Browse Items (114 total)
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Interview with Mary Tsiolas
This interview is between Aidan Lambiotte and his aunt, Mary Tsiolis, a Greek Canadian immigrant to the United States. As the daughter of Greek immigrants to Quebec, Mary depicts her early childhood, and experiences growing up in both Greece and Monrtréal during the 1960s - 1970s. She draws stark contrasts between her experiences in Canada and her initial time as an immigrant in America, touching heavily on the themes of isolation, microaggression, and white suburban hegemony in the United States. She ultimately uses her experiences to illustrate the manner in which she found community in the DC area, entirely outside of Greek or Canadian culture, as well as her love-hate relationship with American identity.
This interview was conducted as part of an undergraduate final project for the University of Maryland, College Park course HIST 428M (Spring 2023). This course was led by Professor Anne Rush of the Department of History, College of Arts and Humanities, and was sponsored by the Center for Global Migration Studies. -
Interview with Marta Woodward
This interview between Maggie Welsh and Marta Woodward looks at why she came to the United States and her thoughts of the United States when she got here. Marta immigrated to the United States from Ethiopia, but there were other stops on the way. Marta talks about the other places she has lived in between Ethiopia and the United States. She recaps living in Ethiopia, moving to Kenya when she was four years old, going to college in London, and then moving to the United States. She speaks about growing up in the revolution in Ethiopia, getting denied a student visa application, reuniting with family in the United States, passport issues, and race issues in the United States. She also talks about being the minority in the United States after coming from being in the majority.
This interview was conducted as part of an undergraduate final project for the University of Maryland, College Park course HIST 428M (Spring 2023). This course was led by Professor Anne Rush of the Department of History, College of Arts and Humanities, and was sponsored by the Center for Global Migration Studies. -
Interview with Marie-Cécile Groelsema
This interview between Dora-Marie Groelsema and Marie-Cécile Groelsema explores Marie-Cécile’s experiences as an immigrant to the United States from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Seeking to advance her education, she moved to the US in 1987 to Pittsburgh to study English at University of Pittsburg. Then she moved to Indiana and studied comparative literature with a minor in film studies and African studies at Indiana University. Marie-Cécile’s interview explores her education experience in the US and in other countries, her family memories, and her refusal to identify as an immigrant.
***This interview is restricted to the University of Maryland College Park's campus. For more information, contact the Center for Global Migration Studies (globalmigration@umd.edu).***
This interview was conducted as part of an undergraduate final project for the University of Maryland, College Park course HIST465 (Spring 2024). This course was led by Professor Anne Rush of the Department of History, College of Arts and Humanities, and was sponsored by the Center for Global Migration Studies. -
Interview with Manoharan Chelladurai
This interview between Alexander Chen and Manoharan Chelladurai explores Murali's experiences as an immigrant to the United States from Tamil Nadu, India. Chelladurai tells of his experiences growing up in a rural village in India and his educational upbringing. He also gives information of how he immigrated to United States to work at Wall Street in 2003 and later moved to the DMV area in 2013, to have a calmer way of life. Chelladurai’s interview focuses on the importance of education, and how his education allowed him to succeed, strive here in America, and why education should be highly valued in society.
***This interview is restricted to the University of Maryland College Park's campus. For more information, contact the Center for Global Migration Studies (globalmigration@umd.edu).***
This interview was conducted as part of an undergraduate final project for the University of Maryland, College Park course HIST465 (Spring 2024). This course was led by Professor Anne Rush of the Department of History, College of Arts and Humanities, and was sponsored by the Center for Global Migration Studies. -
Interview with Luis Martinez
This interview between Emma Hall and Luis Martinez explores Luis’s experiences as the son of a Mexican diplomat. He lives in the United States on a diplomatic visa (through his father) so he is not an immigrant, although many of his experiences mirror those of immigrants. He explains his childhood moving history, recounting his move to Brussels, Belgium at the age of 3 and move to Maryland, USA at the age of 10. He discusses cultural differences between Mexico, Belgium, and the US and his experiences with and in his various homes. He emphasizes the value of adaptability and open-mindedness throughout his interview. He also speaks on how religion and school, specifically the International Catholic school he attended, shaped his view of the world. Luis also reveals the struggles of employment as an A1, or diplomatic, visa holder. He touches on the struggle of assimilation in new countries, employment struggles, and cultural gaps between European, North, and South America.
