IUPUC invites the public to attend “In the Shadows: Immigrant Stories” on March 23, 2023, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., at the Columbus Learning Center.
Yamileth Martinez, a senior in the IUPUC School of Education, shares her Office of Student Research project through art and stories of experiences of immigrants who arrived to the region undocumented. She aims to better understand how discrimination against national origin, language, and citizenship status are perpetuated through immigration policies.
“Many immigrants live in fear, drive in fear, work in fear. They hide in the shadows,” Martinez said. “They’ve come here to live their dreams but many encounter bumps and barriers, which others in the community often don’t see.”
“In the Shadows” features six immigration stories (under alias names), as well as well as Martinez’s own story. “Each story is special, each story is different. Each story belongs to someone who survived,” Martinez said.
A'ame Joslin, Ph.D., IUPUC education professor, is Martinez’s faculty mentor. She noted that “In the Shadows” has many layers, featuring meaningful, multi-generational conversations between students and their immigrant parents.
It also includes a survey to measure participant attitudes. “Early results show that sharing these stories does build empathy and has an impact on understanding how policies directly impact communities,” Joslin said.
To take the survey or learn more about “In the Shadows,” visit go.iu.edu/4MWQ.
The event on March 23 features artwork from Alejandra “El Rallonadero” Carrilo and authentic Mexican food from Morales Antojitos. It will be held in The Landing at the Columbus Learning Center, 4555 Central Ave.
“In the Shadows” is one of 13 projects that will be presented April 11, 2:30 to 4 p.m., as part of IUPUC’s annual Office of Student Research (OSR) Exhibition. Each student-faculty team received a $1,000 grant from the OSR to fund their project, after passing a rigorous vetting process by a review committee.
Earlier this year, Yamileth Martinez won IU’s Building Bridges Award for this project and other work in anti-racism. As part of the Building Bridges Award, IUPUC received a $500 grant for the Latino-American Organization of Volunteers in Education (LOVE) for continued outreach and work in the community. LOVE events prepare, encourage, and support members of the Latinx community to pursue higher education and enhance their careers.