Hello World! Again =)
- “Every setback is a setup for a comeback!” – Joel Osteen
It’s been a minute but we’re back. In the last 3 years things have certainly shifted. New presidents, new policies but seems like the same old rules. Besides a slight shift in the paperwork for green card holders trying to adjust their status, seems like there have not been big changes to immigration policy in the US. The change in the White House has harkened a shift to accepted sentiment towards immigrants in some spaces and at least lifted the constant threat and fear that some folks felt they were living under. Many however are left in much of the same limbo they were in under the last administration.
From its inception, the focus of this blog has been to inform and inspire. The time away allowed for energy to be spent learning how to build something that can benefit the whole community. The further down the rabbit hole things went the more it seemed clear that the concept had credible legs and uses. Born in 2017 under a political administration that appeared to be hell bent on providing an atmosphere ripe with fear and disillusionment, this project was born to protest and push back against racist and xenophobic ideologies. Shifting away from those, the purpose of this space is to build community and serve as a platform for change and unity.
For these reasons and so many more, The Immigrant Experience is back on the bully. The focus of this digital space will be to work to inspire and empower immigrants as well as building diaspora. Putting in the work of providing the most up to date information on issues that will affect this complex and ever-growing community, we will be working to engage and incite change in more powerful and meaningful ways.
The future will see many new additions to the blog and to our social media presence. One new installment will be a retail store that will carry travel related products for the commuter as well as the international traveler. Proceeds will be used to support the community and help cover the many costs related to running this company. This will also be a space where we will need feedback to be able to provide access to quality products that are consumed by this community en masse. From stickers to travel alarm clocks and bags we will try to collaborate with innovators and those hoping to make an impact and a difference with the things they are doing.
A second and much-needed new friend will be the Foreigners and Friends Podcast which joins the social media family of this blog. It will be an audio experience where we celebrate and discuss all things foreign, including but not limited to food, film, and friendship. If you have ideas for episodes or topics you think need to be seen and explored, let us know.
Going forward, our intention is to provide an interactive space where we can share stories and provide opportunities to support and empower each other. In addition to providing opportunities for participation from our community, this blog will also aim to create occasions for community members to share their ideas and challenges.
So, here we go. Can’t wait to see what the future holds for us as this relaunch has been years in the making. Looking forward to bringing this space back to life and creating and building an interactive platform that speaks to and helps build the immigrant diaspora.
