04/04/2024
By Darcie Boyer

Beyond the Headlines: How Migration Impacts Families -- A panel discussion with scholars and community leaders

Tuesday, April 16, 2024
2 – 3:30 p.m.
UML O’Leary Library Mezzanine
61 Wilder St., South Campus

What are the impacts of migration on families? Why do families make the difficult decision to leave their home countries? How do families maintain connections when they are separated by migration? What policies do we need to ensure that migrant families are treated fairly and compassionately?

Every day, we see narratives in the news and on social media about migrants posing a threat to safety and security and to the economy. Our panelists will go beyond these stereotypes to present research and firsthand accounts about who migrates and why; how migrants impact and benefit our communities; and what impact migration has on families.

Our panelists:
Elizabeth "Nophie" Dewi is a 2003 graduate of UMass Lowell’s Regional Economic and Social Development master’s program and holds a doctorate in Women’s Studies from Victoria University, Melbourne. She is now the head of the International Relations Department at Parahyangan Catholic University in Indonesia. She will share her work and research on the experiences of Indonesian mothers who must leave their children behind in Indonesia while they take advantage of the greater labor market opportunities in other countries.

Vanna Howard is a Lowell resident, community leader and a Massachusetts state representative. Rep. Howard came to Massachusetts as a refugee and is now the first Cambodian woman elected to the Massachusetts statehouse. She will share her experiences as a newcomer to the United States, but also her work as an elected official working to welcome new migrants to our city during this difficult political climate.

Our moderator:
Robert Forrant is a professor in the History Department at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, teaching courses on global labor issues, labor history, immigration, and international development. He was named Distinguished University Professor in 2016 and in 1998 received the President's Award for Public Service for University of Massachusetts Lowell. Bob lives in Lowell and is an active member of the community, giving lectures, hosting history segments on public access TV, and leading popular tours for the Lowell National Historical Park.

For more information, email Darcie_Boyer@uml.edu.

This event is sponsored by UMass Lowell’s Center for Women & Work; the Labor Education Program; the Gender Studies Program; the Sociology Department; and the College of Fine Arts Humanities, and Social Sciences.