By Portia Roberts “I was scared, and I was happy.” Design by Portia Roberts. Portia talks to her grandmother, Jean Barbara Roberts, about immigrating to the US from Australia in May 1958. Jean and her husband Peter planned to travel for 2 years for their honeymoon but ended up settling and starting their family in […]
Spring 2025
A Prolonged Honeymoon: Australia to the US
Traveling the World with Ekaterina Tsavalyuk
By Henna Innoway-Yim “The experience that I’ve had gave me a perception…of borders not existing.” Photo of New Mexico International School. Ekaterina Tsavalyuk was born in Tynda, Russia. She shares how her search for educational opportunities online and her English language skills led her to a university in New Mexico, then Massachusetts. She now resides […]
Escaping Martial Law: Taiwan to the US
By Zan Rainey “I wanted life to be kinder and to have freedom of speech.” Photo courtesy of interviewee. This interviewee shares what it was like growing up under the restrictions of martial law in Taiwan, which outlawed political organizing and speaking languages besides Mandarin. Martial law in Taiwan ended in 1987 and the interviewee […]
Seth Ramos: Mexico to the US
By Abby Ramos “I always put my family first.” Photo of Seth Ramos with his family, courtesy of interviewee. Seth Ramos came to the US from Mexico when he was 16 years old for better economic opportunities. His first job was on a chicken farm, and he now owns his own roofing company.
Optimism & Opportunity: France to the US
By Julia Hekking “I still think America is the land of opportunities.” Photo of Claire and her husband, courtesy of interviewee. Julia talks to her mom Claire about how American and French values differ, and her experience navigating language barriers.
Murals, Monarchs & Migration: Mexico to the US
By Riley Barrett “There are no borders for butterflies.” Design by Riley Barrett. Riley and Alex discuss the street art of Boyle Heights in Los Angeles, CA, the monarch butterfly as a symbol of migration, and the role of art in preserving immigrant stories.
The American Dream: Mexico to the US
By Celine Cardena “The American Dream is to be at peace.” Photo courtesy of interviewee. Celine talks to her mom about her experiences immigrating from Mexico as a young girl and what the American Dream means to her. Her parents worked in agriculture and first migrated to a different state in Mexico for better opportunities, […]
Freedom & Identity: Jordan to the US
By Abhilasha Khatri “You can’t be a free woman in a society that doesn’t condemn that.” Representative stock photo used to preserve anonymity. A woman from Jordan shares how she migrated to attend college in the US, where she ended up staying long-term. She discusses the danger that women face in Jordan, and how living […]
A Better Future: Romania to Detroit
By Erin Fallentine “My dad didn’t see a future for us there.” Photo courtesy of interviewee. A migrant from Romania shares her experience resettling in Michigan through the Lutheran Church. Her family first evacuated to Austria at the beginning of World War II before resettling in the US.
No Voice Here: Venezuela to the US
By Stella Cunningham “My life depends on whether the people here think I deserve it.” Representative stock photo used to preserve anonymity. A young man shares the challenges he faced as an international student who came to the US from Venezuela for college, after seeing no future for himself in Venezuela. He shares his frustrations […]