Williamsburg Documentary Project

Since my initial proposal was posted, two major research breakthroughs have occurred that have not significantly changed my research direction, but have really just more richly contextualized it and elaborated the scope of the information I will have to analyze. These two were a conversation with my old friend Beth Beckman, who bartends at the local Alizé Bistro, and Professor Knight’s revelation in a meeting regarding direction of interviews about the status of most workers on J1 summer student visas, as opposed to the more formal and traditional guestworker H2-B visas. Beth was able to do almost a social geography of those guestworkers who frequent her bar (mainly seasonal Brazilians and naturalized Eastern Europeans), and put me in contact with several people she thought might be knowledgeable, but also very aware of their subjectivity and unique position and very willing to converse with me about it. The discovery of the existence of J1 visas focuses the “fact-gathering” aspect of my research much more precisely. I now know the specific issue and document I will have to address, and thus will be able to find both legal proceedings regarding its function, but more importantly those corporations in the Williamsburg area that engage in its practice.

Thus, at the moment I see my report developing into two discreet yet interrelated topics. The first would be more external, and would mainly focus on the influence specific institutions of labor (mainly, the State Departments issuance of J1 visas, and various recruitment agencies’ rhetoric and use of those visas), and how these get grafted onto and interpreted by the Williamsburg community. Thus, not only would this section include some factual digging about the history and development of these summer visas, but also inquiries into major players in the Williamsburg economy, such as Busch Gardens or other J1 “sponsors.” I figure a lot of it will be looking at financial and governmental reports, and various factually based informational interviews with corporate figures. Professor Knight had the intriguing idea of finding out which reporters in the area cover this beat, and then contacting them for not only their experiences and opinions about practice (legality, ethical qualms, etc.), but also asking them to be a source of contacts with other figures involved in this hidden paper trail. I definitely want to focus on the rhetoric of summer seasonal work, such as the ads Professor Knight pointed out to me from one recruiting agency that stated these workers love “the American values” and are “willing and eager to work overtime.”

Regarding the more introspective side, I feel like the interview process is starting to take shape, and most of my oral history work will be regarding the various institutions and social spaces seasonal employees construct to contest these other institutions and labor practices imposed onto them. One of my key leads in thus Jorge Nose, who runs Moon Light Entertainment. This promotion company seems from an initial impression (i.e. Facebook profile descriptions) to cater to the Brazilian transient community here in Williamsburg and host events for those seasonal workers at both the Tequila Rose over on Second St. and at Alizé Bistro. Jorge also runs a photography company that documents these events, and this provides a fascinating primary source to look in to. The key research methodology here would obviously be oral interviews, and I want to try to start getting an initial impression of this community through social networking sites and hopefully through personal interaction at one of their events.

So, as for next steps, I really need to dive head-on with making initial contacts for interviews. I find this process rather daunting, but I think coalescing this with research about the actual program that brings folk over to Williamsburg will make me more confident. What I am looking to get out through this dynamic binary of narrative/counter-narrative or structure/contestation of why and how seasonal employees on J1 visas come to Williamsburg is to highlight themes of invisibility (of the labor they do) and performance and how that plays a role in service work. Mainly this would focus on that negotiation between why these folk are picked to “perform” at their job and how that is constructed (and also the history of this construction) and how that relates to the nightlife they construct for themselves.

Now, on to some sources! Much thanks to Professor Knight for pointing them out to me.

Glass, Ira. “Rest Stop.” This American Life. NPR. WBEZ, Chicago, IL, 9 Apr. 2009. Radio.

Professor Knight recommended this episode of one of my favorite programs, as it will reflect heavily the process of interviewing and observation of a marginalized community that I will be engaged in. It describes how nine radio producers spend the entire day in a rest stop, based on the premise that it is a placeless place, where no one really stays. Yet, they discover that many of the workers there not only thrive and make a living off the rest stop, but many of them are in America on J1 cultural exchange visas. Thus, it will be a great practice in emulation, as I can hear what was successful or unsuccessful in these professionals’ oral histories of sorts, but also will give me a philosophical basis for some reflexive thinking about the process of interviewing people in a unique and precarious positioning between borders of both country and labor.

Shapiro, Carolyn. “Short on Local Workers, Resorts Look Overseas.” The Virginian-Pilot [Hampton Roads, VA] 8 June 2008. Print.

This article very thoroughly bridges the gap between my two broadly defined areas of inquiry. It is a great source of basic facts about the J1 program: when it started, what the original intentions were, the implementation and regulation of the visas, how employers and sponsors have warped these intentions, and some solid numerical figures regarding the massive growth of this program. It also presents a solid introduction to what I feel already will be reoccurring rhetoric, such as the line that “American students wouldn’t take these jobs even if they were offered.” There is a great passage about how we show up for interviews disheveled and yawning and then quit work after two days. These facts also provide a frame for which to start analyzing the deeper social issues here, such as why employers want to bring these specific race, class, gender, and ethnic categories, what this says about broader discourse about hospitality work, the role government plays in the regulation of labor, and the reception of the identity of these workers by those they serve. The article also provides some names of sponsors and agencies, and I think it would be really valuable to contact Carolyn Shapiro as she has written several articles on the topic, so the article also seems like a well of potential oral history.

I have already began discussing in my revised proposal who I need to make initial contact with to start the various levels of interview from factual to life history, but a more succinct list would include Jorge Nose, the organizer behind Moon Light Entertainment, Yelena Parshina and Kristina Gregg, two Ukrainian women who came on a J1 visa and received their green cards (I think these are a very logical and fantastic place to start: these two have more stake in the community, have more secure legal standing, and apparently love Williamsburg and are dying to talk about it. In addition to being well plugged in, they also will be a wealth of knowledge regarding J1 and also great practice for more complete life oral histories which I anticipate being more sensitive as time goes on.), and also Carolyn Shapiro who can hopefully not only give me contact with summer workers but also give me an informational scaffolding in which to start to analyze the influence and form of the J1 program. I also of course need to shave off my beard and get my fancy clothes on so I can go chat and do a cut and dry interview with the Busch Gardens Williamsburg Employment Office (the genitors of the use of this program) and hopefully one of two sponsor organizations (which exist outside of the town solely to sponsor J1 students). Hopefully this will give me a solid base on which to start to develop leads and make a well-informed connection with this community.