Want to learn English or about the community of Morris?
Come on Sundays at 7p to the University of Minnesota Morris
or the
Morris Area High School at 5:30p-8pm-anytime
Call Salvador Monteagudo, Morris Literacy Project (English as a Second Language Classes) Coordinator at 320.585.5573 or cell phone 651.338.2929
Tutors and students always needed spontaneously throughout the week
or
¿Aprender la necesidad inglés o acerca de la comunidad de Morris?
Venga los domingos en 7p a la Universidad de Minnesota Morris
o el
La Preparatoria del Area de Morris en 5:30p-8pm-anytime
Llame Salvador Monteagudo, Proyecto de capacidad de leer y escribir de Morris (inglés como una Clases de segunda Lengua) Coordinador en 651.338.2929 de 320.585.5573 o teléfono celular
Los tutores y los estudiantes siempre necesitaron espontáneamente a través de la semana
*we are currently using this to visually and audioably teach the students
-Training
Alexandria's Literacy Project's Katy Mohbair came to Morris Area High School on Wednesday, November 17th of 2004 to teach 7 UMM Students from the Spanish Club. They are volunteering to teach ESL to local migrant workers.
A story of a "migrant-worker" lost amongst the "crowd"
*this fictious story is based on a "real" student (2005-2006) to show some of the challenges "migrant workers" face in an "unfamiliar" crowd or community
Once upon a time, there was a migrant worker name Leonardo who was working at a nearby dairy farm. Leonardo was from Honduras and was the only "non-Mexican" in a majority "Mexican" workplace-besides the Americans. He seem to be a hard worker like the rest of his co-workers. However, what made him more unique from the others was his "physical appearance"-had a cleft-lip that caused him to talk "abnormal" due to this "disability". This "disability" caused others to "stare" at him and distanced him between them. Working at this dairy farm provided him the money to live, but his disability got him more isolated from the people around him. Due to the increasing number of migrant workers on the dairy farm site, he had the opportunity to move out to the town. He moved in town with some other co-workers at an apartment. While in town, he wanted to take advantage of the services available. Leonardo heard about the FREE local English as a Second Language classes-Morris' Literacy Project- offered at the local high school. He was hoping to at least improve his speaking abilities despite his "disability". This inner motivation inspired him to come to these classes as much as he can. The instructor name Sam notice his willingness to learn, so Sam would work outside of the weekly classroom to help Leonardo improve. For example, one "typical life situation language barrier or challenge" was getting phone service. This seems to be a simple order, but when it comes to a person that speaks English as a second language-it's a challenge. Thus, Leonardo called Sam one day asking for help in this situation. Sam them picked-up Leonardo from his apartment to drive to the local phone company to register for this particular service. Sam, knowing a little Spanish, tried his best to translate for better communication from the local phone company staff and Leonardo. Leonard would call Sam for other related translation help and their relationship from student-teacher became friend-"amigo". Leonardo and Same would start hanging out in various activities: church service, playing baseball, watching movies, etc... Through these "bonding" activities, Leonardo's English would improve despite his "disability" of unclear verbal speaking due to his cleft-lip. This disability many never go away, but his confidence and self-esteem grew!
After several months, Leonardo started to stop going to these classes. He has missed a week at times, which Sam understands because of the busyness in the dairy farms. However, Leonardo never missed two or three weeks in a row! Sam started to wonder and got worried about the whereabouts of Leonardo. He even called Leonardo, but would never get a call back. One afternoon, Leonardo surprisingly came to Sam's house. He was knocking on the door forcefully that got Sam's housemates a little mad. Sam took Leonardo outside to talk about what was going on. Leonardo started to share about his frustrations with his housemate. This housemate has been disrespecting him a lot more lately due to various pressures in life. Sam would try to encourage him that this happens in life and it comes in seasons. This re-insured Leonardo for awhile, but it got to him to a point that Leonardo just couldn't handle it anymore. Leonardo took another opportunity to work at another migrant farm in Florida. Sam was disappointed about this decision-not about him moving out of the state, but Leonardo never said goodbye or shared about this. Four years later, Sam still has never heard about Leonardo and keeps him in his prayers. This student was one of Sam's favorites and uses him as a model when sharing about "needs of migrant workers" in community forums dealing with this subject.
"Alfredo Altamirano was a young boy growing up in Douglas, Arizona, when his brother was injured and knocked unconscious.
It was the defining moment that led Altamirano to a career in medicine.
"I can still see the frustration in my dad's eyes," said Altamirano, who began work as a Physicians Assistant and operations officer at Prairie Medical this month.
"The anguish and the fear of seeing his son passed out before him, and then the relief in my father's eyes when he saw the paramedics were there and they knew exactly what to do. After that, I've had a desire to understand the human body."
Altamirano, known as Fred, provides Prairie Medical with a skilled "two-for-one" medical professional. Dr. John Stock was looking for a clinician and an administrator to handle daily operations. It just so happens that Altamirano is skilled in both callings.
