The Strength within Yourself
Instead of a novel, Brianda Alcazar would sneak her geometry book into her room at night and wait till her parents were in bed so she could turn on the […]
A Lifetime Across Canvases
Even in primary school, Farooq Hassan remembers, “I would copy pictures of cartoons or pictures of kings and presidents of that time.”
Laughing through the Years
Janet Liu is no stranger to a life shaped by history. Or rather, a history shaped by her life. But her rolling laughter and raw honesty reveal that she remains […]
Bending Toward Justice
When she started watching Perry Mason at age five, Jeanice Chieng was already intrigued by how the law could be used to fight injustice.
An All-American Korean Gives Back
Lori Stegmann thinks her birthday is on January 24, but she will never be sure if that’s true. Her story begins in 1960 at City Hall in Seoul, South Korea, […]
We Are an Asset to Our Society
It’s a long way from Mexico City to the Revolución Coffee House in Portland, Oregon. But Maria Garcia — business owner, mother, activist, advocate —
Stepping out of the Shadows
Even as a small child, Brenda knew that, to keep her family safe, she must not be noticed. As the child of undocumented immigrants from Mexico, she lived in a […]
When A Dream is Born
Walking down the halls of his middle school, Wilson Nitunga was eating an apple. The bell rang, and students around him rushed to class. A teacher approached
Counting on Math and Soccer
Mussa doesn’t remember much from the night his father was killed. From where he stood in his crib he could hear men’s voices in the room next door,
Building a Thriving Community
Selling matches and chewing gum on the rough streets of Mexico City, Jaime Miranda learned early on what it took to survive. “I guess at the age of 9 or […]
Making Her Way in Art and the World
Surrounded by shimmering glass beads, a rainbow of colored fragments, and vibrant glass masterpieces in her studio-gallery, Kurumi Conley confesses,
A Heart in the Right Place
Ever since grade school, Abel Getachew has known what he wanted to do with his life—heart surgery for those in need. “When I was in elementary school,
Reprogrammed Like a Cell Phone
Amidst the thick darkness of a city just before sunrise on the day he arrived in Portland, Abdulelah Aldabea imagined his brain was an iPhone restoring to
Determination Born in a Refugee Camp
After generations of peaceful living in the mountainous country of Bhutan, the family of Nabin Dhimal was abruptly forced to flee in 1989, when the Bhutan government
Fighting for a Better Life
Life in calm Clackamas, Oregon, where Hamada Haaji Chamada lives with his family is very different from the war-torn city of Mogadishu, Somalia,