As the Midwest welcomes more immigrants to local communities every year, engagement between native residents and new members of the area is more important than ever. Here exists an exploration of how and why immigrants wish to express their story, and in what ways communication between people of diverse backgrounds unites not only people but also communities. The idea that contact reduces prejudice is supported in increased cross-cultural interaction. We must understand the barriers that exist between populations to move forward in a united way. Cross-cultural interaction benefits all groups involved by building a sense of unity and safety where differences and similarities can be shared alike. The goal of this project is to discover how to further normalize cross-cultural interaction and rhetoric surrounding it, breaking down barriers and teaching lessons of identity, intersectionality, understanding, and community.
Throughout the summer of 2022, I interviewed twenty individuals who were born outside of the United States and moved here with the intention of staying for a prolonged period of time, if not permanently. They ranged in age from ten to eighty years old and moved to the Midwest from eighteen countries, having lived here from only a few months to many decades. They are our neighbors, teachers, nurses, classmates, mentors, and friends.
Throughout the summer of 2022, I interviewed twenty individuals who were born outside of the United States and moved here with the intention of staying for a prolonged period of time, if not permanently. They ranged in age from ten to eighty years old and moved to the Midwest from eighteen countries, having lived here from only a few months to many decades. They are our neighbors, teachers, nurses, classmates, mentors, and friends.
5 CONTINENTS, 18 COUNTRIES, & 20 STORIES
The Story Behind the Collection
I grew up as a sixth-generation resident of my rural Minnesotan hometown. My schooling left me unsatisfied, seeing as there was a near complete lack of diversity of perspective, and minimal exposure to lessons about culture and identity. This was something I was unknowingly seeking when I began my academic career at Concordia College.
In fall of 2021, I was enrolled as a freshman in Dr. Lisa Twomey's Inquiry Seminar entitled, "In Search of Home: Immigrants & Refugees in Our Community and Across the Globe." I discovered a newfound passion for cross-cultural interaction, identity, and advocacy, as our class had the opportunity to collaborate with individuals at Adult Basic Education who had moved to the Fargo-Moorhead area from all areas of the world. A project with the simple goal of creating poetry turned into a greater pursuit of how cross-cultural interaction has molded our community and how it can shape it in the future. I couldn't let my passions end there, which led to the uptake of this project. The interactions I have had in the Fargo-Moorhead and greater Minnesota communities have been incredibly encouraging and uplifting, and the response to this project I have received indicates that cross-cultural interaction does have a place and hold value in our community and beyond. |