The Immigrant Story
Many Roads to HereEpisodes
Episodes of Many Roads to Here
Mark All
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Welcome to The Immigrant Story Live, where we feature stories from the stage. In each episode of this new series we weave together three stories that were originallyperformed at an Immigrant Story Live Event.For episode two of this series, yo
Veronika Levytska and Ian Levytsky grew up in Ukraine but dreamed of an easier life - away from the shadow of Russia - for themselves and their loved ones. In 2018, after years of waiting, they found freedom and opportunity here in the U.S. o
As a young woman growing up in a conservative society, Safia Ferozi overcame intense expectations and restrictions placed on women to become Afghanistan’s second female Air Force pilot. Before her country and her life were turned upside down,
When you think of courageous living, playing music is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. But Dijana Ihas, a professional musician and refugee of war, learned how to transform her viola skills into a remarkable display of bravery.
Introducing, The Immigrant Story Live, our new series that brings you voices from the stage. In 2019, the Immigrant Story began hosting live storytelling events in the Portland, Oregon area, bringing together musicians and storytellers from aro
Raised in Yemen amidst intense civil turmoil, Ghassan bin Hammam made a life-changing decision to leave for the United States to start a new life with his family. Believing he had left behind the destruction and instability of Yemen, he was una
When Olive Bukuru was six months old her and her family fled their home country of Burundi in search of a safe life. They ended up in a refugee camp in Tanzania where Olive fell in love with learning and became determined to pursue her educatio
Panelists explored their experiences as Asian American women, offering personal reflections as well as highlighting current xenophobia and intolerance against Asian Americans in Oregon and across the United States. Each of the speakers is lea
Ahmad Fanoos spent the first 57 years of his life searching for the freedom to play music. In Afghanistan, where singing and playing music were banned under the Taliban, Ahmad could not safely pursue his passion. Over time, music led him and
Franke Tokem Powell was born in Central Africa, in the city of Douala, Cameroon. Growing up in the 90’s, Franke did not feel that he’d ever be accepted for who he was. At the age of 18, after years of repressing his queer identity and in the f
Janice Okamoto was just a baby, only a few months old, when she was sent to Minidoka with her family. Her father was a musician, and like all the other incarcerees, he was permitted to bring only what he could carry in two suitcases. This meant
Vasyl Matsyuk, a Yale Divinity student, grew up in the fully Democratic Ukraine only to see it ravaged by a war with Russia that began a year ago in February. The Russian conflict has long roots. Under the previous Soviet regime before Ukraine
Balamurali Balu, who goes by Bala, immigrated to the United States from Southern India. He completed his PhD at Georgia Tech. Landed his dream job at Intel in Portland, Oregon. Married the woman he loved. And had two young daughters.He was w
Mitzi Asai Loftus and her son Toby talk frankly about her memories of growing up in Hood River, Oregon; her childhood incarceration in a Japanese-American internment camp; dating and racism; changing and reclaiming names; and what it means to
Sindy Avila Gutierrez was born in Morelos, Mexico. At the age of two, she was brought to the United States to live with her parents in Oregon. Arriving without formal paperwork, Sindy's family was considered "undocumented." Without any legal p
Twenty-one-year-old Samir Mustafic was in the small orchard behind his home in Bosnia when Serbian bombs rained down upon his family’s property. His mother and sister died in the bombing on June 30, 1993, 14 months into the Bosnian war. Mustafi
Portland artist Roberta Wong is the daughter and granddaughter of Chinese immigrants. She grew up partly in Chinatown, itself a product of segregation. She spent her childhood developing close ties to her heritage. As she grew up, she experienc
Chanpone Sinlapasai was born in Laos during a bloody civil war, and narrowly escaped to the US with her family at just four years old. Her experiences growing up in the United States have now propelled her into a staunch advocate of immigrant r
Ghaith Shahib fled Iraq as the United States prepared to invade his country. Instead of finishing high school, he left home on a harrowing journey across the globe in search of safety and a life away from conflict. It’s been years now since Gh
Kambiz GhaneaBassiri is one of the nation’s leading scholars of Islam in the United States. In this conversation, he sat down with writer and educator Flamur Vehapi to talk about the often ignored presence of Muslims in American history, fro
Emmanuel Turaturanye was born and raised in a small town in Rwanda called Ngoma. His whole life he was taught by his parents to love and respect everyone, regardless of their background. At an early age, he learned that wasn’t true for everyo
Saron Khut was only ten years old when he and his family fled the Khmer Rouge-led genocide in Cambodia. His mother’s strength and a key decision one scary night to take a risk for freedom has guided his sense of purpose ever since.Many Road
Originally from Taiwan, Janet Liu's family spent years trying to build a home together in the United States despite restrictive immigration policies at that time. Janet had always wanted an opportunity to build a relationship with her father,
Sara Houranpay describes herself as a child of the revolution. She grew up during the Iranian Revolution. Her family fled to the United States, hoping for greater freedom. But they instead found themselves again at the center of conflict, when
In the early 1900s, Rani Bagai’s grandparents arrived in California ready to start a new life. But citizenship requirements and prejudice against Indian-Americans made settling in more difficult. In this conversation, historian Johanna Ogden
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