The Newcomers

Immigration gets plenty of bad press, but the press doesn’t give the whole story. That’s why we are here: To tell the whole, real, human stories behind immigration. The Newcomers explores the human perspective behind the immigrant experience—the struggles, frustrations, lessons, and joys of starting life afresh in a new country. Each episode, guide, or story we publish tries to answer one question: what does it mean to be an immigrant? I believe these stories contribute to a richer and more diverse understanding of the human experience. I believe these stories help foster empathy and connection in a world that feels divided. I believe these stories lead to more connection, understanding, and compassion. My goal is that each of these stories lets us see familiar worlds in new ways. "What I do know is that history not only shapes the stories we tell, but is shaped and reshaped by the telling of them. History not spoken of can be history forgotten, almost as if it never existed. History spoken of only by certain voices is seldom honest. And history that's not revisited — often many times and through many prisms — keeps us stuck in the past without learning much from it." Jacqui Banaszynski