The University of Maine (UMA) College of Arts and Science and the UMA Senior College will present, as part of its Forum on the Future series, “Maine’s Immigration Challenge” at the Jewett Auditorium at UMA’s Augusta campus on Sunday, November 3, 2019, from 2-4 pm. The forum is free and open to the public.
Speakers will address the benefits of immigration to Maine’s society and economy, the legal aspects of seeking asylum and how this differs from regular immigration, and the personal experiences and achievements of a recent immigrant. These issues will be discussed from the perspective of four persons involved in a local program for assisting immigrants in becoming part of Maine’s society.
Kristin McLaren, Ph.D., is a lecturer in social science at UMA, where she has taught courses in religion and culture. She is a moving force behind the formation of the Capital Area New Mainers Project. CANMP is a cross-cultural organization that, with the help of community volunteers, welcomes immigrants and strives to create a thriving, integrated community in central Maine.
Barbara Taylor is a Rural Maine Project attorney with the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project. She is a University of Maine Law School graduate with a Masters Degree in Community Education from Columbia Teachers College. She has served as a full-time Staff Attorney and Senior Staff Attorney at ILAP for ten years. ILAP works to help Maine’s immigrants improve their legal status and assure them of social justice and equity.
Aaminah Aleem is employed by UMA as an administrative assistant in the Student Life, Athletics, and Dean of Students Offices. Her family emigrated from Pakistan. As a UMA student, she received the Heart and Soul Student award from the Maine Campus Compact, in recognition of her efforts in helping to transform her campus into an environment of civic engagement. She is a board member of the Capital Area New Mainers Project.
The moderator of the forum will be Chris Myers Asch, Director of CANMP. He teaches history part-time at Colby College. He is author of a book, The Chocolate City: A History of Race and Democracy in the Nation’s Capital.
There will be ample time for questions and interaction with the audience. Refreshments will be served.
The next Forum on the Future: Our Divided Country is scheduled for Sunday, February 2, 2020 at 2p.m.
The mission of Senior College (UMASC) is to provide joyful life-long learning and socializing opportunities to persons 50 and older and their spouses. Besides the forum series, UMASC offers a wide variety of courses and the Concerts at Jewett series. Learn more about UMASC and its other activities on our website or call 621-3551 or email at umasc@maine.edu.