Introducing Tarpon Springs and Ybor City
The inscription on the Statue of Liberty's pedestal states: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free”. This notion reflects the ideal of the United States as a haven for opportunity and liberty. Whereas an individual’s home country may be oppressive and lacking prospects, the United States has been understood to be the place for the realization of opportunity for immigrants. Florida, a microcosm of the United States, has similarly shared a long history of immigration. The state has been a refuge and a beacon of opportunity for those aspiring to create a better, more prosperous life for themselves. Often the individuals who establish roots in Florida also contribute a unique component to the places they adopt, in regards to the cultural and economic additions they bring. Tarpon Springs and Ybor City are two places in which an immigrant population has established an enclave and made undeniable contributions to the culture and industries of Florida.