Sankar Raman

Value of Human Belonging

Before she was even born, Toc Soneoulay-Gillespie began her journey far away from her roots in her Lao village.  Her mother, Phouvong Sonelouay,

Katie Livermore

Growth Through the Fray

Mario Magaña fondly recalls growing up in Mexico. He’s one of 15 siblings, and though he feels his childhood in Mexico was the best it could be, it came with […]

Karen Weliky

A Son’s Journey of Transcendence

Walking off the plane in a white tuxedo and blue bowtie as he arrived in the U.S., 6-year-old Benji Vuong  felt like he was going to be a superstar.

Karen Weliky

Preserving a Family Legacy

When you walk into the Jeffrey Allen Gallery in downtown Portland, you are greeted by an abundance of greenery and history;  

Sankar Raman

My Heart Has Two Countries

Kseniia Hnatovska never kept up with the news. Instead, she was a planner. She loved scheduling vacations and weekend activities,  

Sankar Raman

Getting Down to Business

For Abiba Magba Magba, running a business was a means of survival.  Her mother taught her this while Magba was growing up in Bangui,  

Karen Weliky

Flavors From Home In A Suitcase

Ask almost any refugee from war-torn countries how they arrived on these shores, and at this specific place, and you will inevitably hear of radical choices  

Karen Weliky

Leaving a War Behind

Chau Leatherman credits her migration story to three lucky breaks. The first was the journey south to Saigon just after the Communists took over the North.

Ana-Maria M’Enesti

A Passion for Culture and Language

In the outskirts of Cluj-Napoca, Romania’s second most populous city nestled in the heart of Transylvania, there stands an unfinished house.

Minaski De

Surviving the Liberation

When Minakshi De was born in 1958, the area where her Hindu family lived was called East Pakistan. Then came the bloody Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971.

Sankar Raman

Striking Universal Chords

Jan Porvas was only seven years old when he picked up the drum that would change his life. Surrounded by his friends and family at home, he was captivated by

Karen Weliky

Painting A Better Future

A rosary and his mom’s blessing are all Roberto Oran took when he left his small village in Mexico. His faith kept him going, but his belief in higher education […]

Karen Weliky

Escaping the Taliban Through Art

When Ghu Ali Danish Kamal and his family arrived in Portland from Afghanistan, they were provided with $722 in cash. He headed straight to the art store  

I’m Not Supposed to Be Here

Chanpone Sinlapasai was born in war-torn Laos and came to the US at age four. As a child acting as interpreter for her parents, she soon realized  

An Orphan’s Long Journey Home

Liani Reeves arrived in the US when she was only a few months old. With no way to trace her ties to her birth family in Korea, she grew up […]