New Immigrants of Mahoning Valley are Subject of Photography Exhibit at Stark State College

Stark State College is hosting the exhibit “Women of the World – a Photographic Journey of New Americans in the Mahoning Valley” in the Student Center Gallery through Feb. 22. Maria Bleahu, a Stark State videography instructor, took the photos while Rosemary D’Apolito from the department of sociology, anthropology and gerontology at Youngstown State University interviewed the women.
A reception featuring Bleahu and D’Apolito is planned for 5-7 p.m. Wed., Jan. 30 in S201 of Stark State’s Student Center. The evening will include the project’s video presentation, designed and created by Launa Buettell of Mainstream Music & Video in Canton.

The display focuses on the changing “face” of immigration in the Mahoning Valley since 2000. Prior to 1980, the vast majority of immigrants settling in the county were from Europe, but in recent years most immigrants to the area have come from homelands in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. The women profiled in the exhibit represent China, Ethiopia, France, India, Indonesia, Lebanon, Liberia, Malaysia, Mexico, Palestine, Peru, Russia, Syria, Ukraine and Vietnam.

The display was created to help local residents get acquainted with its immigrant neighbors and welcome them into the community.

The College is located at 6200 Frank Ave. NW in Jackson Township, and is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to noon Saturday.  For more information about the show, contact Rebecca Priest at 330-494-6170, Ext. 4319.