Blog: "We, the People: Voices of the Immigrant City"


The blog, "Nosotros, el pueblo: Voces de la Ciudad de Inmigrantes / We, the People: Voices of the Immigrant City" is the result of a complex but very vibrant collaboration between youths and adults who are committed to community development and to the idea that one, single story does not define a place. The original vision for the project was expressed by Steve Garcia and Chris Benitez, of Movement City in Lawrence, and they shared it with Mark Cutler, Spanish instructor at Phillips Academy, who had been doing community work in Lawrence with his students for a number of years. Steve and Chris wanted to show through a documentary the different sides of Lawrence, images and stories that were not given equitable treatment in the mainstream press–the good, the bad and everything in between. The team set out to realize this project and through various iterations, in collaboration with students from Phillips Academy Andover, Lawrence High School, LHS-MST teacher Cesar Sanchez Beras, Movement City and Lawrence History Center, the blog presents stories of the new Hispanic immigration into Lawrence. The blog is designed so that the visitor can appreciate the stories of residents of the Immigrant City, either one at a time, or in order, as if they were part of the documentary that the original authors had envisioned. Our wish is that this blog be used by the community of Lawrence, even those who do not live in the city–admirers, friends, associates and academics–and that it become a community building tool for the city to rally around. All of the project videos may be found at http://nosotroselpueblo.wordpress.com/category/video/

Mariel Cabrera – aspirante estudiante universitaria / aspiring college student