Writing Your Way Toward Who You Are
“That was when I became myself,” says Ramiza Koya, remembering the backpacking trip she took in India when she was 25 years old.
From Zim Kid to COVID-19 Advisor
When Bukhosi Dube recently took a big pay cut to work as a physician at the Multnomah County Health Department, his goal was to ultimately find work in public
The Strength of Community
Ruth Zúñiga has a clear philosophy about the importance of being resilient and open to opportunities. ‘Life is like a ride in a bus,” she muses. “You can have a […]
Saying “Yes” to Both Career and Family
Three times, Lilia Boteva-Ayzoukian has received a violin. Each time the gift has been a link between, the two most important things in her life:
Like A Modern Day Odysseus
Homer’s Odysseus took 20 years to return to his native land from the Trojan War, battling hostile forces, deceiving enemies, even changing identities to stay alive.
The Power of Working Together
“Being an immigrant is part of my identity,” says Fiona McCann. “Even though I am aware of my good fortune at passing as part of the dominant culture, I’m most
Finding Peace Within Identity
Until 2018, female drivers were banned in Saudi Arabia. “I had never been in the front seat of a car,” says Shereen Khoja. But when she went home in January […]
From Survival to Triumph
There are survivalists who stockpile food and weapons against what they see as the coming apocalypse. Then there are survivors, such as Amida Kyanza, born in
A Journey Protected by a Force of Light
In many of Soulayvanh Beisel’s earliest memories, everybody is traveling by boat. She remembers how monsoons would wash through her hometown of Tha Ngon,
Assimilation and Nostalgia
When Deepak Kaul immigrated from his native Kashmir — territory disputed by India and Pakistan — to New Jersey at age 10, his family lived across the street from Annin […]
Giving Artists Space to Thrive
The air raid signals blared as six-year-old Chris Ayzoukian rushed to hide in the bathroom alongside his parents and older sisters. Their flat was dark, so the five of
Expert in Languages at an Early Age
“Being American means hard work and being involved in your community,” says Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) student Marcela Morales.
Seeking out the “How”
“Being settled is such a privilege. But when you’re new (somewhere), every second is a thinking second,” says Mekdes Hilete, describing the feeling of becoming a
Learning to See a Future
“I’m never going to get out of this place,” AyeChan May thought as a young teenager. In Mae Ra Moe refugee camp in Thailand where she grew up, she saw […]
Putting Passion Into Work and Play
Van Tran makes pho so good, she has customers who have been returning to her restaurant for 28 years — even after her restaurant moved. Tran was born in Saigon