Open Letter

Attention Valley Viewers:

 This website is an accumulation of a semester’s worth of studies into the subject of migration and unpacking the phrase “in search of a better life.”  

Reading through what I’ve written to you, I see that migration affects me more than I thought. The injustice brought against migrants in my own backyard is enough to bring me to action. How can I help the people escaping into the valley to scrape enough money from the low wage, dead-end jobs that can get to send home to feed their families? You may be asking yourself, how can I change the way these humans are being treated?

First, let’s give credit where credit is due! During the semester we read “The Heartland’s Raw Deal: How Meatpacking is Creating a New Immigrant Underclass” by Marc Cooper and Disposable Domestics: Immigrant Women Workers in the Global Economy by Grace Chang. Both books described the deplorable conditions immigrant workers voluntarily work under to support their families in this “land of opportunity.” Conditions that most Americans would not even dream of working in, yet these people say nothing, living in fear of deportation or losing their jobs. We need to understand that they are hard-working honest people who take pride in the work they do and we should appreciate that they are willing to fill those positions that most will not. Second, talk to our government officials for those who will not speak. Vote when immigration laws come up. There are so many times when we could vote to change the way our government works and we do not. It is time to stand up for the people running to our borders for our help!

 Thanks for listening and check out our readings if you want to read more!

 Jennifer Kamiaz