The story below is from our May/June 2019 issue. For the full issue Subscribe today, view our FREE interactive digital edition or download our FREE iOS app!
Editor’s Note: This story kicks off our first-ever blog series discussing Immigration in the Roanoke Valley.
Read more about one refugee’s incredible story of starting her life over in Roanoke here.
Read more about the how immigration affects our local economy here.
More blog posts to come as we continue the conversation thanks to our writers Christina Nifong, Anne Sampson and Brian Bongard.
How has immigration affected the fabric of life in the Roanoke Valley?
What is it like to be an immigrant or refugee living in the Roanoke Valley?
Immigrants leave their countries because they feel like they don’t belong there anymore. It may be because of political or religious persecution, or war and the threat being killed. It could be fear of the horrible things that gang violence can mean to everyone, but especially the children. Many refugees say “there are some things worse than death.” Or it may be in hopes of finding a better way to support their family. Their struggle is to find security, belonging and a better life.
Most of us can relate to the simple challenges of moving to a different town: making new friends, settling and fitting in. But if you’re moving to a different country, it becomes exponentially more challenging, especially if you left your home country under duress. There is a different culture and language. You look different. You will be impacting the lives of people who have lived there forever, and you may not always be welcomed. Racism will frequently rear its ugly head.
There are also struggles for the communities where immigrants are trying to get acclimated. Assimilating new groups of people into the fabric of local life has social, cultural, political and economic impacts. There are fears that newcomers will put strains on schools and hospitals, that public safety will be compromised, that they will take their jobs, cost taxpayers money and divert resources away from other programs. Those fears are professed often by those who feel strongly about them and amplified by some of our political leaders and the media.
How do these struggles play out in the lives of people in the Roanoke Valley? Is Roanoke a welcoming community? Or is there resentment and conflict?
The answer is both. There are many citizens and programs who welcome immigrants with open arms, but there is also fear, intolerance and racism.
“Racism occurs far more often here than many of us would like to admit,” says Christine Poarch, attorney and advocate for immigrants at Poarch Law.
Rocio Mendez is a paralegal at the same firm. She is from Mexico, grew up in Salem, married a Mexican and has three young children. Her family is completely bi-lingual. “The rule in our house is that you can speak any language you want, as long as it is in complete sentences.” She relates one particular experience they recently had:
“I was in the check-out line at the grocery store, paying for food with my children, and we were speaking in Spanish to each other. The guy behind us in line started calling us ‘wetbacks’ and told us to ‘speak English!’ He said ‘you don’t belong here, you’re not welcome here, go back home.’”
Her young kids understood every word he said. “What gave me strength in that moment was that the cashier and the people in line stood up for us,” she says. “They asked if I wanted them to call the police.” She adds, “You have the very bad people, but you have the good people who are willing to stand up for you, too.”
Rachel Thompson, whose heritage is Jamaican and South African, is a lead attorney at Poarch, also with three young children. “It’s different when kids are involved,” she says. “I can handle about anything myself, but don’t mess with my kids!”
Chief of Police Tim Jones says his department takes a same-for-all approach in connection with the immigrant community. “The position, training, and policies of the police department are that everybody, regardless of citizenship status, is provided the same due process of law.” He says, “If a law is broken or there is a criminal complaint like an arrest warrant issued, an arrest will be made. Should the arrest process reveal that an individual is wanted by ICE, we in law enforcement are required to make that notification.”
He also points out some of the ways they are trying to work with the communities they serve.
“Our agency has a domestic violence specialist of Hispanic heritage on staff to help with community engagement efforts and we have about eight officers of Latino or Hispanic heritage on the force.”
The Lea Youth Outdoor Basketball League (LYOB), a collaboration among the police, community organizations, Roanoke Parks and Rec and the Mayor, provides a venue for kids and families to interact with officers outside of the law enforcement environment. The program allows officers to build better relations and provide better service to the community.
For many immigrants seeking a community, churches and temples are a good start. Commonwealth Catholic Charities has a long list of services, many of them focused on children. There are panel discussions, held at places like The Jefferson Center and Roanoke College, where community leaders can be asked questions and provide information.
Other events revolving around cultural diversity include Local Colors, happening May 18th in Roanoke’s Elmwood Park. As a celebration of the international community and a way to introduce those unfamiliar to other cultures, it includes conversation, music, dance and ethnic food.
The struggles for immigrants are real. Understanding improves when people talk to each other, even when those conversations are uncomfortable or difficult.
“My husband and I live many hours away from our closest family members,” says Thompson. “It is difficult being far away from family, but the Roanoke Valley has been home to us for almost seven years and it’s where we are going to stay. Like every city and town, Roanoke has its strengths and weaknesses, but I truly believe that its strengths far outweigh its weaknesses. While there is still work to do, we’ve come a long way and I’m proud of this place where my (biracial) kids will forever get to claim as their birthplace.”
… for more from our May/June 2019 issue, Subscribe today, view our FREE interactive digital edition or download our FREE iOS app!
