A Note from the Interim Director | |
|
It's hard to believe another academic year is coming to a close. It has been my great pleasure to serve as IHRC's interim director this year. In this newsletter, you will get a sense of how busy the last few months have been. Many thanks to all of the people who have pitched in to make our work and our events possible. Thanks especially to my colleagues at the Immigration History Research Center Archives, the College of Liberal Arts, the Institute for Global Studies, and our advisory council members. I hope to share an announcement soon regarding the next IHRC Director. Stay tuned.
A very special thank you and congratulations to graduate research assistant Kim Horner who has been invaluable over the last year. Among her many accomplishments this year, this summer she will graduate with her PhD in Public Policy. For the next two years, Kim will be a postdoctoral fellow at St. Olaf College.
Have a wonderful summer!
Michele Waslin, PhD
| |
|
In April, the IHRC and the Immigration History Research Center Archives (IHRCA) welcomed two visiting scholars from the Migration Institute of Finland (MIF). Jarno Heinilä is an Archivist, and Dr. Samira Saramo is a Senior Research Fellow at MIF, which is located in Turku in western Finland. The visit was possible thanks to a grant from the U.S. Embassy in Finland. IHRC, IHRCA, and MIF won a Public Diplomacy Grant for our project, Migrant Experiences, Past and Present: A New Finland-U.S. Research and Archival Partnership. While they were in the Twin Cities, Jarno and Samira conducted research in the IHRCA, met with various UMN students, staff, and faculty members to exchange ideas, and guest lectured in several classes.
One highlight was a reception held on April 16th in Pillsbury Hall. Guests had the opportunity to meet Jarno and Samira, learn more about the MIF, and enjoy food from several local immigrant-owned businesses. Violinist, composer, and artist Sara Pajunen provided musical entertainment. Many thanks to Honorary Consul of Finland Elaine Kumpula, Government of Finland/David and Nancy Speer Visiting Professor in Finnish Studies Karina Horsti, Sara Pajunen, AfroDeli, Union Hmong Kitchen, Complete Beverage Service, Sky Lakes, and all of the amazing people who made this event possible.
Over the next year we will hold several online events, and Michele Waslin and Ellen Engseth of the IHRC and IHRCA respectively will visit the MIF.
|  | |
Thank you to Kathy Jorgensen and Karina Horsti for providing photos from the event. | |
|
This event was co-sponsored by the the Asian American Studies Program, the Hmong Cultural Center Museum, the Immigration History Research Center Archives, the Liberal Arts Engagement Hub, and the Preserving and Promoting Hmong American History Hub Residency.
The IHRC thanks everyone who helped to make this event a success.
| |
The First Somali Diaspora:
A Transnational History of Migration, Race, and Resistance
On Tuesday, April 23, Ibrahim Hirsi presented his dissertation research that traces the journeys of Somali migrant laborers from British Somaliland to the United States and the United Kingdom. He told the stories of Somali seamen, shared images of them and their families, and placed their experience in the broader historical context of colonialism and racialization. Hirsi is a University of Minnesota PhD candidate in History, and a recipient of the Francis Maria Fellowship in Arab American Studies.
| |
Im/migration Graduate Student News | |
Congratulations to the IHRC Summer 2024 Fellows!
Three UMN graduate students have been awarded IHRC summer fellowships. The Immigration History Research Center Summer Graduate Fellowship provides summer funding for full-time UMN graduate students to conduct research in the Immigration History Research Center Archives. Fellows will be expected to create physical or digital exhibits and/or academic scholarship that will interpret and publicize the IHRCA collections.
| |
Insil Jeon is pursuing a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education and Human Development, and her project explores the integration of Burmese and Karen refugees in Minnesota. | |
Roma Lucarelli is pursuing a PhD in English Literature and her research is entitled, "Finnishing Minnesota: Placing Finnish Immigrants Within Agricultural-Based Movements in the 20th and 21st Centuries." | |
Verna Wong is pursuing a PhD in the Culture and Teaching program within Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education and Human Development, and her project explores the racialized experiences of Asian American women teachers in Minnesota. | |
Made in Asian America:
A History for Young People
Former IHRC Director Dr. Erika Lee and award-winning author Christina Soontornvat have released a new book. Made in Asian America: A History for Young People tells a story of migration, race and racism, and bravery and hope. According to the publisher, "This book is a stirring account of the ordinary people and extraordinary acts that made Asian America and the young people who are remaking America today."
| |
|
Author Paula Yoo recently reviewed the book and interviewed the authors for The New York Times. Yoo writes, "Made in Asian America isn't just about the past...it's about the history being made right now by young people, inspired by the Asian Americans who came before them to ensure that our stories are not only heard, but also remembered."
Buy Made in Asian America HERE.
| |
Upcoming Community Events | |
Immigration and Ethnic History Society 2024 Summer Online Book Series
On August 1 from 3-4:15pm Central, the IEHS will host Ana Minian, author of In the Shadow of Liberty: The Invisible History of Immigrant Detention in the United States and Matthew Guariglia, author of Police & the Empire City: Race & the Origins of Modern Policing in New York. The discussion will be moderated by Ivón Padilla-Rodríguez of the University of Illinois, Chicago.
| |
|
|
This is a virtual event.
More information and registration HERE.
| |
Love and Solidarity
The East Side Freedom Library will host a symposium on June 7th and 8th, 2024. The theme is Love and Solidarity: A Decade of Commitment to Justice, Equity, and Community. It will feature four sessions: Labor and Racial Equity, Community-Driven Archives, Solidarity Movements, and a Workshop on Community Organizing. There will also be a banquet featuring a keynote by Ellen David Friedman, Board Chair of Labor Notes, a labor media and organizing project.
Find more information and registration on the East Side Freedom Library website.
| | | | |
