Persevering Through Struggle
Shokrullah worried about his family’s safety in their native country. He had worked as an electrician in the US Embassy, and with the ruling party back in power, he was concerned that his service for the Americans put his family at risk. He felt grateful when he, his wife, and their four young sons received… Continue Reading
With Resilience, Forging a New Future
Growing up in his home country, Jose’s mother would send him to buy bread, a little gift of independence that sparked his curiosity in the world of baking. When he was just 13, he started working at a bakery, learning the art of making baguettes and pan campesino. He honed his craft for more than… Continue Reading
Paying It Forward
Victor Gil and his family arrived in Knoxville in September 2024, the end of a years-long journey that saw them fleeing their native Venezuela and finding temporary refuge in Colombia. Safe, with his wife and their 7-year-old daughter, in a hotel room arranged by Bridge Refugee Services while they awaited a permanent place to live,… Continue Reading
Through Mentorship, Gaining Confidence to Succeed
When Dianelis Sosa Miranda arrived in Chattanooga, she had her mother, her older sister, and just a few English words. At her new American high school, so different from the one she left behind in Cuba, she felt overwhelmed. Making the transition even more challenging — she didn’t know what anyone was saying. “If I… Continue Reading
Keeping His Eye on the Ball
Keeping His Eye on the Ball For as long as he can remember, baseball has been the great passion of Anyersox Sequera Alvarez’s life. “I started playing baseball since I have memory, pretty much since I’m conscious,” Anyersox said through a translator. His parents encouraged his baseball career when he was a child and then… Continue Reading
A Woman of Determination
A Woman of Determination Amid a sea of students graduating from Chattanooga State Community College this spring, Randa Iteim received special recognition, and for good reason. Randa was graduating from Chattanooga State’s pharmacy technician program, but that was far from her only accomplishment. Randa, who is now 38, withstood terrible fear and threats of violence… Continue Reading
Hopeful Her Story Can Be An Inspiration
Amani Alkellaney was a freshman in high school when the Iraq War started, sending her family into years of upheaval as they fled their home in Iraq, living temporarily in Jordan and then Syria before eventually making their way to Oak Ridge. Now 34, Amani is a college graduate with a career that has taken… Continue Reading
Finding a Home in Sevierville
In the summer of 2023, when Svitlana Bielun and her family arrived in the United States from Ukraine, they made a new home in Sevierville, a small city southeast of Knoxville. After a brief stay in a hotel, Svitlana and her husband, Illia, rented an apartment for themselves and their two young children. They bought… Continue Reading
Growing Refugees’ Opportunities and Wealth
As a single mom with poor health and limited job prospects, Olive has worried about how she’ll become self-sufficient since arriving in Knoxville as a refugee four years ago. “It’s been hard, but Bridge was helping us for everything that we were going through,” she said. “I really appreciate them.” Thanks to Bridge Refugee Services’… Continue Reading
More than a Mentorship
Juan Perdomo Ramirez gained more than a mentor when he enrolled in Bridge Refugee Services’ Youth Mentor Program. He found a friend to support and encourage him through the ups and downs of pursuing his goals as a refugee building a new life in East Tennessee. “I have somebody who cares about me and I… Continue Reading