The World is Here

     We will host a panel discussion of Maine residents who moved here from all over the world.  Facilitated by WAC of Maine Board member Jeff Thaler, the panel of refugees and immigrants will discuss what their home country conditions and culture were like; how they were able to get to America and then to Maine; and what it has been like here. As part of the discussion, they will share their challenges, barriers, good times and bad.

     Audience participation will be encouraged.  We hope this event will be the first in a series of opportunities in 2009 for more multicultural dialogue and interaction, so that Maine citizens can learn more about the world not only abroad but also here, at home.

About the Facilitator:

     Jeff Thaler is an attorney in the Portland law offices of Bernstein Shur as well as a senior member of their Energy, Environmental, and Litigation Practice Groups; he has a wide-ranging practice that includes environmental and energy permitting, business, civil rights, and personal injury litigation and . 

     He recently created and directed a program for Williams College students entitled "Resettling Refugees in Maine".  The program brings Williams College students to Maine and introduces them to Maine's new immigrant communities through an experiential three week course which requires that the students have a home stay experience with a refugee or  immigrant family.  The course first ran in January of 2008 and is scheduled to run again in January 2009.  Thaler also helped create and will teach a USM course entitled the "Refugee Experience: From There to Here", co-teaching the course with Professor Lynn Kuzma, chair of USM's Political Science Department, and Reza Jalali, coordinator of Multicultural Student Affairs at USM.  He also serves on the Greater Portland Global Community Task Force.

     He has been recognized for many years by Best Lawyers in America for his work in environmental and natural resources law, commercial litigation and appellate law, and by Chambers USA for both his environmental and litigation practices.  He is a charter member and President-elect of the American College of Environmental Lawyers, and is co-chair of Maine's Environmental and Energy Technology Council.  He is also a member of the Council's Board of Directors.

This program is sponsored by