Coming to the Heartland

What is the "Heartland"?

This project broadly asks the question: “what do you think of when you hear the term “Heartland?” In popular imagination, it’s easy to think of the very largely rural center of the country with its farms of wheat and corn, open ranges of cattle and thunderstorms with destructive tornadoes. When people talk about the Heartland, they imagine The Wizard of Oz, constituting the very center and image of “Americanness.” And yet, Kansas is generally regarded as “flyover country,” associated directly with the rural heart of the U.S. but assumed to be lacking in the type of diversity that has long characterized urban centers on either coast.

That reductive but constant stereotype does more than erase a long history of immigration to and globalization in Kansas; it actually is potentially counter-productive to the incorporation of immigrants into our communities.

Why This Matters

This is what we know living in Heartland: the state of Kansas has experienced demographic changes common throughout the U.S. Whether it is because of Kansas’s historical and current reliance on migrant labor or potentially advantageous economic and social conditions, there is today significant diversity among Latinx and African immigrant populations throughout the region. 

The Coming to the Heartland team is committed to building knowledge about Latin American and African migration and serving immigrant communities in Kansas through education, the arts, and outreach. Drawing specifically on our unique positioning within an institute of higher learning that is also the flagship university of the state of Kansas, we aim to bring attention to the particular challenges endured by immigrants.

Coming to the Heartland engages with a larger, nationwide conversation about shifting demographics and rapid cultural swings. In our present political climate, the demand for encouraging solidarity and the building of coalitions are necessary components of life for BIPOC. This project capitalizes on national and local student and community activism working towards building a better future.

It is our hope that this project will raise awareness, inspire new, better support structures, encourage inclusivity through cultural competency and community building, and advocate for proactive measures to address issues affecting these Heartland communities.