Dancing and eating at the Greek Festival/ Video, photos
Carlos Parada was born in Santa Cruz, Bolivia on February 7, 1986. When Carlos was only six years old, he and his mother left Bolivia for a fresh new start in the United States. They came directly to Cranston, Rhode Island and stayed with Carlos’s uncle until they were able to get an apartment.
Even at such a young age, Carlos remembers life in America as a struggle at first. He found difficulty adapting to the English based school system since he only knew Spanish at the time. Not only that, his mother placed him into first grade despite the fact that he was only six. He had cousins that were already in that elementary school and no one could baby sit for him if he attended half-day kindergarten.
Despite the obstacles, Carlos learned English quickly and was able to adapt well to the American culture. Carlos also had a lot of help from his cousin’s aunt who was the English as a Second Language teacher at the time and refused to even acknowledge Carlos if he tried to speak Spanish to her.
“She forced me to talk in English…She would say, ‘No try to communicate to me in other ways besides using Spanish.’”
In high school Carlos played soccer, volleyball, and tennis and stayed involved in the community. After graduation he found a strong passion for immigration related issues when he began volunteering at the Diocese of Providence as an assistant to the immigration caseworkers. While staying involved with the Diocese he attended Bryant University where he received a degree in finance. After graduation he returned to work for the Diocese full time. Currently he is an Immigration case manager Carlos also takes part in a Bolivian festival here in Providence, Urkupina, by dancing to folk music.
Carlos broadened his horizons while at Bryant as he took part in classes that had him get involved with the community even more so than before. He took part in a management class where Carlos and his group worked with the Diocese of Providence where they ran a citizenship class and assisted twelve adults who were preparing for the U.S. citizenship test. Carlos and his team would help the adults with interviewing skills, grammar, and the history of the United States.
Through teaching the citizenship classes Carlos developed his skills as a leader while also preparing himself to become a U.S. citizen, which he will undergo next year. Carlos and his mother both received their residency four years ago, one of his biggest accomplishments.
“I think getting my residency to be here legally in the United States is important because if not I would have had to go back home and wait for my residency and that can take a long time… To go back home, to live somewhere where I didn’t grow up, would be out of my comfort zone.”
Having lived in Rhode Island almost his whole life Carlos considers himself American and wouldn’t want to permanently move back to Bolivia.
“Rhode Island is awesome; everything is so close by. I’m a big foodie; I love restaurants. I eat out a lot and I love coffee. I love coffee shops; Rhode Island has some of the best coffee shops. I like supporting local business and mom and pop shops. I like little hole in the wall places in Providence, and there’s a ton. There’s the Coffee Exchange, which has coffees from all over the world from South, Central America. “
His favorite restaurant is India, on Hope Street and a Bolivian and Peruvian restaurant, Los Andes, on Chalkstone Avenue. Carlos has an optimistic view on diversity and community, believing that society is becoming more progressive and that acceptance is more relevant each day.
“I think we are all immigrants ourselves. We come on a boat, plane… We come here to better our lives and better our families back home.”
Written and compiled by Trey Tremblay and Lauren Waag
Song Heng was born on July 7, 1957 in Thailand but grew up in Cambodia. His last name, translated as lucky, is fitting for his journey to where he is now.
As a young child Song’s life revolved around school and music. His father, a traditional Cambodian music master, pushed Song to the limit, forcing him to dislike music. Song’s routine became very mundane and very demanding. From very early in the morning, 7 am, until noon, Song went to school. After he came home, he studied, practiced playing Cambodian traditional music, went to the temple to pray, came back and played some more music. Song never liked music as a young child and he only did it out of respect his father.
In 1970, at the age of 13, Song became a soldier for the Cambodian government because the Khmer Rouge Communist Party was attempting to take over. In 1975, Cambodia fell to the communist forces despite government efforts. Song’s life would drastically change soon after.
The Khmer Rouge Communist Party forced a new way of life through violence and aggression. The Cambodian people were forced to perform agricultural works and Song was enslaved to work on a farm for three years. He lived in a prison-like state, fearing for his life with barely any food and no medical care. Approximately three million Cambodians were killed from 1975 to 1979 as a result of the regime. After meticulous consideration Song decided to escape and made his way to the Khao I Dang refugee camp in Thailand. Song recalls:
“I was really skinny, and I walked day and night. I had one bag of rice. I knew that I would die if I stayed in Cambodia. [If I left Cambodia] I might [also] die, but [there was also the chance that] if I [was] lucky enough I would get through. So I walked little by little. I am very lucky.”
He escaped through the Vietnam border with his girlfriend, making sure not to step on any of the abundant landmines. He witnessed terrible things: families abandoning their crying babies because the Border Patrol wouldn’t let them through and people becoming savages towards each other. In Thailand, he encountered a United Nations bus that led him to the refugee camp, and then he went to another refugee camp in the Philippines where he attended English classes and learned the art of jewelry making.
