Many Roads to Here The Immigrant Story

Introducing, The Immigrant Story Live, our new series that brings you voices from the stage. In 2019, the Immigrant Story began hosting live storytelling events in the Portland, Oregon area, bringing together musicians and storytellers from around the world for evenings of celebration and reflection. Every year, The Immigrant Story produces 2 new live events, and in the four years since its launch, has hosted 10 shows with 26 storytellers from 22 different countries. In our new series, we present selections from these events in themed, 45-minute episodes. 



In our first episode, you’ll hear from three storytellers, Mariamou Abdoulaye, Hussein Al-Baiaty, and Bernal Cruz. Each unearthed surprising versions of themselves when they faced the unexpected. 



Many Roads to Here is a production of The Immigrant Story. This episode was produced by Degen Larkin. Post production was done by Gregg Palmer. Original music was composed by Corey Larkin. Graphics for this episode were designed by Jacqueline Pagano. Our executive producer is Sankar Raman.



Thank you to the Beaverton Library and the St. Andrew Lutheran Church for letting us use your space for our live events. Many thanks to Alton Takiyama-Chung and Erin Briddick for coaching our fabulous storytellers. 



This episode is made possible by a generous contribution by the Zidell Family Foundation and the City of Beaverton.



For more stories, visit theimmigrantstory.org/manyroads, listen live at prp.fm, or stream us wherever you get your podcasts. Check out our instagram @theimmigrantstory to learn more about the storytellers and view bonus content for this episode.

Raised in Yemen amidst intense civil turmoil, Ghassan bin Hammam made a life-changing decision to leave for the United States to start a new life with his family. Believing he had left behind the destruction and instability of Yemen, he was unaware that the very conflict he fled would indefinitely separate him from his new home.



This episode is part of the I Am an American series, generously funded by Anne Naito-Campbell. For more episodes in the series, please visit our website. 



This episode was produced by Natalia Lopez and with audio editing and post production by Gregg Palmer. The original interview was conducted by our executive producer, Sankar Raman, in March of 2022. Special thanks to Nancy Dollahite for helping with the episode. 



Many thanks to St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Beaverton, Oregon for the use of their space.



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

When Olive Bukuru was six months old her and her family fled their home country of Burundi in search of a safe life. They ended up in a refugee camp in Tanzania where Olive fell in love with learning and became determined to pursue her education, something that was not encouraged for girls in the area.



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



This episode was produced by Emily Ker with audio editing and post production done by Gregg Palmer. The original interview was conducted by our executive producer Sankar Raman in March 2023. 



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



This program was funded through a generous contribution from Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation. 



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

Panelists explored their experiences as Asian American women, offering personal reflections  as well as highlighting current xenophobia and intolerance against  Asian Americans in Oregon and across the United States. Each of the speakers is leading community efforts to empower diverse Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities statewide. This episode was arranged in conjunction with the exhibition, I Am An American, that was on view at the Oregon Historical Society.



Esteemed panelists include:



Dr. Jane Vogel Mantiri is a retired psychologist who specialized in trauma, actor, and activist. She is the founder of Advance Gender Equity in the Arts (AGE), a Portland-based nonprofit that empowers marginalized genders in the arts leading with race.



Attorney Liani Reeves is President at Bullard Law. She is a former General Counsel for the Governor of Oregon and the former president of the Oregon State Bar, the first Asian American and first woman of color to hold that position. She is a Korean adoptee.



Dr. Jennifer Fang is a historian, researcher, Director of Interpretation & Community Engagement at Pittock Mansion, and an adjunct professor at the University of Portland, where she teaches Modern U.S. History and Asian American History. 



Moderator: Dr. Patti Duncan is an associate professor of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Oregon State University, specializing in women of color feminisms and transnational feminisms. She is the editor of the scholarly journal, Feminist Formations, and the author of Tell This Silence: Asian American Women Writers and the Politics of Speech.



Many Roads to Here is a production of The Immigrant Story. Many thanks to all of these panelists for their time and storytelling. Special thanks to the Oregon Historical Society for organizing and hosting the live event - they continue to be an amazing partner with us here at The Immigrant Story. 



This episode is part of the I Am an American series, generously funded by Anne Naito-Campbell. It was produced as part of the Oregon Rises Above Hate Coalition.



This episode was produced by Caitlin Dwyer. Audio editing was done by Caitlin Dwyer, assisted by Gregg Palmer. Music was composed by Corey Larkin. Our executive producer is Sankar Raman.



For more stories, visit our website, listen live at prp.fm, or stream us wherever you get your podcasts

Ahmad Fanoos spent the first 57 years of his life searching for the freedom to play music. 



In Afghanistan, where singing and playing music were banned under the Taliban, Ahmad could not safely pursue his passion. Over time, music led him and his family across careers and borders. 



Between Taliban regimes, Ahmad became a guest star and judge for one of Afghanistan’s most popular TV music shows. He also inspired his own children to pursue music professionally — including his son Elham, who completed his master’s degree in 2021 at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. 



The music you hear in this episode was performed by Ahmad and Elham. The song is called “Ashkam Wale Ba Paye.'' You can listen to a live performance of this song here: 



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmjbaa_XUHw&t=2s



Catch the Fanooses playing together and they are touring the US and their ensemble is called, “Fanoos Ensemble,” where they tell the story of Afghanistan's cultural history through a combination of Afghan folk and Western classical music. They will be playing at The Reser on May 20, 2023.   



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



This episode was produced by Emily Denny and with audio editing and post production by Gregg Palmer. The original interview was conducted by our executive producer, Sankar Raman, in Spring of 2022.



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



This episode is made possible by the generous support by the Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation



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

Franke Tokem Powell was born in Central Africa, in the city of Douala, Cameroon. Growing up in the 90’s, Franke did not feel that he’d ever be  accepted for who he was. At the age of 18, after years of repressing his queer identity and in the face of an unexpected loss, he was ready to leave home in search of community and acceptance.



This episode was produced by Natalia Lopez and with audio editing and post production by Todd Baize. The original interview was conducted by our executive producer, Sankar Raman, in March of 2022.



Many thanks to St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Beaverton, Oregon for the use of their space.



This episode is made possible by the generous support of the Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation  



For more episodes, https://theimmigrantstory.org/category/episode/ or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.



Many Roads to Here are expanding. We’re looking for radio producers, especially those from immigrant communities and communities of color, to join our team. We’re all-volunteer for now, but we’ve got dreams. Please email mrh@theimmigrantstory.org for more information.



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