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THE NEW AMERICANS e-newsletter - June 2003
Coming to PBS, THE NEW AMERICANS is a groundbreaking television series that follows a diverse group of contemporary immigrants and refugees from their homelands through their first years in the United States. Welcome to the June issue of THE NEW AMERICANS monthly e-newsletter with the latest information on PBS broadcast updates, producer notes and details on outreach resources and community planning across the country. In this issue, you'll find: I. PBS Broadcast Update II. Outreach Tools and Resources Update III. What's Happening in Communities IV. Partner Perspectives I. PBS Moves Broadcast to April 2004 The New Americans outreach team has just returned from the PBS Annual Meeting where it was announced that THE NEW AMERICANS broadcast date has been changed. The new broadcast will be in April 2004. PBS will announce the exact airdates later this year. We recognize that our funders, station and national partners have been working very hard toward developing outreach and education initiatives in line with the Fall 2003 broadcast. Changing the broadcast can be very challenging and the outreach team is committed to supporting all the efforts that are currently in place. We will provide you the resources necessary for successful activities and outcomes through the April 2004 broadcast. If you're concerned about how this schedule change will affect your outreach plans, please contact one of the outreach teams and we'll assist you in what ever way we can. II. Outreach Tools and Resources Update Read on to learn more about outreach resources now available or coming soon! A campaign overview and brochures are available at: www.itvs.org/outreach/newamericans/resources.html + ACTIVITY MAP AND LESSON PLANS ONLINE It's time to start posting your NEW AMERICANS activities online with our interactive map. Visit www.itvs.org/outreach/newamericans/map/index.html to use the new, searchable activity map and get others involved! You'll also find the series Lesson Plans for Grades 7-12 at: www.pbs.org/newamericans + VIDEO MODULES - Community-friendly Resources Series excerpts will soon be available for station and community partners who would like to use shorter stories from the series in community forums or professional development settings. Produced by Active Voice (AV) and Kartemquin Films, these four 30-40 minute theme-specific video modules are currently being tested by community-based organizations that work with targeted users. AV expects the modules, accompanied by a toolkit with resource lists, discussion guide, inquiry tools and training curriculum, will be completed by mid-summer 2003. The modules will be available to many Active Voice, ITVS, and Outreach Extensions partners, free in exchange for participating in an evaluation effort. The modules and kits will be more widely available in 2004 for a nominal fee. For additional content description on the four modules covering "Intergroup Relations", "Educators and Providers", "Youth", and "Policy and Participation" visit www.itvs.org/outreach/newamericans/resources.html + VIDEO EXCERPT TAPE TO ACCOMPANY ITVS DISCUSSION AND ACTIVITY GUIDE A video excerpt tape will also be available to support the ITVS Discussion and Activity Kit for educators and community organizations. An overview of the guide can be downloaded now at: www.itvs.org/outreach/newamericans/resources.html. Click on Discussion Guide and Activity Kit Overview. III. What's happening in Communities As you read about what's happening in other communities and become inspired about working with THE NEW AMERICANS, please let us know about opportunities to highlight the program at conferences or other public meetings and workshops. Let us know about your plans by posting your activities at www.itvs.org/outreach/newamericans/map/index.html Demo tapes are available through our outreach partner organizations. Send your request to Jim_Sommers@itvs.org + CLEVELAND The Global Issues Resource Center of Cuyahoga Community College will present "Our New Immigrants: The Wondrous Wave," a major community event in fall 2003, to address the challenges and opportunities facing new immigrants in Northeast Ohio. The event will feature: THE NEW AMERICANS series excerpts; a Cuyahoga College-produced video featuring emerging Cleveland immigrant groups; and a experts' panel on legal and civil immigrant rights issues. In addition to special assistance from Cleveland's public television station, WVIZ, partners in this project include the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio Foundation, the Arab American Community Center for Economic and Social Justice, the International Services Center, the National Conference for Community and Justice, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. For more information contact Emily Evans Ford, Emily.ford@tri-c.edu + MINNESOTA The Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota is developing an educational program on immigration for educators and community members in rural Midwestern communities. Partners include local school districts and the League of Women Voters. Program segments of the Flores Family (Mexico) will be screened to trigger conversations about the experiences of immigrants in rural communities. For more information contact Dr. Katherine Fennelly, kfennelly@hhh.umn.edu. + NEW JERSEY The Liberty Science Center in Jersey City and the International Institute of New Jersey (IINJ) plans to screen THE NEW AMERICANS series over several weeks, coupled with discussions facilitated by local immigrants who will relate the program to issues facing the New Jersey immigrant community. A celebratory reception to encourage informal networking and discussion will follow the final screening. IINJ is an affiliate of Immigration and Refugee Services of America, an Active Voice national partner. For more information contact IINJ at institute@iinj.org. IV. Partner Perspectives +"A Personal Perspective." Bibi Lobo, Vice-President National Latino Children's Institute (NLCI) www.nlci.org An Outreach Extensions' National Partner Developing the "America, My New Home" curriculum for THE NEW AMERICANS was a bittersweet experience for me. As an immigrant to this country, I know firsthand the excitement and fear that we all go through making the journey to a new life. Watching the struggles of the Flores family as they tried to be together in the United States brought all those feelings back to me. I, too, was separated from my mother for three years, and then my father for two. Many families have to sacrifice being together to try to build a better life. "America, My New Home" helps us to reflect on the legacy and strength of an immigrant nation and to build a new understanding and tolerance of diversity. We hope that organizations like NCLI that are committed to working for children and Latino issues will embrace this series as a tool to improve immigrant life in their communities. +"Partnering with Community Colleges" Arnold Kee, Coordinator for Minority Services American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) www.aacc.nche.edu An ITVS-CCP National Partner The Association of Community Colleges is pleased to lend its support for outreach efforts for this series. Community colleges are a key point of intersection for immigrants to this country and we welcome this opportunity to highlight our resources. Here are a few suggestions for public television stations and other organizations interested in developing a partnership with their local community college. 1. Most community colleges have directors of public relations; they should serve as a good entree to the college administration. Check to see if the college already has an affiliated television station and contact the station director, programmer or outreach coordinator. 2. The success of any campus-wide initiative hinges primarily upon the perceived commitment of the president. To build that commitment, invite the president to attend a planning meeting; encourage correspondence from the president outlining their partnering commitment; invite the president to participate in events or broadcasts. 3. Consider both short-term, series-specific objectives and other long-term objectives when forming partnerships. Can the series be incorporated into course curriculum? Could your collaboration lead to better training of future employees of your organization? Are there collaborative broadcast opportunities that could be explored? Please forward this newsletter to a colleague or community partner. If this issue of THE NEW AMERICANS e-newsletter has been forwarded to you, you can subscribe by logging onto www.itvs.org/outreach/newamericans |
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