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This article was originally published on October 28, 2022.

On October 28, we recognize National Immigrants Day in the United States. At Tahirih, 29% of our staff staff identify as immigrants, 49% have immigrant parents, and 17 different languages are spoken within our team. Our beautifully diverse identities and beliefs are essential to our work supporting immigrant survivors of gender-based violence.

We asked the Tahirih staff what their immigrant heritage means to them. Here are a few of their beautiful responses:

 

“My immigrant heritage is a celebration of the past generations and path they paved for me. It is a torch I carry with a great deal of pride as I hope to continue to pave the path for future generations. It is a reminder that identity is unified by its diversity of traditions, cultures and experiences that shape my uniqueness while also providing me with common experiences relating to other immigrants.”

Anuscé, Managing Attorney

 

“My parents raised me with a deep connection to our cultural roots, immersed in South Indian food, music, dance, values, and traditions. I often felt unwelcome in the U.S., but I knew I was home when I walked in the door and smelled my mom’s cooking or got scolded in our mother tongue. I find beauty in the complexity of holding my immigrant heritage with love alongside my identity as an American.”

Archi, CEO

 

“My immigration heritage means that I have a richly diverse and beautifully human experience from which to learn compassion for others who are seen as ‘different’ or are misunderstood. My heritage has taught me that I do not know it all, and that is a good thing because I have so much to learn from others’ different perspectives, backgrounds, and cultures. As an immigrant, I am used to and thoroughly enjoy fighting for those considered ‘underdogs’ of our society — they are the ones who remind me that there is something worth fighting for.”

Daniella, Supervising Attorney