Anita Butera says she came to America by accident. In the 1990s, as a university student in Italy, she planned to travel to England to improve her English skills. An unexpected visit from an aunt wanting to visit the town where her parents were born changed that. She offered Butera a place to stay so she could immerse herself…
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Nadin Yousef and her family endured life in Bagdad, Iraq, under American occupation. After the United States pulled out of her country, a civil war ensued, and it became too dangerous. “Civil war is bad; you don’t know who the enemy is or who will knock on your door in the middle of the night,” said Yousef. Yousef took her…
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When Rubens Mukunzi was a journalist in his home country of Rwanda, all was fine until officials wanted him to publish more favorable stories about the government in his newspaper, Oasis Gazette. They ignored his protests that it was not a journalist's job to publish only good things about a government at its insistence. He reminded them that his publication…
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Welcoming Week is a national campaign and celebration to showcase communities that strive to "be more welcoming places for all, including immigrants." Since Buffalo's nickname is "The City of Good Neighbors," our theme is Being a Good Neighbor Starts with a Welcome! Here are profiles of local foreign-born people describing their journeys and how Western New York welcomed them,…
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The International Institute of Buffalo's Job Club helps New Americans roll up their sleeves to gain integral skills and knowledge to enter and navigate the job market quickly and successfully. Job Club is a 16-hour, comprehensive program offered through our New American Integration Department, where participants learn about the American workplace and how to succeed despite cultural differences. The eight…
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This week IIB Director of International Exchanges and Education, May Shogan, presented the initial session at the Erie County Senior Services' University Express lifetime learning program. The presentation focused on misconceptions regarding refugees, immigrants, and immigration. University Express offers free educational classes for older adults in Erie County. The program runs during the spring and fall semesters with courses in…
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From Left to Right- IIB's Jennifer Rizzo-Choi, Hulya Gokcek, Dr. Mustafa Gökçek, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, IIB's Denise Beehag, Fire Chief William Renaldo. The Gokceks are members of the Turkish Community/Buffalo United for Peace who were hosts. Recently, Executive Director Jenny Rizzo-Choi and New American Integration Director Denise Beehag attended an invitation-only Ramadan Friendship Dinner at the Erie County…
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