Author: Sara Marsh

 

Immigration and Unemployment in America: Sanroman ’22 Between the Delaware Department of Labor and Ciudad, Juarez

Nov 18, 2020
 

Throughout my past co-op, I have experienced many interesting things, not only through my current position as an Executive Assistant with the Delaware Department of Labor but also with my experience with the U.S.-Mexico immigration process.

Last year, I submitted a post to Antioch Engaged about the tremendous pain that I felt both emotionally and physically when my sister and I went to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico in order to attain our permanent residency in the United States. Although it ended with a positive result, there were so many unexpected twists and turns that were often difficult to swallow. If you would like to hear more about that journey, you can read my post here.

This year, I was lucky enough to return to Ciudad Juarez and watch my sister receive her permanent residency. Surprisingly, it was an experience full of hope, excitement, research, and development. It was the first time that I was able to see the city as a beautiful metropolis of cultural expression, likely due to the fact that I was no longer afraid of never returning to the U.S. and that the fear associated with the immigration process during Donald Trump’s presidency has eased with the inauguration of Joseph Biden. I was able to actually talk to others about their process, where they came from, where they are going, and what they are expecting to do for the country once they return to the United States.

I will be presenting more about my experience, including my interviews and findings about the immigration process, during my spring 2022 Spanish Colloquia Presentation.

The same questions that I would present to others while in Mexico would linger in my mind even after I returned to the States. I was reflecting on what I have done to better my community and, to be honest, at the time I didn’t know what to say besides that I am a college student who will someday be someone, but that wasn’t enough for me. This inner turmoil prompted me to look into what I could do while in Delaware for the rest of my co-op, which led to me applying for and later receiving a position at the Department of Labor in Delaware.

In the beginning, my title was a Claimant Relations Assistant, which essentially boiled down to responding to emails. I would read people’s personal stories about how they haven’t received benefits in months and how they were going to lose their homes, only to have to later email them back saying, “Due to the global pandemic, we have a 135+ day backlog for deputy assignments to cases. Please continue to file weekly benefits until a deputy has reached out to you … Best, Ulises.” This made me reflect on the true reality of the pandemic and how I felt I needed to do more for these claimants. I began asking questions about the programs for claimants and how decisions were made, which gave the executives and esquires I worked with faith that I could learn how to process claims and release payments. I can’t express in words how it felt to release payments to someone who had been waiting for benefits since 2020. Calling them and hearing their relief and appreciation made my job so much more fulfilling.

As I continued to climb the ladder within the Department of Labor and was eventually promoted to Executive Assistant, I was given more responsibilities, including making case decisions like a deputy, running business inquiries for the executive I worked for, and having conversations with State Representatives about unemployment insurance. This position allowed me to learn more about the unemployment process on a state level, while also analyzing the processes in other states. I have never had an experience where I was able to do so much in such a small amount of time. It is a true blessing to have been able to do this for my co-op.

The only downside to working in this type of environment is seeing the way in which states have failed people by having pieces missing from their policy puzzle. What I mean by this is that the average person’s life is worse because the government never implemented a plan B in case a pandemic struck the world and no one was able to work. Furthermore, it’s difficult to know that some states support their unemployed citizens through an employer tax while some states are still taxing employees instead. There are so many ways in which the government could run more effectively and communicate more efficiently that would improve our country, which is part of the reason why I feel so blessed to be able to help people on a daily basis and work with people who devote their lives to giving back to the community.

Photo credit: https://52perfectdays.com/

 

Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Kevin McGruder to Publish Book on Philip Payton, the Father of Harlem

Nov 04, 2020
 

Dr. Kevin McGruder, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Associate Professor of History at Antioch College, has recently completed his second, sole-authored book, Philip Payton: The Father of Black Harlem, which will be published next year by Columbia University Press. The book focuses on the life and successes of Philip A. Payton, Jr. who formed the Afro-American Realty Company in 1903 and, through the media, branded Harlem as a place where black people could live and assembled black investors to begin buying property in the then-predominately white, urban area. It is a follow-up to Kevin’s 2015 book, Race and Real Estate: Conflict and Cooperation in Harlem, 1890 to 1920, and stems from his longheld interest in community formation and urban history. 

Previously, he worked for many years in nonprofit community development, holding positions such as Program Director at Local Initiatives Support Corporation and Director of Real Estate Development with the Abyssinian Development Corporation, as well as embarking on two entrepreneurial ventures that helped celebrate Harlem. 

Kevin was also recently featured in the PBS documentary Trump’s path to the presidency—and the remaking of the Republican Party, where he reflects on Donald Trump’s history with racial issues and how racist stereotypes helped him during his campaign and presidency. 

Photo credits: Audrey Hackett, Kevin McGruder

 

New Antioch Works Co-op Blog Editor: Sara Marsh ’23

Oct 06, 2020
 

Friends of Antioch College will be pleased to learn that Antioch Engaged, a journal of social practice and professional engagement for the Antioch community, will be receiving some much-needed attention during the 2020-2021 school year. My name is Sara Marsh and I have recently been hired as the first student blog editor for Antioch Engaged under the Antioch Works program, which provides meaningful campus jobs for every incoming student. Along with Richard Kraince, Luisa Bieri, and Beth Bridgeman, I will be working to edit and publish the backlog of student co-op stories, as well as write spotlight pieces to give students and faculty well-deserved attention. 

Besides writing and editing, my interests include education, law, and gender studies, and I plan to pursue a psychology-focused self-designed major. Prior to Antioch, I lived in Lexington, Kentucky where I attended Bluegrass Community and Technical College while enrolled in high school. As is true now, when I wasn’t in class, I could be found in the library, writing and listening to music. 

As a first-year Antioch student, I have not yet had the opportunity to go on a co-op, but I am excited about hearing all of your stories. I am looking forward to a great year and meeting many new people. Please feel free to let me know if you have any suggestions regarding Antioch Engaged or if you know of any interesting experiences that Antioch faculty and students are having!

Photo credit: https://ysnews.com