Experience Magazine, published by Northeastern University, takes readers inside eight immigrant stories, each told through “composite characters but based on real laws and historically documented scenarios.” In the fascinating interactive article, readers are invited to follow their paths and respond to often incredibly difficult choices many immigrants have faced in their lives. The stories introduce the eight characters in various time periods in history and at various stages of their life. They include Margaret (age eighteen) from Ireland starting in 1848; Li Wei (age eighteen) from China starting in 1868; Joyce (age eight) from the Philippines starting in 1990; Yesenia (age twenty-three) from El Salvador starting in 1981; Ama (age twenty-six) from Ghana starting in 1992; and others.
Stories published in Experience Magazine “invite readers to understand the experiences of others, challenge assumptions, and break through the bubbles that too often persist in culture and civic life.” Even for those of us who work in immigration every day, reading this article and having to make the life choices in this inventive interactive format was an incredible learning experience for us. As the authors note: “Every American immigrant, from every era, has a story — shaped by laws, demographics, economics, racial attitudes, and decisions made in the name of opportunity and love.”
Go ahead, take an immigrant’s journey.