Experiences of Immigration to the U.S.
Caka, Bardha
Summary: Marygrove College student Tracee Anderson interviews Bardha Caka (Barbara) about her experiences moving to the United States from Albania. Barbara talks about the lottery and how she came to America. Ms. Caka goes on to speak about Communism in Albania, her journey to the United States, and how she learned English by watching television.
Echevaria, Mercedes
Summary: Marygrove College professor Dena Scher interviews Mercedes Echevaria about her experiences coming to the United States from Cuba. Mercedes came to the United States via Mexico in 1968 when she was around ten years old with her mother and siblings. Mercedes' father came to the United States a few years before to find work earn enough money to bring his family.
Khapoya, Vincent
Summary: Dr. Khapoya talks about his early schooling and initiation rites when he was a 14 year old boy in Kenya. In the interview, he recounts his father's dedication to achieving an education for his children, including his sister who was not his sister, but his cousin. The continuity of tradition is noted in Dr. Khapoya's building a house for his mother, which is not his mother's house but his own house.
Lerebours, Nulca
Summary: Marygrove College professor Dena Scher interviews Nulca Lerebours about her experiences coming to the United States from Haiti. Nulca came to the United States in 1968 at age 26 with her husband. Nulca speaks about her journey from New York to Florida with her children, her involvement with the church and community, and how Haitians are living in Florida.
Okezie, Chuckwunyere
Marygrove College professor Dr. Chukwunyere Okezie was one of 10 siblings in his
family's compound in Nigeria. After Zaira University in Nigeria was closed, he
moved at the age of 22 to the United States to earn his undergraduate and Ph.D.
degrees. Dr. Okezie married in 2001 and describes his growing family and
academic life at Marygrove College.
Perez, Cosmae
Summary: Marygrove College professor Dena Scher interviews Cosmae Perez about his experiences working the United States as a migrant. Cosmae was born in Mexico from Mexican American parents. After he quit school at the age of sixteen, Cosmae began to work - first locally and then as a migrant worker.
Perez, Esperanza
Summary: Marygrove College professor Dena Scher interviews Esperanza Perez about her experiences coming to the United States from Mexico. Esperanza's mother crossed into Texas while pregnant and gave birth so that Esperanza would be registered as an American citizen. Esperanza lived in Mexico and immigrated to the Unites States when she was nine. Esperanza talks about migrant work and how she met her husband, Cosmae, and their family.
Rodriguez, Freddie
Summary: Marygrove College professor Dena Scher interviews Freddie Rodriguez about his experiences coming to the United States from El Salvador. Freddie came to the United States in 1995 when he was seven years old with his siblings. Rodriguez's parents came illegally to the United States a few years before. In his first years in Florida, Freddie and his brothers were set apart by their language barrier, but they eventually overcame that obstacle.
Shakarnah, Mahar
Summary: Mr. Shakarnah was born in Bethlehem in the West Bank. He started to cook at an early age and was working as a chef in the Middle East. Mahar came to the United Stated for a visit in 1997. He traveled the country and eventually settled in Michigan to continue working as a chef.
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