New Iowans: A Forum on Immigrants and Refugees

On February 11, Iowa International Center and the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines organized an event called ‘New Iowans: A Forum on Immigrants and Refugees’. Diane, Matt and I from the USCCD were among many others who arrived at the Des Moines Botanical Center to learn more about this diverse group and the challenges that they face.

Tom Urban, Board of Directors, Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines and Dr. Judith A. Conlin, ED, Iowa International Center welcomed the audience and introduced the speakers for the day. They mentioned that the forum was organized as a result of the growing interest and curiosity among a wide range of people, who may or may be directly involved in working with migrants and refugees, and that there would be several more such events in the future to ensure a continued dialogue.

Dr. Mark Grey, University of Northern Iowa and Director, Iowa Center for Immigrant Leadership and Integration presented an overview of the immigrant and refugee issues in Iowa. He was followed by Lori Chesser, Attorney and co-founder, Iowa Immigration Education Coalition who explained the path that immigrants and refugees follow to gain citizenship and the issues that they face during that process. The last of the individual speakers was John Wilken, Director, Iowa Bureau of Refugee Services who took the audience through the history of refugee settlement in Iowa.

The forum concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Tom Urban. Below is a list of panelists, each of whom shared their unique personal experiences as immigrants or refugees, highlighting the challenges that they faced and the lessons that they learned along the way.

1. Zeljka Krvavica, Specialist at the Bureau of Refugee Services
2. Vinh Nguyen, ELL Coordinator, Des Moines Public Schools
3. Sandra Sanchez, AFSC Immigrants Voice Program Director
4. Ying Sa, CEO, Community CPA and founder, Immigrant Entrepreneurial Summit

Aside from the more systemic and procedural challenges that were highlighted, what stayed with me after the event were the personal stories of the panelists. The unfortunate mental and emotional turmoil that they endured as a result of their migrant or refugee status reminded everyone why there was a need to look more closely at malfunctioning systems. It reminded everyone that while it’s easy to view statistics and figures as mere numbers, it was important to recognize that each number represents a person who made, is making, and will continue to make a contribution to the American society and economy. It is therefore imperative to acknowledge and respect their contributions and support them fully during their challenging personal transitions.

Another thing that lingered in my mind was the extent of cultural assimilation that these groups undergo and its impact on them. While immigrants and refugees inevitably acquire new languages, ideologies and practices to adapt to their new environments, what are some of the conscious efforts being made to help them retain their own cultural identities? I know that diversity is regarded as a strength, but I’m curious to learn about specific initiatives aimed at protecting and promoting this diversity, especially generations later.

This forum was not only my first real introduction to issues faced by migrants and refugees; it was also a great lesson in Iowa’s history and settlement patterns. Being relatively new to the U.S., making connections between immigration, diversity and heritage greatly aided my understanding of the American culture.