Coming to a Crossroads

Coming to A Crossroads examines how people from Mexico and other Central American countries are finding security and opportunities in Collinsville, Ala., an old-fashioned community in the Appalachian foothills. The growing Hispanic community has helped revitalize downtown Collinsville, where abandoned buildings have been reclaimed to serve as shops and restaurants for the new residents. But there are new challenges for the community, too. Nearly half of the elementary school students in Collinsville are Hispanic, and new programs and specially trained teachers have been provided to help them succeed. Coming To A Crossroads profiles several people who have immigrated to Collinsville and examines the opportunities they’ve found, the challenges they face, and the friendships they’ve formed with longtime residents. Among those featured are a retired Mexican soldier who, after years of work, brought his extended family to live with him; a young woman who earned a college scholarship just five years after arriving in Alabama, unable to speak English; and a soccer-playing El Salvadoran who became the leading high-school tackler in Dekalb County.