Altamirano, 41, has earned associate degrees in nursing and education, bachelors degrees in science and Physicians Assistant studies, has a masters degree in surgery and a doctorate in health care management.
Altamirano and Stock spoke about the job opportunity for some time, and what Prairie Medical and the community had to offer intrigued him.
"Dr. Stock told me that he would give me the opportunity to do all the things I ever wanted," Altamirano said. “I was hooked by that."
Education is power
Altamirano grew up in Douglas, which is about 120 miles southeast of Tucson. Gilberto and Dolores Altamirano moved to Douglas from Sonora, Mexico, and Fred was one of 14 children, and it was impressed on all of them how valuable their educations were.
"As migrant parents, they knew education was power, but they kept us humble," he said. "We were raised very poor but we are very thankful for what we have."
After earning an undergraduate degree at the University of Arizona, Altamirano joined the Army in 1986 and traveled extensively, including Egypt, Germany and Panama. During his active and reserve service, he worked toward his medical degrees and earned his Physicians Assistant degree in 1999, with a specialty in cardiac surgery. In addition to being the surgeon's primary assistant, he's certified to perform various procedures, such as vascular access and vein and artery harvesting.
"You're the doctor's right hand in surgery," he said.
Planting roots
After active duty, Altamirano worked as a traveling "locum" -- a temporary medical replacement -- for a health care company based in Utah.
"A rent-a-doc," he said.
The transient lifestyle provided Altamirano two great benefits.
"You get a lot of experience, and we wanted to travel and find the right place to plant roots again," Altamirano said.
Altamirano and his wife, Amanda, and three daughters -- Brianna, 13, Celine, 11, and Ysela, 10 -- had lived two years in Grand Forks, N.D., when he learned of the Prairie Medical job. The family enjoyed the Upper Midwest, and they saw Morris as the perfect place for Altamirano to strive for his professional goals while raising their children in a relaxed and safe environment.
Making a difference
Altamirano also speaks fluent Spanish and said he hopes he can reach out to the area's Hispanic population and break down communication barriers that might hinder proper health care.
And then there's also the hunting and fishing, he said with a smile.
"The primary reason I wanted to come is that I want to make a difference," Altamirano said. "I want to have influence in a small community where you can touch people's lives. I told my wife that this job gives me everything I want from a career standpoint but it’s also comfortable and you can sit back and relax. In a big city, you’re just a number and part of the rat race."
Giving to the community
Altamirano’s energy and ambition would be enough to keep him at the front of any race. He describes himself as organized, a systems guy who loves to teach and strives for efficiency.
"I love to fix things," he said. "I like to make things better and I'm very detail oriented."
Given that, it’s hard to comprehend Altamirano’s goal of "sit back and relax."
He said he loves to cook, play guitar and indulge in a love of history.
Altamirano is joining Stock as a member of the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office Posse, and he’s begun taking flying lessons as he pursues three goals he vowed to reach before his 45th birthday: Become an airplane pilot, write a book and become a ship captain.
"I want to be an advocate for the Morris population," he said. "It's important to serve your community but it's also important to give to your community. I believe it is a privilege and an honor to serve people all day."
-Services
From: "Peter T
Subject: Migrant Health Service Mobile Unit in Morris!
Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:02:20 -0500
"
Migrant Health Service, Inc. is a private, non-profit organization that
provides low-cost health care services to anyone working in agriculture. Our
North Mobile Unit will be in Morris Thursday, July 29. We will be located at
Assumption Catholic Church, 207 E 3rd St, from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Our Mobile Unit is staffed by a Family Nurse Practitioner, a Registered
Nurse, and bilingual (Spanish-English) staff members. We welcome anyone
needing a low-cost clinic visit to stop in and see us.
For an appointment, please call 1-800-842-8693 and ask for Marilou.
Peter T.
Community Health Specialist
Migrant Health Service, Inc.
810 4th Avenue South, Suite 101
Moorhead, MN 56560-2891
Phone: (218) 236-6502 x 108
Toll-free: (800) 842-8693 x 108
"...will speak at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, in Edson Auditorium of the UMM Student Center. An attorney, Chavez is the oldest son of Cesar Chavez and Helen Chavez. He has dedicated his career to carrying on his father's legacy through public interest work. Cesar Chavez, for whom a UMM campus street is named, was instrumental in the development of the National Farm Workers Association. This event is free and open to the public."-UMM Relations
"El orador de tónica Fernando Chavez hablará en 7:30 de la tarde. El martes, el 29 de marzo, en la Sala de Edson del Centro de Estudiante de UMM. Un abogado, Chavez es el hijo más viejo de Cesar Chavez y Helen Chavez. El ha dedicado su carrera a continúa su legado de padre por el trabajo público del interés. Cesar Chavez, para quien una calle de campus de UMM se denomina, era instrumental en el desarrollo de la Asociación Nacional de Trabajadores de Granja. Este acontecimiento es libre y abierto al público"-en espanol
""So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me," says the LORD Almighty."-Malachi 3:5
"Nearly three million workers earn their living through migrant or seasonal farm labor. Migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families confront health challenges stemming from the nature of their work, their extreme poverty and mobility, and living and working arrangements that impede access to health coverage and care. This brief provides an overview of migrant and seasonal farmworkers and the health challenges they face and considers options for improving their health coverage and access to care...
