Cambio de Colores 2005

Latinos in Missouri:
Connecting Research to Policy and Practice
Hoy y Mañana

Reynolds Alumni Center, University of Missouri-Columbia,
March 30, 31 & April 1st, 2005

Reception: the Climate of Changing Communities and Implications for Policy

Theme: Change and Wellbeing

Moderator: Moderator: Corinne Valdivia, Research Associate Professor, Agricultural Economics, University of Missouri Columbia

Presenters:

  • Corinne Valdivia, Research Associate Professor, Agricultural Economics, University of Missouri
  • Anne Dannerbeck, Research Assistant Professor, Social Work, University of Missouri
  • Sylvia Lazos, Professor, William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada-Las Vegas
  • Keith Jamtgaard, Research Associate Professor, Rural Sociology, Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis, University of Missouri
  • Stephen Jeanetta, State Specialist, Community Development, University of Missouri Extension

The welcome mat, or lack thereof, for Hispanic immigrants in Missouri was the topic of the Cambio de Colores breakout IV session “Reception: The Climate of Changing Communities and Implications on Policy.” The session was a panel discussion. Panelists included Corinne Valdavia, associate professor of Agricultural Economics at MU, Anne Dannerbeck, assistant professor of Social Work at MU, Sylvia Lazos, professor of Law at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Keith Jamtgaard, associate professor of Rural Sociology at MU, and Stephen Jeanetta, State Specialist for Community Development for the University of Missouri Extension.

The five panelists took turns addressing the reception that immigrants receive in Missouri. Topics included average income for immigrants in Missouri, as well as positive and negative receptions in rural Missouri schools.

Ideas for creating a more welcoming climate were also presented by Jeanetta and Lazos. Centro Latinos were presented as examples of community organizations that create a positive climate.  

Lazos also encouraged dialogue with local and federal leaders to create more positive climates for immigrants. 

“The most important thing to get from this session,” Lazos said, “is to understand that the welcome mat is dynamic, it’s always changing, and each of you can help make a difference.”


Day 2, Thursday March 31. Breakout Sessions 4:50PM, Breakout 4.

By Rachel Higginbotham


By Rachel Higginbotham

This conference report contributed by

Mid-Missouri bilingual newspaper.