I am Palestinian. My family was kicked from their homes during the Nakba in 1948 and several family members were murdered by Zionist forces. A large part of my family was forced to walk all the way to Lebanon to seek refuge. My grandfather went to the American University of Beirut and got his degree in Biochemistry. He never had Lebanese citizenship though, he was seen as an alien. He ended up getting a job in America and that’s why I’m here.
Maryjane's Story
My grandparents came from El Salvador to escape the Salvadoran Civil War that was going on. They also used to have a coffee bean plantation until they abandoned it cause of the Civil War. If they still had it they could’ve had a lot of money.
Sarah's Story
I was born in Manila, Philippines and came to America when I was 5 with my mother.
Grace's Story
My parents immigrated from Guatemala in the late 60’s. My father having been engaged in political movements in Guatemala particularly some that supported workers rights. His life was at risk and thus departed declaring political asylum upon entering the U.S. Both my parents became legal residents and citizens within 5 years of their arrival. They were hard working seeking better and safe lives for their children many of whom they immigrated over a ten year period. I was one of two of their children born in the U.S. and recognize the immense sacrifices they made to give us better opportunities.
Florencia's Story
I was born and raise Jewish from Argentina, moved with my husband and my two year old son 20 years ago. Moving to the state wasn’t an easy task, but we built our confidence in this country to the point where we had another son that was born in Atlanta, Georgia. Nowadays we are all working and having a happier life in the US. I wouldn’t say we never experienced racism or discrimination, we absolutely did, but we feel much safer… today life is good, and we look forward to learning more everyday and be highly educated for the future of the human race.
Jasmine's Story
My mom moved from Jamaica when she was 15 and created a life for herself. My dad moved from Ireland when he was in his late 20’s to live with my mom and to start a family. My mom is now a U.S. citizen and my dad has a green card. We travel to Jamaica and Ireland.
Layselle's Story
When I was a little kid I was look down upon because of my ethnicity. I am from japan. Growing up in the United States it made me hate the way I looked and made me hate my background heritage. But when I got to high school one teacher made an impact in my life and she is the reason why I am so confident in myself today.
Brown's Story
My family came from the Maritimes and Sweden to the USA at early part of the 20 th Century.
Penelope's Story
Family emigrated from the Ukraine into Canada.
Marjorie's Story
My maternal grandparents were immigrants from Portugal.
Hannah's Story
My great great grandmother Camille Salerno immigrated from Sicily in 1898. She settled in Omaha, Nebraska when she was 9 years old. Her brother Auturo lived with her and was the Consul General. When she was an adult she moved to Long Beach, California. She later died in 1961.
Jonathan's Story
Born- Los Angeles, CA. Parents- born in the Kishinev, Moldova, USSR. Grandparents- Orchei, Sholdaniesti, Benderi, and Tiraspol Moldova
Wendy's Story
Both of my parents were immigrants, one from Minsk and one from Riga. I emigrated from Philadelphia to California where I taught for many years. I love being in Nature and California is so beautiful.
Lisa's Story
My maternal grandparents came from Russia. They came to the US to escape the religious oppression they suffered in Russia. They were turned away when they arrived at Ellis Island because they were Jews and the quota had been met . They were sent back to Russia. They then took a boat to Cuba . My aunt was born in Cuba. Then my grandparents entered the country and moved to New York.
Makeda's Story
My parents are immigrants from Ethiopia. They came to America to provide a better life for us some 20 years ago.
Rediet’s Story
My mom and dad immigrated from Ethiopia.
Read moreIrene's Story
My family moved from Manila, Philippines, to San Francisco in 1984. Like many families, we moved here for a better life, but not necessarily for financial reasons. We lived a comfortable life but left due to political unrest. The United States provided the safety that we needed and it we easily adapted to our new home. Years later I moved back to the Philippines and though I learned to love it, being a Third Culture Kid was not easy. Once again I am back living in the U.S., and despite the many changes and negative things - there is so much that others who have never lived in other countries that are taken for granted. Generally there are many simple comforts and a system for most anything, and though sometimes you may not agree with it - at least it exists and you have the power to change things!
C.A.'s Story
Love brought me here the year 1989, after having finish university in the country I was born the time was right to be reunited with my now wife, we were young and full of impetuous aspirations, dreams that we desire to accomplish, travel to see the world and more education, so we made a plan and imported merchandise and bought a motor home, thus we sought America all of it, well almost all from Florida to Alaska, from Maine to California almost a lo Jack Kerouac we had debts and we pay them while seeing the people the beautiful people, the beautiful country we travel over forty thousand miles in about two years including a stint in the Bering sea fishing for three months, then traveling was over and time to return to the university UNM hard work more debts more beautiful experiences, at the end of it our first son came and the real deal began, now he is twenty six and doing a master at UC Boulder, is a long story full of everything, sorrow and deep joy, gratitude and friends another son too he is nineteenth an student at UF, now is late and I'm going to bed, the story is much more long..good nigthLove brought me here the year 1989, after having finish university in the country I was born the time was right to be reunited with my now wife, we were young and full of impetuous aspirations, dreams that we desire to accomplish, travel to see the world and more education, so we made a plan and imported merchandise and bought a motor home, thus we sought America all of it, well almost all from Florida to Alaska, from Maine to California almost a lo Jack Kerouac we had debts and we pay them while seeing the people the beautiful people, the beautiful country we travel over forty thousand miles in about two years including a stint in the Bering sea fishing for three months, then traveling was over and time to return to the university UNM hard work more debts more beautiful experiences, at the end of it our first son came and the real deal began, now he is twenty six and doing a master at UC Boulder, is a long story full of everything, sorrow and deep joy, gratitude and friends another son too he is nineteenth an student at UF, now is late and I'm going to bed, the story is much more long..good nigth
Gary's Story
I was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1940. For about a decade, I have been researching my family roots. All of my family immigrated to North America from the British Isles and western Europe.
The earliest was an indentured Puritan, William Knapp, who crossed the pond on the good ship Arabella in 1630 and helped settle Watertown, Massachusetts.
In the late-18th century, one of his heirs moved to Maine, then a part of Massachusetts. He, like nearly all of my ancestors into the 20th century, was a farmer. One of his heirs became a woodsman who immigrated to the Traverse area of Michigan in the late-19th century.
My father was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1920. His ancestors were English and French Canadians, mostly farmers. When oil was discovered and successfully exploited in Lambton County, some became oil men. In 1928, my father, seven years old, immigrated to the Detroit, Michigan, area with his family.
On both sides of my family in the early 20th century, my grandfathers moved to the Detroit area—from both Lambton County, Ontario, and the Traverse area of Michigan—for jobs in the nascent automobile industry.
Winthrop Fleet
Dolores's Story
My parents and I left our home in Cuba for the United States when I was 8 years old. We departed with one suitcase each, nothing more. The great fear on departure was that suitcases were searched, and the authorities could take anything from you on a whim. In my suitcase I had some summer clothes, which would prove inadequate for arriving in NYC in October 1966; I also packed my doll and her clothes. My older brother and sister had been sent ahead of us to the U.S., but complications in Cuba kept my parents and me from being able to join them for 5 long, painful years. We did not know each other when we were reunited at JFK airport in 1966-my brother was 16 and my sister was 17. I also started attending school for the first time then and did not speak English when I started school.