"
Academy Award Nomination, Best Documentary 2010.
Winner Emmy Award outstanding News and Documentary.
Winner of the 2010 Imagen Award for best Documentary.
The Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Grand Prize.
Independent Spirit Award Nomination, 2010.
Directed by Rebecca Cammisa.
Which Way Home shows the personal side of immigration through the eyes of children who face harrowing dangers with enormous courage and resourcefulness as they endeavor to make it to the United States.
An HBO Documentary.
Alan Capriles: Editing Crew.
"
*just watched it this evening (Thursday, October 9th 2014) at the local campus for a special public viewing, which we had a great after screening discussion...simlar to this one->
Slaughter - Which Way Home Q&A
HARVEST Trailer
"HARVEST tells the story of three of the more than 500,000 children of these migrant farm workers between the ages of 5 and 14. Although most of them are American citizens who work hard to feed us, they do so under the legal and social services radar and lack the protections that all other American children enjoy.
The film will be produced by Shine Global along with Rory O'Connor from Global Vision and will be directed by Robin Romano of Romano Productions"
A Harvest of Hope
Meet five Hispanic nurses who are making a difference in improving the quality of health care for migrant farm workers. (Minority Nurse)
ASIA
-China Migrant Workers - China "June 2006
Over two hundred million migrants work illegally in China. They power China's economic growth but are condemned to a life in the shadows.
On the outskirts of the new Shanghai live those who build it. "My life here consists only of work. I do nothing else", states Kejun. He comes from one of the poorest Chinese provinces but was forced to move to the city to find a job. Now, he works 7 days a week and sees his wife and child for only one day a year. "It's unbearable to leave our children behind." It's illegal for the rural population to move to the cities but the economy is so dependent on cheap labour that this rule is often ignored. Vulnerable and under constant threat of exposure, migrant workers are easily exploited. "Their lives are very tough", states NGO worker May Wong. "They are always discriminated against."
"BEIJING - The armies of migrant workers building Beijing's skyscrapers and Olympic venues are being bilked of wages and placed in dangerous conditions, Human Rights Watch said in a report Wednesday."
Beijing Olympic Migrant Workers Cleaned Out
"STORY:
Beijing begins its pre-Olympic clean-up in earnest on July 20. All construction work has to be completed by then to allow the usual haze of construction dust to settle before the world's athletes arrive.
The sudden halt in work is expected to leave millions of migrant workers without a job. Without a reason to stay in the city, they say they will become part of the clean-out.
Many of the city's 4 million migrant workers say they have been asked to leave as there are no jobs for them, or at least for the duration of the Olympics to keep them off the streets."
-India
Indian migrant workers suicides - 21 Dec 07
"Indian migrant workers are being duped by agents and forced into debt as they make their way to the Gulf to find work. On their return to India many are finding the burden too much. Al Jazeera's Bernard Smith reports. "
" GUWAHATI, India (AFP) - Separatist Assamese militants killed three migrant workers as they slept at a brick kiln where they worked in the restive northeast Indian state, police said on Monday.
The attack took place late Sunday in a tea-growing area in the east of the state, police official B. Baruah told AFP.
The shooting has triggered further fears among scores of non-Assamese migrants in the state after last January's ethnic violence saw almost 100 such labourers killed in a string of attacks."
"A group of Eastern European workers who were being denied the wages they were owed have been paid in full following strike action. The mainly Polish workers employed by cleaning company Glenn Management to clean offices on the Moulton Park industrial estate, Northampton, had not been paid properly for around four months. However after only one day's strike action they were paid the money that they were owed." LATIN AMERICA
MIDDLE EAST
-Saudi Arabia
" – The killing of two Indonesian domestic workers by their employers in Saudi Arabia highlights the Saudi government’s ongoing failure to hold employers accountable for serious abuses, Human Rights Watch said today. The brutal beatings by these employers also left two other Indonesian domestic workers critically injured."
NORTH AMERICA
-U.S.A
*see Latino Migrant Workers, from Goodnews UMM
"Added On October 5, 2010
Dr. Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa tells CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta about his journey out of poverty in Mexicali, Mexico.
Missions
New Mission in Guatemala for the Missionaries of Jesus
"What is our mission?
We are sent to frontier situations to witness and proclaim to the nations the presence and the coming of God's Reign. We work for and are in solidarity with the marginalized sectors of society, e.g., the indigenous communities, the urban poor, migrant workers, refugees, and displaced populations. We are partners in their aspiration for a new humanity rooted in Jesus Christ. Our objective is the promotion of the universality of the Christian message through presence (witness and dialogue of life), proclamation, and prayer."
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