Comments on: The World Comes to Smallville http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/01/24/the-world-comes-to-smallville/ Exploring urban life through word and photography Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:47:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Christopher DeWolf http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/01/24/the-world-comes-to-smallville/comment-page-1/#comment-1946 Christopher DeWolf Thu, 25 Jan 2007 03:37:37 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/01/24/the-world-comes-to-smallville/#comment-1946 Actually, that's one of the things that distinguishes Lewiston from other places: the Somalis have not been directed there by anyone. They were originally settled by the government in various places, especially Atlanta, but once they were able to move around freely they packed up and moved to Lewiston. Clarkston is, as you said, an example of a town where government agencies have deliberately placed refugees. And yes, you're right that Latino migration into small towns is having the biggest impact. Actually, that’s one of the things that distinguishes Lewiston from other places: the Somalis have not been directed there by anyone. They were originally settled by the government in various places, especially Atlanta, but once they were able to move around freely they packed up and moved to Lewiston.

Clarkston is, as you said, an example of a town where government agencies have deliberately placed refugees.

And yes, you’re right that Latino migration into small towns is having the biggest impact.

]]> By: Christopher Szabla http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/01/24/the-world-comes-to-smallville/comment-page-1/#comment-1937 Christopher Szabla Wed, 24 Jan 2007 23:29:14 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/01/24/the-world-comes-to-smallville/#comment-1937 It should be noted that refugees are not necessarily choosing to live in small towns in Maine; they are directed to settle there by agencies within the US government that handle the administration of asylees and refugees, who are not given the sort of options standard immigrants would receive. Washington actively targets towns in rural Maine or North Dakota to serve as receiving centers for such populations. By contrast, Latin American migrants are settling in small towns across the south and lower Midwest, creating what the NY Times has described as "The Latino South," in which Latinos serve as a sort of go-between intermediary between polarized black and white communities. This phenomenon is far more widespread and is having a far greater impact than refugee settlement in places like Lewiston. It should be noted that refugees are not necessarily choosing to live in small towns in Maine; they are directed to settle there by agencies within the US government that handle the administration of asylees and refugees, who are not given the sort of options standard immigrants would receive. Washington actively targets towns in rural Maine or North Dakota to serve as receiving centers for such populations.

By contrast, Latin American migrants are settling in small towns across the south and lower Midwest, creating what the NY Times has described as “The Latino South,” in which Latinos serve as a sort of go-between intermediary between polarized black and white communities. This phenomenon is far more widespread and is having a far greater impact than refugee settlement in places like Lewiston.

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