FINDLAY, Ohio (February 16,2016)—The Findlay-Hancock County Public Library, in coordination with Findlay/Hancock County Welcoming Community Initiative, will hold a panel discussion highlighting “Unknown Local Stories of Immigration.” This event will provide a local perspective on immigration through the eyes of Hancock County residents who are immigrants from Cambodia, Philippines, Mexico and Germany. This event will provide perspectives on the local community through residents who have gone through the experiences of immigration – moving to the Hancock and area community from another country for various reasons including marriage, warfare, family, etc. The panelists will include residents who were born and grew up in Germany, Cambodia, Philippines, and Mexico.
Free and open to the public, the event will occur on March 10, 2016 at Glenwood Middle School Community Room. The dialogue is scheduled from 6:00 – 7:00 pm. Additional parking is available behind Glenwood Middle School. Register online atwww.FindlayHancockChamber.com, email [email protected] or call 419.422.3313.
The dialogue will be facilitated by Dr. Hiroaki “Hiro” Kawamura, Associate Professor, The University of Findlay. Hiro came to the US from Japan in 1991. He joined UF in 1998 after having spent four years in Idaho and three years in Columbus, Ohio. He is a cultural anthropologist and teaches Japanese language, culture and other culture courses at UF. His wife is also from Japan, and their two children were born in Findlay.
Panel participants will talk about their homeland with special emphasis on their transition to Hancock County. This topic aligns with the CommunityRead 2016 book by Cristina Henríquez called The Book of Unknown Americans and spotlights the cultural diversity in our community from the immigrants’ viewpoints.
The Findlay/Hancock County Welcoming Community Initiative grew out of an April 2016 community forum hosted by Hancock Leadership Alumni Association and attended by 140 community members. Input gathered at the April event underscored recognition that vibrant world class communities are built on a foundation of inclusivity. The healthiest communities are welcoming to all newcomers and open to the new ideas, customs and contributions they bring to us. The Findlay/Hancock County Welcoming Community Initiative supports local initiatives that promote cultural diversity in Hancock County.
A second panel highlighting international students from the University of Findlay and facilitated by Dr. Kawamura will be held on March 17, 2016 at Glenwood Middle School. Panelists will include students from Saudi Arabia, India, China, Japan and Nepal. This panel will help audience members understand how international students see and experience our community. The dialogue is scheduled from 6:00 – 7:00 pm. Additional parking is available behind Glenwood Middle School. Register online atwww.FindlayHancockChamber.com, email [email protected] or call 419.422.3313.
Both of the above panels have the goals of understanding what cultures make up our community and how our community would look through the eyes of difference cultural perspectives.
About Hancock Leadership Alumni Association: HLAA exists to support the Hancock Leadership, foster leadership through education of our members and the community, provide service to the community and maintain an avenue for leadership. For more information, visit www.hancockleadership.org.
About Findlay-Hancock County Public Library: The Findlay-Hancock County Public Library encourages and supports lifelong reading, viewing and listening in the pursuit of knowledge and joy. For more information, visit www.findlaylibrary.org.
