The Hidden Heroes Letter Writing Initiative
The American Civic Association has supported incoming new Americans in our community since 1939, yet the stories of the people who make this support possible are often left untold. A group of Binghamton University students came together under the instruction of Dr. Lisa Yun to help shine a spotlight on their stories by writing letters to members of the ACA staff after interviewing them for the Immigrants Wake America podcast series.
Photos from our Visits!
Here's some of what the students had to say!
Hussein has served as the Executive Director of the ACA since 2022, having worked with the organization since 2020. His work in assisting people with the process of starting a new life in Binghamton is inspired by a desire to help out people in the same situation he found himself in years ago when he first came here.
As the Deputy Director of the ACA, Laila goes above and beyond to help each and every person whose case comes across her desk. Making happy memories and a hopeful future for those who come through the organization's doors is what wakes her up in the morning.
Goretti has been a Caseworker at the ACA since 2010—providing assistance and resources to incoming refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers. Originally from Uganda, she came to Binghamton and attained a Master's degree while working full-time and taking care of her daughter.
As a Community Outreach Coordinator, Edward helped spread word of the ACA and the services they provide to people around the Binghamton area. While he is currently taking a leave from the organization to focus on graduate studies, he continues to give back to his community at home in the Dominican Republic by regularly donating bulk school supplies to local charities.
You can find the interviews that inspired these letters at Season 2 of the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/show/5L9NZ4uPs7FMFRcASXv4PB
We are planning on turning this project into a model for future letter writing campaigns, so stay tuned for updates! If you are interested in bringing this program to your school or class, please fill out this form: [Click Here]