Cultural Connections: Longing for belonging – from India to the US
By JULIA GASPAR-BATES — Being an outsider has been a lifelong reality for Gautam Bastian. Born in Delhi, India, to…
Cultural Connections: From Mexico to Maryland
By JULIA GASPAR-BATES — Growing up in the small colonial town of Cotija, Michoacán, in central Mexico, Paulina Valencia Quiroz…
Cultural Connections: From rural to urban – A Dominican’s migration
By JULIA GASPAR-BATES — Claudia Simasek has many happy memories of growing up in the rural town of San Francisco…
Cultural Connections: From the Caribbean to the nation’s capital
By JULIA GASPAR-BATES — Hyattsville resident Janine Dowden is no stranger to adversity. Growing up on the Caribbean island of…
Cultural Connections: Political turmoil brought Venezuelan resident to US
By JULIA GASPAR-BATES — Cooking became a passion for Hyattsville resident and entrepreneur Mickey Torrealba when he was 12. Growing…
Cultural Connections: Resilience, hope for Angolan resident
By JULIA GASPAR-BATES — Growing up in Luanda, Angola, in southwestern Africa was not always easy for Hyattsville resident Helder Almeida. “There…
Cultural Connections: From the Costa Rican rainforest to Hyattsville
By JULIA GASPAR-BATES — Mirieth Valenciano hails from San Carlos, Costa Rica, a region renowned for dairy farms: “It’s only 100 km…
Cultural Connections: Iranian resident’s perspective on cultural oppression
BY JULIA GASPAR-BATES — Growing up in the busy metropolis of Tehran, Nahid Soltanzadeh lived a privileged life. “I have…
Cultural Connections: From Reykjavík to Washington, D.C.
BY JULIA GASPAR-BATES — Growing up in Reykjavík, Iceland, Ólafur Jónasson experienced a lot of autonomy. The capital city has…
Cultural Connections: Community transformed Australian resident’s experience
BY JULIA GASPAR-BATES — Growing up in a small town in New South Wales, Australian resident Mandy Sheffer never expected…