University Advancement

Public Relations and Strategic Communications

NEWS RELEASE

Conference to Examine Impact of Immigration on California’s Most Pressing Issues

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Aug. 28, 2007) — There’s an old saying that very few Californians are natives. Next month, political, business and community leaders will join with academics in exploring just what impact immigrants have had on the state—culturally, linguistically and economically.

The 19th annual Envisioning California Conference, "Immigration in California: Conflict, Resolution, Transformation," will take place Wednesday, Sept. 19, at the Skirball Cultural Center. The conference is sponsored by Cal State Northridge’s Center for Southern California Studies and the Center for California Studies at California State University, Sacramento.

"The contributions of our immigrants have made California a global innovator in industry, arts and science," said Matthew Cahn, director of the Center for Southern California Studies and chair of CSUN’s Department of Political Science. "Whether one views immigrants as partners or competitors, it is clear that immigration from all over the world has come to define the character of the state.

"This year’s conference will examine immigration through the lens of the state’s most pressing issues," Cahn said. "Each panel is designed to assess the impact of immigration on a specific area, historically, presently and into the future."

Among the topics to be explored is where the state would be without immigrants.

"Our immigrant communities provide pivotal support to our local communities in ways that few people understand," Cahn said. "This panel examines the often subtle role our newest residents play in holding our communities together."

Other panels will explore the definition of a "typical Californian" and how different communities interact; the disproportionate hurdles facing immigrants in the areas of representation, legal protection, public safety and other areas; whether immigrants truly take American jobs or whether they help grow the economy; how well California’s educational systems are serving its newest residents; and how the health care crisis impacts immigrant communities.

Speakers and panelists include Val Zavala, anchor of KCET’s Life and Times; Los Angeles Times columnist Patt Morrison; Los Angeles Times reporter Hector Tobar; Karin Wang and Stewart Kwoh of the Asian-Pacific American Legal Center,; Isabel Alegria with the California Immigrant Policy Center; Robin Toma, executive director of the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission; the Rev. Eric Lee, executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles; John Trasvina of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund; Blair Taylor of the Los Angeles Urban League; Pilar Marrero of La Opinión and radio host Larry Mantle of public radio station KPCC.

For more information about the conference, call CSUN’s Center for Southern California Studies at (818) 677-6518, e-mail cscs@csun.edu or visit the center’s Web site at www.csun.edu/~cscs/.

The Center for Southern California Studies was established in 1996 to provide research, education and service on public policy issues facing Southern California. Driven by the goal of achieving well-informed public policy decisions, the center offers diverse programs that facilitate pathways to productive policy dialogue aimed at building community capacity and participation.

California State University, Northridge has 34,500 full- and part-time students and offers 62 bachelor’s and 50 master’s degrees as well as 28 teaching credential programs. Founded in 1958, CSUN is among the largest single-campus universities in the nation and the only four-year public university in the San Fernando Valley. The university serves as the intellectual, economic and cultural heart of the Valley and beyond.