Last week, the Virginia Festival of the Book’s “A State of Many Nations: Immigration and the Changing Face of Virginia” brought together photographer Lloyd Wolf, journalist Tom Gjelten and author Gustavo Pérez Firmat to discuss how their work emphasizes the changing role of diversity in America and the phenomena surrounding immigration. Immigration law scholar David Martin moderated.
Wolf — author of “Living Diversity: The Colombia Pike Documentary Project,” which captures the residents of the Colombia Pike in Arlington, Va. — started by emphasizing how everyone gets along well in “The Pike.” He paid particular attention to a school he described as an area where diversity is the norm and constitutes an asset, not a problem. Much of Wolf’s photography, which exposes the vernacular acceptance and existence of many backgrounds and origins, simply shows the many faces of “The Pike” — Indian, Asian, black and white people, among many others. In all cases, the photographs depict a normal, well-functioning and inviting environment.
Gjelten, author of “A Nation of Nations: A Great American Immigration Story,” discussed America’s transition from discrimination and racism to diversity after the 1965 Immigration Act. Gjelten’s book focuses on Fairfax County, Va., following various immigrant families and describing how living in America has changed them. In writing about the positive experience of many immigrants, Gjelten’s book spreads the word of their plight and the advantages they both give and receive upon entering the United States.
Firmat spoke mainly on his novel “Life on the Hyphen.” He addressed what it means to be Cuban-American through an excerpt of this book, a lyrical and poetic rendition of his life story. One resonating statement he offered was while the hyphen connecting two nationalities may appear to be negative, it is actually a plus, a seesaw oscillating between Cuban and American — one heritage is not more important than the other. His particular style of writing draws readers in and makes them want to read and discover the struggles and triumphs of living on the hyphen. Perhaps most interesting is Firmat’s beautiful, seamless command of the English language in describing his double life. In the book, he describes a dream of being on a boat to America while simultaneously watching his younger self on a receding Cuban shoreline. Such details offer a unique perspective and fresh understanding of an immigrant’s life.
A recurring theme throughout the talk was the chorus of radical viewpoints, which influence and perpetuate the stereotypes and treatment of many. Wolf’s father survived a Nazi concentration camp and recently compared listening to Donald Trump to listening to Hitler. Gjelten highlighted the American government’s potential as a weapon against immigrants and others. Firmat referenced “I Love Lucy” to show how even educational institutions can instill prejudiced viewpoints. The event’s overall goal was to promote diversity everywhere — according to the panelists, to achieve this goal people have to keep talking about it, embrace diversity and push back against the dominant group.
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