On Oct. 17 from 5 to 7 p.m., “Where are you from?” — a Wake Forest project that seeks to build understanding of diversity in American society, will launch its new website at World Relief, 2029 North Centennial Street, in High Point.
The event begins with an international dinner, prepared by members of the World Relief community, with samples of cuisine from all over the world. After the meal, World Relief clients and expert panelists will discuss regional immigration issues.
The new “Where are you from?” multimedia website will include more than 30 videos of people discussing their ethnic and cultural heritage as well as an interactive feature where visitors can post their own story. A Google map info-graphic will show what areas of the world people in the videos are from.
The “Where are you from?” project was announced in March 2012 with a two-day symposium at Wake Forest University. “Where are you from?” interviews are available on YouTube, but the new website is the next step in creating a common history that will help connect Americans who come from a variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
Wake Forest panelists available for expert commentary:
Alessandra Beasley Von Burg, assistant professor of communication and director of the “Where are You From?” project. “We all have our own stories to tell, whether we’ve been U.S. citizens for our whole lives or we just moved here.” Von Burg is also director of the American Ethnic Studies program at Wake Forest.
Betina Wilkinson, assistant professor of politics and international affairs, is an expert on the Latino population in N.C. and can discuss how legislation has impacted their economic opportunities and political behavior.
Hana Brown, assistant professor of sociology, is involved in multiple research projects related to immigrant and refugee affairs. She can discuss the relationship between immigration and welfare — how welfare policies affect immigrant well-being and how anti-immigrant movements affect welfare policy. She focuses on how policy decisions can affect the ability of refugees to adapt to life in the U.S.
Chris Zaluski, documentary film program graduate student, can discuss the production of the video interviews for the “Where are you from?” website.
Additional panelists include: Tony Williams, director of World Relief, and Yadkin County Team Advisor & Southeast Region Co-Representative Moises Serrano from El Cambio NC.
“Where are you from?” is made possible in part by funding from the North Carolina Humanities Council, a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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About Wake Forest University: Wake Forest University combines the best traditions of a small liberal arts college with the resources of a large research university. Founded in 1834, the school is located in Winston-Salem, N.C. The University’s graduate school of arts and sciences, divinity school, and nationally ranked schools of law, medicine and business enrich our intellectual environment. Learn more about Wake Forest University at www.wfu.edu.
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