The Cafe You Wouldn’t Leave

Disclaimer: Originally published on the St. Cloud State University campus paper, the University Chronicle on the Dec. 7 2009 issue. Written by Jun-Kai Teoh, Managing Online Editor. This article may not be reproduced in any form, including online or print media, without first and foremost contacting the University Chronicle. The Research Group of Immigrant Workers in Minnesota (RGIWM) organized a presentation on immigration at 2 p.m. Friday at the Atwood Theater. “We don’t come here to take things from you,” presenter Nelly Ortiz said. Professor Stephen Philion, director of the Research Group of Immigrant Workers, said they anticipated about 100-125 attendants but were pleasantly surprised at the turnout, which was more than 200 people. During the question-andanswer session, there were still approximately 100 people remaining in their seats. “We don’t come here to take things from you,” Nelly Ortiz said. Ortiz, an immigrant worker from Chicago that ...

Disclaimer: Originally published on the St. Cloud State University campus paper, the University Chronicle on the Nov. 16 2009 issue. Written by Jun-Kai Teoh, Managing Online Editor. This article may not be reproduced in any form, including online or print media, without first and foremost contacting the University Chronicle. In 2003, SCSU was reported to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) as sexist and racist. In 2007 swastikas were used as hate-speech on campus. And in early 2009 a poster of Dorothy Irene Height was vandalized. Following the vandalizing of Height’s poster, a group of students defiantly stood up against racism and started an anti-racist movement called the “We Are One” SCSU Student Resistance Movement. “I think it all stemmed from just wanting to be on the fight against racism and not the racist action,” social work junior Sara Schoborg said “kind of spin ...

Disclaimer: Originally published on the St. Cloud State University campus paper, the University Chronicle on the Nov. 30 2009 issue. Written by Jun-Kai Teoh, Managing Online Editor. This article may not be reproduced in any form, including online or print media, without first and foremost contacting the University Chronicle. A group of professors from the various departments have grouped together to form the Research Group on Immigrant Workers in Minnesota (RGIWM). Directed by Stephen Philion, a SCSU Sociology professor, the academic research group is currently being sponsored by the College of Social Sciences. Philion said the research group also aims to have some of the research done to be in response to the needs of the community. “Because I think that’s what we have to offer to the community,” Philion said. “On the one hand we’re producing is knowledge about immigrant workers’ situation and conditions to ...