One Nation

In recent years, mayors and other elected leaders in several American cities have enacted resolutions and put in place programs to attract, welcome, retain and more fully incorporate immigrants into the civic, economic and social lives of their communities. This is particularly common in our nation’s former Rust Belt cities that have large African American populations.

In this audio slideshow, photographer Mario Quiroz-Servellón takes us to one of these cities. In March, 2012, Baltimore’s Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake passed an executive order prohibiting police and city workers from inquiring about a person’s immigration status. In this slideshow, we hear from some of Baltimore’s African American leaders reaching out in solidarity to Latino newcomers. We also hear about Latino business owners playing a role in the city’s revitalization efforts.

One Nation Indivisible has documented similar efforts in Philadelphia and Jackson, Mississippi. In varying degrees, leaders in Chicago, Dayton, Cleveland, and Detroit have also undertaken pro-immigration efforts.

The draconian policies of Arizona and Alabama are old stories. We find the new stories, the truly American stories, in these cities where leaders have the courage and common sense to embrace the future.