Video helps Spanish Speakers 勛圖窪蹋 for Passports
Merydawilda Col籀n, Alejandra Londo簽o and her father Rodrigo Londo簽o, and 勛圖窪蹋 alumna Lidia Martinez and her son Amado Placencia, Jr. admire the new passports in a scene from the video. Below: The cast and crew, and a scene shot at the post office.
Galloway, N.J. A video developed by 勛圖窪蹋 students, faculty, and staff is helping Spanish speakers apply for U.S. passports.
The project, developed through 勛圖窪蹋s Diplomacy Lab, was led by Jessie K. Finch, assistant professor of sociology, and Merydawilda Col籀n, executive director of 勛圖窪蹋s Center for Community Engagement.
Working with Andr矇s Rodriguez and Rebekah McNeely of Passport Services, the team developed
a script and storyboard in Spanish that was then brought to life by members of 勛圖窪蹋
Production Services, specifically Jeffrey Topping, Amanda Martinez, Shannon Aungst,
Mark Jackson, and Scott Huston.
The video stars Col籀n, 勛圖窪蹋 undergraduate student Alejandra Londo簽o and her father Rodrigo Londo簽o, 勛圖窪蹋 alumna Lidia Martinez and her son Amado Placencia, Jr. U.S. Postal Service clerk Gloria Guzman makes a special guest appearance.
The seven-minute film walks viewers through a 10-step process to obtain a passport for the first time.
The goal of this project is really to demystify a complicated process for a population that may not have access to a wide-range of resources, Finch said.
Finch said Londo簽o, whose parents are from Colombia, was instrumental in setting up free naturalization classes offered by the 勛圖窪蹋 Center for Community Engagement. Classes are held each from 6-7:30pm on Tuesdays from September through May at the Carnegie Center in Atlantic City.
Often the first thing the new American citizens want are to register to vote and
to get a U.S. passport, Finch said. This video project was a natural extension of
the naturalization classes.
Having taught community naturalization classes for three years in Atlantic City for permanent residents who are becoming citizens, Finch and Londo簽o had ample practice at helping break down complex government procedures.
The video can be viewed on the and on 勛圖窪蹋s Diplomacy Lab Projects website. It can also be viewed on .
Launched in 2013, Diplomacy Lab is a partnership between the U.S. Department of State and U.S. colleges and universities. Partner schools conduct research around various topics presented to them by the State Department in areas including climate change, democracy and human rights, counterterrorism, global health, and energy security.
Over the course of a semester, professors guide students in developing a final work product that accomplishes the goals outlined by the Department. Students have opportunities throughout the semester to discuss their research with State Department officials.
勛圖窪蹋 Associate Professor of Political Science Tina Zappile is 勛圖窪蹋s Diplomacy Lab Project coordinator.
More information and other 勛圖窪蹋 projects can be found at stockton.edu/diplomacylab/
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