Who:
New Americans living in Missouri's Third
Congressional District include refugees
and immigrants from Africa, Asia, Europe,
and Central and South America. Increasing
numbers of newcomers are becoming U.S. citizens
and are eager to exercise their right to
vote. The International Institute's New
American Votes! effort has organized a cosponsored
(with the League of Women Voters), non-partisan
informational forum to help New Americans
get to know the candidates for the Third
District seat, as well as their positions
on the issues.
The non-partisan forum will be in English
and all comments, questions, and answers
will be translated into the appropriate
languages of the audience. The International
Institute and local ethnic organizations
will provide interpreters.
The New American Informational Forum is
co-sponsored by the International Institute
of St. Louis and the League of Women Voters
of St. Louis, Missouri. The forum will follow
the League of Women Voters guidelines as
established for candidate forums. Future
forums will highlight other electoral races
and issues.
When: Saturday, July 17,
2004
Welcome 10:00 AM
Candidates opening remarks 10:15 AM
Audience questions 11:00 AM
Candidates closing remarks 12:15 PM
Where: International Institute,
3654 S. Grand Blvd (south of the Grand/Gravois
intersection)
What: New Americans Vote!
Informational Forum for District Three Congressional
Candidates
- A chance for New Americans, including
Vietnamese, Liberians, Hispanics, Ethiopians,
Eritreans, and Bosnians, to meet candidates
running for Dick Gephardt's office;
- Unique opportunity for the candidates
to meet a broad spectrum of New American
voters at one event; and
- This forum highlights the changing
demographics of Missouri voters.
Sound Bite: In a tight race for the critical
Third District office, the New Americans
may very well provide the votes that will
determine which way the scale will tip.
This is a pool of voters who have been reluctant
to vote in the past or have not been citizens
long enough to vote, as a result there is
little to no voting history for them. What
they will finally do at the ballot box is
an open question. Many come from countries
where they had no voice. Now, however, as
they take up one of the key responsibilities
of American citizenship, voting, they may
find that their opinions will indeed make
a difference.
The International Institute is celebrating
85 years of providing adjustment services
to new Americans in St. Louis. In 2004,
more than 7,500 refugees and immigrants
of 85 ethnicities will benefit from English
classes, job placement, mental health and
economic development programs at the Institute.
More than 40,000 area residents will learn
about our area's increasingly diverse ethnic
population through the Institute's speakers
bureau and multicultural events. For information,
visit www.iistl.org.
The League of Women Voters Information
Service is a non-partisan, educational service,
and it does not support candidates, political
parties or issues. LWVIS is supported by
tax-deductible contributions from corporations,
foundations and individuals. |
