Nation's First Comprehensive Online Immigrant Oral History Project, Sponsored by Farmers Insurance, to Present Latest Stories From Local Leaders

USA - English

• Latin America - español

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Immigrant Archive Project (IAP) and Farmers Insurance will host a special presentation featuring the stories of struggle and triumph of some of Southern California's most successful immigrants during a special media event to be held on Thursday, October 6 at 8:00 a.m. PDT at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes in the Historical El Pueblo de Los Angeles district, across from historic Olvera Street.

Because the stories of America's immigrant's merit being told and preserved, Farmers has agreed to partner with IAP to expand the reach of the group's work and to increase the number of stories recorded and shared, especially from immigrants who have come from Asia, Africa and the Middle East.  Some of the newest immigrant stories to be unveiled will include those featuring Giselle Acevedo of Costa Rica who now leads one of the nation's most celebrated organizations dedicated to children; the honorable Jose Huizar who is the first Mexican immigrant elected to the Los Angeles City Council; and, Naji Garabet, who immigrated from war-torn Lebanon as a youth to become district manager of the year for the nation's third largest insurer of homes and autos.  The stories of other immigrants of note will also be highlighted at the Oct. 6th event.

"The American Dream is a universal dream that inspires immigrants from around the world to come to our great nation," said Luisa Acosta-Franco, vice president of multicultural marketing for Farmers Insurance.  "These stories of struggle and sacrifice need to be captured and shared with today's America and with future generations."

The Immigrant Archive Project is an independent national initiative dedicated to preserving the life stories of America's immigrant population.  Members of the IAP team have traveled throughout the United States to record, in their own words, the intimate stories of immigrants from a number of nations. Interviews are shared on television, radio, online, and through a traveling art exhibition.

Immigrant Archive Project Co-founder and Executive Producer Tony Hernandez, himself a Cuban immigrant understands the importance of this work. "We are honored to partner with Farmers Insurance in celebrating our nation's collective immigrant heritage. These stories told in the subject's own words; contain a truth that simply cannot be captured in any other way. Individually they teach us to look at the immigrant in fundamentally human and moral terms. Collectively, they remind us that these are the stories of the American Dream." 

To secure stories from a broader range of nations, Farmers and IAP will be partnering with venues across the country to host tapings. The first venue in the United States to host IAP recordings will be LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. LA Plaza will be home to these recordings in Los Angeles by hosting monthly taping events. "We are thrilled that LA Plaza will be affording residents and visitors alike the opportunity to archive and share their dreams and memories," said Acosta-Franco.  

ABOUT THE IMMIGRANT ARCHIVE PROJECT

Established in 2008, the Immigrant Archive Project is dedicated to preserving the struggles, dreams, and accomplishments of America's immigrants from around the world.  Over 300 videos feature subjects ranging from ages 7 to 95 telling their stories in their own words; videos are recorded at no cost. IAP founders include Tony Hernandez, owner of the Latino Broadcasting Company, and Colombian-born Gustavo Pambo of Miami, Florida. The Immigrant Archive Project is an independent initiative of the Latino Broadcasting Company, a minority-owned nationally syndicated radio network based in Miami.

ABOUT LA PLAZA DE CULTURA Y ARTES LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes (LA Plaza) is the nation's premier center of Mexican American culture. Providing an experience unlike any other, LA Plaza's interactive exhibits and dynamic programs invite visitors of all backgrounds to explore as well as contribute to the ongoing story of Mexican Americans in Los Angeles and beyond. The mission of LA Plaza is to celebrate and cultivate an appreciation for the enduring and evolving influence of Mexican and Mexican American culture, with a specific focus upon the unique Mexican American experience in Los Angeles and Southern California.   Located near the site where Los Angeles was founded in 1781, LA Plaza's 2.2-acre campus includes two historic and newly renovated buildings (the Vickrey-Brunswig Building and Plaza House) surrounded by 30,000 square feet of public garden.  http://www.lapca.org

ABOUT FARMERS INSURANCE

Farmers Insurance Group of Companies is the country's 3rd largest insurer of both personal lines passenger automobile and homeowners insurance, and also provides a wide range of other insurance and financial services products.  Farmers Insurance is proud to serve more than 10 million households with more than 20 million individual policies across all 50 states through the efforts of over 50,000 exclusive and independent agents and nearly 24,000 employees.

Farmers is a trade name and may refer to Farmers Group, Inc. or the Farmers Exchanges, as the case may be. Farmers Group, Inc., a management and holding company, along with its subsidiaries, is wholly owned by the Zurich Financial Services Group. The Farmers Exchanges are three reciprocal insurers (Farmers Insurance Exchange, Fire Insurance Exchange and Truck Insurance Exchange), including their subsidiaries and affiliates, owned by their policyholders, and managed by Farmers Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information about Farmers, visit its Web site at www.farmers.com or at www.Facebook.com/FarmersInsurance.

SOURCE Farmers Insurance