AfghanistanAsian AmericanEpisodeI Am An AmericanIAAAARefugee

The Courage to Begin Again

Sankar Raman
Sankar Raman / The Immigrant Story

Mohsin Jamal is a quick learner. It was an essential survival skill for a young child from Afghanistan’s Hazara minority, a persecuted ethnic group  for whom decades of military occupation, war, and political infighting had uniquely high stakes. But thanks to a mind that was quick with numbers and hands gifted at weaving, Mohsin fled and survived war more than once, journeying through Afghanistan and Pakistan, and finally building a life in Portland.

Many Roads to Here is a production of The Immigrant Story. 

This episode was was produced, edited and hosted by Haleema Shah. Audio post-production done by Gregg Palmer. The original interview was conducted by Sankar Raman in the fall of 2024.

Thank you to St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Beaverton for the use of their space to record the interview.

This episode is a part of a series exploring the stories and experiences of Asian Americans. in a climate of Anti-Asian rhetoric and increasing violence. It is produced as part of the Oregon Rises Above Hate coalition and made possible by a generous contribution by Anne Naito-Campbell. 

To learn more about the Oregon Rises Above Hate Coalition, please visit https://oregonrisesabovehate.com.

For more stories, visit theimmigrantstory.org/manyroads, listen live at prp.fm, or stream us wherever you get your podcasts.

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