlson plans to hire an organizer who will work with all the various agencies and organizations to implement the communitywide integration plan.
Damn near no one in here shares yours.
Ohmigawd! What can we do to help?????? /sarcasm
"The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government,
1. The act of invading; the act of encroaching upon the rights or possessions of another; encroachment; trespass.
The plan suggests that area employers hold career fairs in multiple languages, create written materials that define employee rights and provide translated information on the skills required to climb through the company ranks. It suggests that town halls have adequate translation services and encourages officials to mentor immigrants into positions of leadership.
I'll say this much, you're as persistent with your misguided message as the illegals coming across the border.
What is the term for someone who assists in lowering the living standards for everyone below him on the corporate or company ladder by making sure they get paid less?
What is the term for someone who openly flaunts US law - hiding behind his forum handle to avoid prosecution?
What is the term for someone who hires illegals as a rule instead of American citizens - and thinks that is OK regardless of the results on the macro scale?
What is the term for someone who assists in the deterioration and/or destruction of our nation as we know it? (Other than Senator or Mr President.)
Since when does a conservative believe in open borders?
Come on bayourod, you're acting like a troll tonight - post and run.
Let's hear you defend your sorry position.
What a heart warming story! I'm surprised that there is any room for legal immigrants these days, so this is very special. They do need to set up volunteer programs for these wonderful people, so they can learn English. This is the only way they will assimilate, and become successful.
Amazing - try to throw the racist card around here. You of all people.
Please clarify if you are accusing me of those things.
That seems to be what you're doing here: "Remember that when you see a production floor that has employees that look illegal, that on the second floor are bookkeepers, managers, salesmen, engineers, secretaries, etc.. who would be out of jobs if the production line stopped.
Oh yeah - here's your laugh track.
This welcome crap only will fill up the land. No there isn't plenty of space - we need to grow food, and few reside in the deserts, mountains and most prefer to live on the coast.
Politicians say our most precious right is to vote. So they dilute our vote with every new immigrant, legal or illegal and do not honor the will of the voters to terminate illegal aliens entering at will.
Huh????
Sorry, I posted to you by mistake. My apologies.
Immigrants that don't have jobs...So then they're on WELFARE...And no mention of them learning the English language...
Get 'em out of MY Country...
Do you believe that every person who doesn't have a job is on welfare? You are aware aren't you that federal law prohibits even legal immigrants from receiving any type of federally subsidized welfare except WIC for at least five years after they come here?
Corrupt leaders want someone to love them. It's almost touching.
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