Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Nov. 16, 2006, edition 1 / Page 2
Part of The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
2A OOO NEWS/^e CliarloRe Thursday, November 16, 2006 Symposium on immigration Continued from page 1A McCrory responded, “The commission has been working diligently to gather facts and data and work based on infor mation rather than emotion,” The Mayor’s Commission has made a preliminary pre sentation and will disband on Dec.l4 with its final findings. ‘We felt we had no other option than to set-up a com mittee to look at the illegal immigration issue from the community standpoint and the standpoint of all workers affected,” said Macon. The Illegal Immigration Committee of the Millions More Movement has been meeting since April. The Committee’s task was handed down from the Ad Hoc Committee of the Black Political Caucus. ‘We have four questions that need answering,” Macon said. What impact has illegal immigration had on the econ omy of legal work; What impact has it had on the eco nomics of the black communi ty and black work force; How has the influx of illegal immi grants effected lending to black businesses: and who besides the illegal immigrants profit from illegal immigra tion?” Millions More began work ing with representatives from the eight community groups to find answers and to e nate the stereotypes that blacks and Latinos are at odds. “I’m really disturbed by the fact that they are showing the black and Hispanic com munities at odds,” said Maudia Melendez of Jesus Ministry and a member of the Mayor’s Commission Public Safety subcommittee. “They are portraying it as if blacks feel Hispanics are coming here to steal their jobs. Hispanics and blacks have lived well together in the community for years.” Both Melendez and Macon are hoping people come out to the symposium Saturday morning, so that they do not believe everything they read in the general media. “Immigration is an issue that pertains to all of us, especially the Spanish com munity, since we are the ones on the spot right now,” said Melendez. ‘We’re the same as all the other communities that came to the US in the past, but currently, we are being blamed for all of the ‘diseases’ in the US.” In Mecklenburg County (Charlotte), the Hispanic pop ulation grew by 791 percent from 1990 to 2004, from 6,692 people to 59,645. Melendez added that fol lowing a drunk-driving acci dent in Gastonia in which a d the PHOTO/CURTIS WILSON Gabby Feltpe (right) and Rhys Jones play during an after school program at the Morrison YMCA in Charlotte. YMCA is one of 97 agencies in the Charlotte region that receive money from United Way of Central Carolinas. Earlier this week, United Way campaign ieaders said the agency faced an $800,000 shortfall to its fund raising goal of $44 million. United Way struggles to meet campaign goal Continued from page 1A few days left in its fiand raising campaign and $500,000 behind, the community rallied. Baker is hoping for a repeat. “I think people don’t give because we don’t make it important enough to them to give,” he said. The campaign ended this afternoon and the United Way will make an announcement about the amoimt of money it raised. Arturo Romero open contain er incident, the environment for Hispanics has been a neg ative one. “The situation for Hispanics has been very bad,” said Melendez. “[This] was an incident politicians picked to blow the immigration issue out of^proportion. What we are seeing now is public opin ion being formed out of pro paganda. Nothing is rooted in fact.” Melendez said questions should be asked by communi ty members in order to start to get at facts, and move past stereotypes. “Why do we still have illegal immigrants,” asked Melendez? “What motivates them to keep coming? Is the US in any way helping Latin America? There are lots of issues behind immigration not being put on the table,” said Melendez. The dialogue wiU include a discussion of the definition of illegal vs. undocumented, the economic impact of illegal immigration, and deporta tion. Millions More will release a public document afterward. “If the community under stands those three issues, it will be the ground work of understanding,” said Macon. “I don’t think the community understands what is happen ing with deportation, but I think they would be outraged if they were aware.” Organizers hope Saturday’s conversations is the first of many. “We are calling this Phase 1; we’re expecting more Conversations Across Borders to happen. But we want the audience to dictate continuation,” said Macon. Want a fun alternative... We’re Charlotte’s Premier Private, Activities Club for Singles that specializes in Fun and Friendship. Call us at 704-210-8082 or visit us online at eventsandadventurescharlotte.com yente /Sdventure^
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Nov. 16, 2006, edition 1
2
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75