Naw Abikaila Ki (Nawbi) started life in a refugee camp in Thailand. As members of the ethnic minority, the Karen, Nawbi’s family has no territory to call their own
and immigrated to the US in search of home. On her first day at school, surrounded by a strange language she could not understand, ten-year-old Nawbi used a strategy that had always gotten her through difficulties before. It is one that still works.
I Am An American Live is a production of the award-winning nonprofit The Immigrant Story. The stories were presented live at The Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, Beaverton, OR on Saturday, May 11, 2024. This series of events is part of the programming by the Oregon Rises Above Hate coalition, with the aim of drawing attention to the historic xenophobia experienced by the Asian American community in Oregon and across the U.S.
This free event is made possible by a generous contribution by Anne Naito-Campbell. Additional funds for Programming have been provided by the City of Beaverton and OnPoint Community Credit Union.