The labels “indigenous” and “immigrant” appear to be opposites: the former describes a person in their native land; the latter describes someone who has left it. And yet, many Virginia immigrants come from indigenous backgrounds. This discussion explores the interconnections of immigration and indigeneity.
Panelists
Stephen Adkins has served as Chief of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe since 2001. He started his journey to work on behalf of the Virginia Indian Tribes while serving on the Charles City County school board.
Nixon Araúz grew up in an Afro-Indigenous Garifuna community in Honduras, but when Hurricane Mitch destroyed much of the country in 1998, he and his family emigrated to New York City. Graduate school and PhD in social and behavioral sciences brought him to Richmond and Nixon now researches chronic disease and cancer prevention.
Giancarla “K’illari” Rojas, an Indigenous Quechua scholar from Bolivia, immigrated to the United States more than a decade ago. Her journey led her to advocate for immigrant communities across the Commonwealth. In 2014 she was invited to the White House to share her story as a DACA recipient and advocate for immigrant youth. She currently serves on the board of directors for the Dream Project.
Walter Tejada immigrated to the U.S. from El Salvador. He served on Arlington County Board of Supervisors for 12 years, was the founding president of the Virginia Latino Leaders Council, and served as the Virginia State Director of the League of United Latin American Citizens.
The VMHC's Commonwealth Cafe will stay open until 6:00 pm for guests to purchase refreshments prior to the start of the discussion.