In 1985, Song Heng and his girlfriend were finally able to be resettled to the United States as refugees, stopping first at San Francisco then transferring flights to Rhode Island, the place he now calls home.
Song was ecstatic to come to the United States. He arrived on a snowy day in February and was surprised by the cold weather. Although he is still not used to the cold weather, Song is proud to be standing on American soil. He says,
“Since I was young I always thought America was a paradise that was very rich. I [wished to] be in America but I never expected it because only the very rich people could come to the Unites States. So [it] is very, very fortunate that I [was able to come] as a refugee and the American government and the people … that welcomed me. Just like I’m born again. That’s how I feel.”
Soon after arriving to the United States, Song continued his jewelry-making studies at a jewelry school and applied for jobs. When he came to Rhode Island the steel business was booming, another reason he felt very lucky. For nine years, he worked for jewelry companies. Today, he has his own jewelry business and lives in Cranston, Rhode Island with the family he formed with his beloved girlfriend.
Regretting the fact that he never valued his father’s teaching of music as a young child, Song now greatly appreciates Cambodian music and playing music brings back good memories for him. In his free time, he enjoys playing music, and teaches people how to play. In fact, Song travels around the United States to perform. Song gives back to his community as much as possible.
“When we come, we come with nothing. When we go, we only go with one [shirt] and one [pair of pants] so not much counts. Whatever you can give away, give away.”
He is most proud of living in the United States and experiencing the American Dream first hand. “I’m so happy. I’m very, very happy, and I’m so proud of myself and so proud that my dignity can be here. I thank, still in my mind, [and] in my life, I thank American people and the government.”
Written and compiled by Elaine Caban and Nick Ellis
Paola Fernandez was born in 1973 in La Plata, Argentina, just outside of Buenos Aires. Although reluctant to come to America at the age of ten, her parents decided it was best for the family due to the uncertainty of the Argentinean economy. After her father spent a year in the United States, Paola, her sister, and mother joined him in Alexandria, Virginia. Initially she struggled because her school did not have English as a Second Language (ESL) classes.
“We knew very little English and didn’t really know what was going on in the class. The teachers didn’t know what to do with us. There were no other Latino kids or teachers in the school which made it very, very difficult for us to communicate.”
For this reason, along with many others, her parents made the decision to move their family to Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
Paola’s life took a turn for the best when she moved to Pawtucket. Not only was she put into ESL classes but she also was able to reconnect with her father’s side of her family, which was already established in Rhode Island. From this, she made the life-changing discovery that she was not only Argentinean, but also Cape Verdean. Learning this, she was able to connect with her newfound heritage as well as a whole other side of her family with whom she could share new traditions and experiences.
After graduating from Shea High School, Paola moved to Laurel Hill, Florida where she worked for a family owned gourmet food-distributor. There, she met people from all over the world with similar experiences. Her time in Florida helped to reconnect her with her roots and she realized that she was not alone as an immigrant in America.
“As a young immigrant I spent many years trying to figure out where I belong in this culture. I think many immigrants find the first years difficult because we have left our culture behind, while trying to assimilate to a new one. We stand out because of our accents, our interest, and our love for the memories and of our countries.”
This new outlook led her to return to Rhode Island, “I came back with a different attitude and a renewed appreciation for my culture. I embraced who I am and where I’m from and made a commitment to celebrate Argentina because it’s my heart, and to also celebrate America because it’s my new home.”
In Rhode Island, she went back to school and received a bachelor’s degree in management from Johnson and Wales University. After a short time as the administrator for an assisted living facility, Paola joined the United Way of Rhode Island where she currently serves as Director of Public Policy and Government Relations. Paola is passionate about her work and is humbly motivated by the inspiration in the communities she is a part of.
“There’s a strong sense of community in Rhode Island. The drive and enthusiasm of the people in this state to help each other motivates me. In everything that I do, I want to help those who need help and I just give it my all.”
One issue she would like the Rhode Island community to focus on is the education system. She wants everyone to concentrate on taking a, “serious look at the education system and consider what our children need in this day and age to be successful.” Paola believes that there is more to be done and that a lot of the answers lie within the students and the experience they are having. If adults take the time to, “just sit down and listen, and ask them to be a part of that change” a lot can be accomplished.
Paola lives in Cranston where she is a wife and mother to two children. She spends a lot of her time with family and makes it a priority to pass down cultural traditions, foods, customs, and knowledge.
“I think it’s about remembering where we come from, building on our life experiences along the way, and helping make a positive difference in the lives of others which is most important.”
Written and compiled by Elizabeth Longo and Hayley Linabury
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