Increasing Cultural and Linguistic Awareness Through Books

Since my childhood, I have been an avid reader. I read almost anything that comes my way- from manga comics to Ellie Weasel's dystopian account of an inhumane and somber reality to Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. I find books to be a great means of conveying our messages through stories to the wider world.

In the last four years of volunteering work with refugees from all over the world, I have realized that there story is often not talked about their lives and the challenges they face in America. In many cases, their stories are often muddled by current political narratives. This inspired me to write my first book about a Nepalese immigrant family and their struggles to get adjusted to life in the U.S.A. I previously had no experience with writing and publishing books, but it was an interesting learning experience that has both forced me to expand out of my comfort zone and has also been rewarding at the same time.

For my first book, From the Himalayas to the James: A Refugee's Journey to the American Dream, I reached out to local libraries and presented at Author Showcases and told the story of immigrants to a wider audience. To date, I have been able to sell upwards of 70 copies of this book and have donated the sale proceeds to Tusome Pamoja-a non-profit I have co-founded that teaches English, Math, and Social Studies to refugee children who are mostly from East Africa.

My work at Tusome Pamoja has made me realize the major linguistic gaps that are present in refugee communities. In order to bridge this gap, I have experimented with writing Children's Books that make learning a new language easier and fun. This has also been learning experience for me- in the process, I have learned basic Kiswahili and have reconnected with my own Indian roots and made translations in Bengali as well.

I have also used Children's Books as a means to connect my statistical research on understanding the reasons behind identity fraud to the actions these new refugees can take to prevent themselves from being the victims of fraud. As before, I have written this book in Kiswahili, French, and English to better connect with this audience.

I hope to write more books on topics that interest me and are relevant to the betterment of society in the future.

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Summary

Embark on an inspiring odyssey of cultural discovery and resilience in From the Himalayas to the James: A Refugee's Journey to the American Dream. Join me as I delve into the heartwarming tale of Seema and her family, Nepalese refugees seeking hope and prosperity in the United States. As I become a tutor to her son Anand, we navigate the challenges of language barriers, cultural differences, and the pursuit of the American dream. Along the way, I share the remarkable story of Anand's determination, from his struggles with the American schooling system to his impressive achievements at a math competition. Through it all, I draw parallels with the struggles of past immigrant communities, showcasing the strength that diversity and inclusion bring to the fabric of our nation. Discover the transformative power of empathy, friendship, and the unyielding spirit of those who seek a better life in the land of opportunities.

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Summary

This book tells the story of Ojwang, a little boy from Nairobi, Kenya. He tells the story of a day he spent at the zoo, recites the story in four different languages (Kiswahili, Bengali, French, and English), and details what he did during the day. This book is meant to help beginners in their language-learning journey. I hope this book can inspire many more authors to write books that promote the diversity of languages and cultures that exist in our world.

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Summary

This book tells the story of the Mugisha family who emigrated to the USA from Gitega, Burundi, and highlights the challenges they face, which often go unnoticed. In addition to facing problems like understanding a new language, culture, and banking system, they are often victims of financial fraud. Losing money is hard for anyone, but even harder for a new immigrant family like the Mugishas. The family and community feel guilty even though they are the victims of fraud, and as a result, such incidents often go unreported. This book aims to tell and highlight their story in simple Kiswahili, French, and English. Though this book is not a guide for financial literacy, it should help new immigrants understand the risks and steps to prevent fraud actively.