Tag Archives: families

By Devika Koppikar     At age 16, Phyllis Kesslen’s son Randy* took Mandarin in school with only two other students. Randy, now 17, is currently fluent in three world languages: Mandarin, Spanish and Latin, in addition to his native language, English.     Kesslen said that if she had her son attended a public school, he would not have had the …

By Devika Koppikar Nearly two years after the termination of the controversial NSEERS program (for National Security Entry-Exit Registration System) (http://www.dhs.gov/dhs-removes-designated-countries-nseers-registration-may-2011) many immigrants continue to face barriers at U.S. ports-of-entries when returning from overseas trips. A majority of the immigrants facing reentry barriers have legal status and are simply returning to jobs, families and communities, activists say. Yet, they face heavy interrogations …

20% of Montgomery County AAPIs Live in Poverty By Michelle Phipps-Evan Siu Cheung has vivid recollections of what it means to be poor in the District of Columbia. Now 42-years-old, the Chinese immigrant was the youngest of five children. Her family came to the D.C. metro area when she was six years old. “I grew up in the ‘hood,” said …