The "crisis at the border" and a "crackdown on migrants" have been in national and local headlines for many years. The underlying policy issues are complicated, as are the lives of the people who are involved.
Wisconsin Humanities was founded on the belief that the humanities are key for helping Wisconsinites more deeply consider contemporary public policy issues. So in 2018, at a time when there was a lot of media attention around immigration, we reached out to the director at Centro Hispano of Dane County and asked, what do you wish people were hearing about immigration? What do you imagine could help Wisconsinites better understand this issue?
Centro Hispano and Wisconsin Humanities started working together to help people from the Latino community who were now living in Wisconsin be seen, on their own terms, by their neighbors in Dane County. We hoped that getting to know one another would help build understanding.
People who stepped forward to share their stories were interviewed by Bill Berry, a Wisconsin journalist who has covered immigration, agriculture, and the state for decades. Participants remained involved after their interviews and approved the excerpts shared in the exhibit and on the website. Photos taken by Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Gary Porter accompanied the excerpts.
Each person's story is different. Gilberto, who came to the U.S from Mexico as a child, attended UW - Madison full-time while working three jobs. Jennifer is a community health worker who was born in Colombia. She supports women in the Hispanic community with nutrition classes and during childbirth. Mario was a teacher in Honduras but now works on a Wisconsin dairy farm from before dawn until late in the night. An exhibit and website were developed to feature these stories and others.
The exhibit began touring in Dane County in 2019 with an opening at the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison. It then moved on to the communities of Verona, Sun Prairie, and Mount Horeb, and was also on view at the Central Library in Madison. The Dane County tour closed with a reception at Madison Area Technical College.
Based on the response of visitors, the interest from around the state, and the goals of Centro Hispano, we decided to have a second copy of the exhibit built and embark on a statewide tour. We hired a Project Manager, Christopher Font-Santiago, and worked with staff and scholars to create a more robust website.
The website, which is still accessible, shares the eight stories along with a historical timeline highlighting important facts about immigration in Wisconsin, audio clips from the longer interviews, as well as information that helps to place each personal story into some context. With Mario's story, for example, you'll find more information about the role of immigrant labor in Wisconsin's agricultural economy, as well as data with regard to education levels and the economic impact of immigrants in the state.
The Covid pandemic altered our plans, but ultimately we are thrilled to have worked with twenty-two different Wisconsin communities to host 'Immigrant Journeys' through 2022. We were touched by the generosity of the storytellers, and by the responses of visitors at libraries, city buildings, and schools around the state. In 2023, we are still committed to the worthy endeavor of using a historical lens to better understand current events, alongside skills in listening, reflection, and conversation. We hope you'll visit the Immigrant Journeys website and keep finding ways to learn more about the people who make Wisconsin home.
