We are a nation of immigrants. The vast majority of the population of the United States are descendants of people who were born elsewhere.
Some of us have arrived recently, while many others (like myself) are the children or grandchildren of immigrants. According to the Pew Research Center, the United States has more immigrants than any other country in the world.
More than 40 million people currently living in the U.S. were born in another country.
Former U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez of Illinois said, “Uncertainty and fear and ignorance about immigrants, about people who are different, has a history as old as our nation.”
Gutierrez was right. In the 1750s Benjamin Franklin wrote of German immigrants, “Those who come hither are generally of the most ignorant Stupid Sort of their own nation.”
It would be comforting to think that this view expressed by a Founding Father has long since dissipated and that we have come a long way in over 250 years. Only a few months ago, in reference to the heavy flow over our southern border, we heard one public comment to the effect that immigrants are “…poisoning the blood of our country…” One might think that this must be an extremist view not shared by many, but recent polls suggest otherwise.
I have always found it surprising, considering that so many of us are immigrants or descendants of immigrants, or have family members or friends who came from other countries, that anti-immigrant feelings are so strong in the U.S. At times the rhetoric gets downright mean and heartless.
I have clear memories of my grandparents sharing some of their stories and perspectives on being immigrants. Perhaps this is why I have always admired immigrants. Imagine the strength and fortitude it must take to leave one’s homeland and go to a strange new place. And this is doubly impressive for refugees who leave not of their own choosing but because of intolerable or life threatening circumstances. I’m not sure that I would have the strength to do it.
Many years ago when I lived in Chicago, I became acquainted with a woman whose family had been forced by circumstances to leave their home in Lebanon, a country with a long history of conflict and unrest. She and her husband had been professionals at home, but in the United States they had to take menial, low-paying jobs to earn a living because professional credentials from other countries are often not recognized here.
Plus, discrimination against immigrants often narrows their job opportunities. My friend used to talk with me about the difficulties that she, her husband, and their 20-year-old daughter struggled with every day and how much they missed home. But she remained hopeful that they could build a new life here. Hearing her stories was a real eye opener for me. I’ve learned over the years that her experience was not the exception but rather that it was typical of what so many immigrant and refugee families live through.
Even so, there are many immigrants and refugees who do well here, and some have wonderful success stories. But the experience of my Lebanese friend does illustrate how difficult it can be to leave home and try to “make it” in a strange land.
I worked for many years for the Hartford Public Library. Among the Library’s many wonderful programs is The American Place (TAP), which offers a variety of services to immigrants and refugees. In 2014, TAP collaborated with Hartford’s Asylum Hill neighborhood to organize a terrific program titled New Voices of Asylum Hill and fortunately it was recorded.
Someone had the brilliant idea of pairing up longtime neighborhood residents with new arrivals (immigrants and refugees). In each pair, the new arrival told his or her story in their native language while the longtime resident repeated it in English. I was in the room that night and it was incredibly powerful.
I have attended many meetings and programs in Hartford neighborhoods but this one moved me to tears and I remember it clearly almost a decade later. One of the speakers said ”…when I came to America I found out what loneliness was…I started to drown in America’s coldness.” Another spoke of experiencing “for the first time in my life…silence…pin dropping silence.” And another talked about waking in the morning to find “…my pillow drenched in tears…”
I have often thought that if those who are stridently anti-immigrant watched this recording it might give them pause and begin to open their hearts.
Such efforts to help us connect with our immigrant neighbors continue. This past September, Little Amal came to Hartford. Little Amal is a 12-foot puppet of a Syrian refugee girl who travels the world raising awareness of the stories of refugees, immigrants, and displaced people. Hundreds of people came out to walk with Little Amal through Bushnell Park and downtown Hartford, culminating at the Alfred E. Burr Memorial (aka the Burr Mall) next to City Hall.
In welcoming Little Amal, then-Mayor Luke Bronin said “…Little Amal helps shed light on the needs of millions of Syrian families who are still without homes and are still wandering, still stuck in refugee camps…she helps make sure that we don’t forget, and that we stay true to what makes our country great.”
Among the speakers at the Little Amal event was a 16-year-old girl whose family was forced to leave Syria. They spent several years in a refugee camp before making their way to the Hartford area. I had the opportunity to speak with her. She said that she and her family were “…running to stay alive…” in Syria and that life was “terrifying.” They had to travel illegally to the U.S. and she said they “barely made it.” While life is better here, they are still discriminated against: they get “looks” when they go to the store, and the kids at school make comments and jokes, especially around Sept. 11.
I realize that there are difficult and very real issues surrounding United States policy regarding immigrants and refugees. But in this great country with all of our resources and opportunities, I hope that more of us can find the empathy and compassion to view and treat immigrants and refugees with kindness and respect. As we watch media reports about “masses” of people trying to enter the country and the pros and cons of border walls it is easy to forget that these are real people, in many ways just like us. I’m sure we all hope that our families would be treated with dignity and goodwill were we to find ourselves in their shoes. I urge all of us to keep this in mind as we consume the news and when we have opportunities to interact with immigrants and refugees.
There are a number of great organizations providing vital services to immigrants and refugees and they need our support. Here are a few:
The American Place
Hartford Public Library
500 Main Street
Hartford, CT 06103
860-695-6300
Catholic Charities
839-841 Asylum Avenue
Hartford CT 06105
860-493-1841
Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (IRIS)
235 Nicoll Street
New Haven, CT 06511
203-562-2095
Elena’s Light
info@elenaslight.com