***This interview is restricted to the University of Maryland College Park's campus. For more information, contact the Center for Global Migration Studies (globalmigration@umd.edu).***
This interview was conducted as part of an undergraduate final project for the University of Maryland, College Park course HIST465 (Spring 2024). This course was led by Professor Anne Rush of the Department of History, College of Arts and Humanities, and was sponsored by the Center for Global Migration Studies. -
Interview with Lizzett Contreras
This interview between Daniela Lopez and Lizzett Contreras explores Lizzett’s experiences growing up in El Salvador, her family dynamics, and the reasons behind their immigration to the United States. Contreras provides vivid insights into her childhood, education, and the challenges her family faced due to the political unrest in their home country.
This interview was conducted as part of an undergraduate final project for the University of Maryland, College Park course HIST 465 (Spring 2024). This course was led by Professor Anne Rush of the Department of History, College of Arts and Humanities, and was sponsored by the Center for Global Migration Studies.
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Interview with Jiwu (George) Chen
This interview between Lori Zhao and George (nickname) Chen, a Chinese immigrant and explores George’s experience as a Chinese immigrant in the U.S. George was born in Tianjin, China, and grew up under socialist China. Throughout his childhood, China’s economic and political policies began to change, which impacted George’s career opportunities and trajectories. George’s interview discusses differences between his experiences in the U.S. and China, his educational background during China’s transitional period, and the different career trajectories he has followed over the course of his life.
This interview was conducted as part of an undergraduate final project for the University of Maryland, College Park course HIST 428M (Spring 2024). This course was led by Professor Anne Rush of the Department of History, College of Arts and Humanities, and was sponsored by the Center for Global Migration Studies. -
Interview with Jane Doe (pseudonym)
This interview between Adegbemisola Onitiri and Jane Doe (pseudonym) details Doe’s experiences as an immigrant. It explores the triumphs and struggles of her time in the United States. Additionally, this interview reveals the nature of Jane Doe’s experiences growing up in a polygamous family in Ogun state, Nigeria, the values that were emphasized in her family, and how those values impact the way she raises her children.
***This interview transcript is restricted to the University of Maryland College Park's campus. For more information, contact the Center for Global Migration Studies (globalmigration@umd.edu).***
This interview was conducted as part of an undergraduate final project for the University of Maryland, College Park course HIST465 (Spring 2024). This course was led by Professor Anne Rush of the Department of History, College of Arts and Humanities, and was sponsored by the Center for Global Migration Studies. -
Interview with Iman (Pseudonym)
Iman was born in Shiraz, Iran in 1969. His early life was riddled with tremendous loss and tragedy going through the Iran revolution and Iran and Iraq war. By the time Iman was 21 he had lost both his parents and served in a brutal war. Iman was set to make most of his life after the war being a big partier in his 20s. Questions about his early life came back once the dust settled later in life. In his 30s he met his wife and immigrated to the United States to find a career as a chef and become a father of two. Iman’s life is an example of the complexity of the human condition from tragedy, restlessness, resilience then to the ambiguity of healing.
***This interview is restricted to the University of Maryland College Park's campus. For more information, contact the Center for Global Migration Studies (globalmigration@umd.edu).***
This interview was conducted as part of an undergraduate final project for the University of Maryland, College Park course HIST 428M (Spring 2023). This course was led by Professor Anne Rush of the Department of History, College of Arts and Humanities, and was sponsored by the Center for Global Migration Studies. -
Interview with Cecia Turcios
This interview between Abigail Carbajal and Cecia Turcios explores Turcios’ experiences as an immigrant to the United States of America from El Salvador. Her father had moved to the United States ten years before and was working to get them to move here. Eventually, he was able to obtain green cards for Turcios and her mother and moved them over here to start a better life. Turcios’s interview touches on her struggles with her educational dreams after moving and to find motivation to pursue her dreams in such a big country without knowing English. Until this day Turcios emphasizes the importance of having a person to teach you that education is important and how she continues to do this for her own kids.
***This interview is restricted to the University of Maryland College Park's campus. For more information, contact the Center for Global Migration Studies (globalmigration@umd.edu).***
This interview was conducted as part of an undergraduate final project for the University of Maryland, College Park course HIST465 (Spring 2024). This course was led by Professor Anne Rush of the Department of History, College of Arts and Humanities, and was sponsored by the Center for Global Migration Studies.









