The film documents the rapid transformation of Perry that began in the early 1990s when the once predominantly white community saw an influx of Latino workers and their families to work at the local meat packing plant.

Perry's Latino population, which now includes nearly one-quarter of the town's residents, skyrocketed from 47 in 1990 to 1,873 in 2000. The film examines not only the differences in culture but also other issues that have challenged the city, including immigration, employment and social relations.

One of 42 films included in the festival, the documentary received a Gold Eddy Award in the Professional Documentary category.

"It was certainly rewarding to hear that the judges of CRIFF deemed our film worthy of the Gold Eddy," Swilky said. "This recent recognition from filmmakers is a genuine sign of support for our story of how Perry responded to the challenges of becoming a more diverse community."

Swilky and Newman have used viewings of their documentary as an opportunity to expand discussion of the issues raised in their film to the state as a whole. Recently they embarked on a schedule of nine screenings at institutions and conferences, including the University of Iowa Labor Center's Conference: Latinos in Action in Iowa City, Indian Hills Community College's Third Annual Diversity Conference in Ottumwa and Building Bridges/Haciendo Puentes: Latino Students and the ISU Transition in Marshalltown.

To arrange a special screening of the documentary, contact Newman or Swilky at jody.swilky@drake.edu. DVD copies of "A Little Salsa on the Prairie" are available for $25 (direct sales) and $30 (including shipping in the continental United States). To order, contact Newman at fullspectrum@mchsi.com or (515) 883-1230.

The 55-minute film chronicles the rapid ethnic diversification that took place in Perry, Iowa, beginning in the early 1990s. The film and discussion, sponsored by Morningside’s Office of Diversity Affairs and the Academic and Cultural Arts Series, will be free and open to the public.

Swilky and Newman's film chronicles the rapid ethnic diversification of the community of Perry, Iowa, beginning in the early 1990s when the complexion of a once predominantly white community shifted dramatically An influx of Latino workers and their families came from Texas, California, Mexico and Central America to work at the local meat packing plant. Perry's Latino population increased from 47 in 1990 to 1,873 in 2000, accounting for 24.5 percent of the total population. The film also documents a bilingual dialog process concerned with the state of the city, especially issues pertinent to immigration, employment and social relations between different ethnic groups.

"It was certainly rewarding to hear that the judges of CRIFF deemed our film wor¬thy of the Gold Eddy," Swilky said. "This recent recognition from filmmakers is a genuine Sign of support for our story of how Perry responded to the challenges of becoming a more diverse community. "

The first screenings of the documentary last October drew hundreds of viewers in Perry and Des Moines. The revised and expanded ver¬sion premiered in February 2007 to an audience of more than 200 people at Drake. In March, two screenings were held for employees at Principal Financial Group. Each session was followed by discussion concerned with immigration, diversity in the workplace and the effects of changing demographics on communities throughout Iowa.

Swilky and Newman have since embarked on a schedule of nine screenings at institu¬tions and conferences, includ¬ing the University of Iowa Labor Center's Conference: Latinos in Action in Iowa City, Indian Hills Community College's Third Annual Diversity Conference in Ottumwa and Building Bridges /Haciendo Puentes: Latino Students and the ISU Transition in Marshalltown.

DVD copies of "A Little Salsa on the Prairie" are avail¬able for $25 (direct sales) and $30 (including shipping in the continental United States). To order, contact Newman fullspectrum@mchsi.com or 515 883 1230.

Support for the project came from Humanities Iowa, the Iowa Arts Council, The Bock Foundation, Drake's Center for the Humanities, at individuals and businesses.

Perry has about 7,600 people. In 1990, there were 47 Latinos. Ten years later there were 1,873. Newman and Drake University Professor Jody Swilky were drawn to the town, where they helped put together “study circle” groups in Perry made up of Caucasian and Latino youth and adults. People talked about c allenges that came from such a large and rapid change in the population.

“The whole point is dialogue,” said Newman. “Most people want to improve their community.” It took time for people to open up about their true feelings, the producers found. It was only after they realized they could speak safely, without being judged too harshly, that they were able to open up. In the documentary, citizens of Perry said even the “negative” comments were important to becoming a community that could be diverse yet live in harmony.

While there were many hopeful, positive comments on film, Newman said he made sure to put in some of the negative things people had to say about the increase in the Hispanic population.

“We tried not to manipulate [things],” said Newman, who is originally from Ottumwa. “We tried to present a range of points of view.”

People in the Ottumwa audience, both English- and Spanish-speaking, didn’t seem offended — or surprised — by some of the negative stereotypes mentioned in the film. Sister Irene Munoz of Ottumwa said she found the film presented hope, especially among the next generation.

Besides, said some of the people interviewed for the documentary, the negative views, right or wrong, have to come out rather than stay hidden.

“The worst thing about a prejudice person is a person who won’t talk about it,” said one Perry citizen. “You need them to get it out, you need to talk about it.”

“We need to bring racism out in the open so we can deal with it,” said another. But several people said there is a problem with trying to talk out these problems. “Militant [bigots] are not going to come to a study circle,” pointed out Ottumwa pastor Bryan Wyldes, who viewed the film.

Even a member of one of the Perry study groups said on film the people who tended to come to such groups were already more open-minded, or tolerant, than the average person. And yes, that is an inherent weakness of any group working on tolerance, admitted Newman. He said organizers ended up recruiting face-to-face, one person at a time, telling them that differing points of view would be needed in the study circles.

Yet the groups weren’t just about changing people’s minds. They were also a search for answers. Newman said there were no Earth-shattering solutions discovered, but there were answers and possibilities discovered that would work for Perry.

Cooperation between Caucasian and Latino was part of the study’s success. Openness about issues good and bad was anther key.

“Because we’re talking about it, we can make it better,” claimed a hopeful Perry citizen, “because we’re w rking on it.”