Gorgeous, inclusive immigration

Our 4th graders at Connect Academy as we welcomed my dear and trusted friend to our classroom, who, in our eyes, is an expert on the subject of immigration. Here at our school, we believe in the power of forging community partnerships and leveraging technology to connect with individuals from all corners of the United States and, indeed, from across the globe. Expert guest, Caroline Mae Kwan Sienknecht, brought the concept of immigration to life by sharing her own family's journey to the United States.

Caroline's story is a poignant narrative of an American Born Chinese citizen, one who understands the heart and advocacy that drove her grandparents to escape the brutal and violent conflicts in China, seeking refuge and a new beginning in the United States. She grew up in an English-speaking world, and while English remains her primary language, she has never forgotten her deep roots in Chinese culture. This cultural richness has molded her into a person of great strength, unwavering loyalty, and an open-hearted disposition.

Our students immediately connected with Caroline, as so many of them have immigration stories within their own families. This encounter reminded us that even those of us who may appear to have the "whitest" of backgrounds often have roots that span oceans and continents. In our exploration of immigration trends over the centuries, we sketched maps depicting the various paths people took to arrive in the United States, each driven by unique reasons and motivations.

Caroline's presence in our classroom served as a vivid reminder of the beauty embedded within our family names and the histories that unite us. We marveled at the incredible diversity that enriches our lives. It's in the act of remembering and acknowledging our diverse backgrounds that we can truly celebrate the unity we find in one another and appreciate the incredible power of knowing each other's stories and cultures. Through this understanding, we can forge bonds of inclusivity and deep connections with each other.

In this increasingly complex and interconnected world, we were reminded of the beauty that emerges from embracing our differences and celebrating our shared humanity. Our classroom, and indeed the world, is a brutifully gorgeous place, where the blending of the brutal and the beautiful creates a tapestry of human experiences and connections that define who we are.