"Even from all our diverse backgrounds and experiences, we find it easy to sit down, woman to woman, and just talk to one another. " Susan Man |
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The Exhibit
Pennsylvania has been home to people seeking economic betterment, political asylum or religious freedom since its founding. In the 1990s, nearly 30,000 refugees and immigrants made Pennsylvania their home. Just as those who have come before, these groups bring with them a rich cultural heritage, which has shaped the face of the state and contributed to Pennsylvania's growth and development. Unfortunately, many of these new neighbors have had to face discrimination and even hate crimes.
This exhibit, filled with the stories and portraits of real people, gives a face and a voice to our new neighbors; neighbors with the same dreams of safety, freedom, and prosperity we all share. Listen to their voices through excerpts drawn from interviews conducted from 2002 through 2005 and look into the faces of courage and hope.
The Portraits
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The Pantry
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What's in Your Cupboard? The women of the Our Voices exhibit have retained their cultural identity with the foods they prepare; some of them going to great lengths in the pursuit of difficult-to-find ingredients needed to reproduce the authentic cuisine of their homeland. "So many relationships seem to be forged around food and meeting at the table. That’s what I was talking about...fellowship. Bring in food and it seems like you’re so much more relaxed and able to talk over food..." (Tirzah from the Bahamas)
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Adapting: Language and Advice
Immigrants leave behind everything that is familiar to them: foods, customs, friends and family. Often they do not speak the language of their new country. Even the simplest tasks become extremely difficult. It is not easy to understand how to act or what is expected of them. The women from the Our Voices exhibit share some of their experiences and offer advice for both natives and newcomers.
(Silva from Moldova)
more advice...
The Display Case
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When the women of the Our Voices exhibit came to the United States, they brought with them objects which would remind them of their homeland and represent a piece of who they are. Visit the Display Case to see some of the items. "If I were to do it all over again, I would leave most of the stuff that we packed behind and bring just the memories...The memories are what you cannot replace. You can buy the clothes, you can buy the sneakers...But the memories, bring the memories."
(Eugenia from Moldova) |
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