This week, the International Institute of Buffalo participated in events celebrating the screenings of Cabrini at the North Park Theatre. The movie, partially filmed locally, spotlights the canonized Catholic nun and the patron saint of immigrants, Mother Cabrini. The producers tapped the talents of various Western New Yorkers for help.
Executive Director Jennifer Rizzo-Choi and New American Integration Director Denise Phillips Beehag spoke to packed audiences before screenings on Wednesday and Friday. They touched on universal themes, including welcoming, the American tradition on of helping our newest neighbors successfully integrate into our communities, and the vital work IIB does to educate Western New York about the value immigrants and refugees bring.
The biographical drama spotlights the life of Mother Cabrini, an Italian immigrant who arrived in New York City in 1889 and was greeted by disease, crime, and impoverished children. Cabrini set off on a mission to convince a hostile mayor to secure housing and healthcare for society’s most vulnerable. With broken English and poor health, Cabrini built an empire of hope, unlike anything many would have imagined. Click here to read more about Mother Cabrini’s remarkable life of service.
Click here to learn how we welcome New Americans into our community.