​Green Card Youth Voices launches award-winning book

From the White House to the North Dakota State Legislature to Fargo, anti-immigrant sentiments have sparked protest and further polarized the nation, since President Trump took office.

And while the war against immigrants continues to claim front-page news, thirty-one Fargo High School immigrants and former refugees took center stage Tuesday during the Building Bridges conference.

They shared harrowing stories of daring escapes from Middle Eastern and African war zones, and life in the refugee camps scattered across the world.

One student, Francese Manya, a senior, broke down in tears as he talked about losing his parents during civil wars in the Congo. Another, Tristen Hagen, a sophomore and linebacker for Fargo South’s football team, discussed the painful two-year separation from family while waiting on immigration red tape to move from China.

While President Trump is busy signing executive orders banning travel from countries he deems unsafe, and Fargo City Councilman Dave Piepkorn continues to lead an advance against the arrival of new refugees, every student who spoke during the conference expressed their gratitude to the United States of America, calling the land of the free their new home.

The students are now authors, and as they read snippets from their book “Green Card Youth Voices: Immigration Stories of a Fargo High School,” nearly 200 people came to listen and sample international food.

The project in Fargo is based on the book, “Green Card Youth Voices: Immigration Stories from a Minneapolis High School,” published in May 2016, which has sold more than 1,500 copies and is a gold medal winner of the national Best Multicultural Youth Nonfiction Award. Lutheran Social Services will be organizing the project’s future readings in Fargo, and has already purchased 400 copies of the book.

The program’s founder and executive director, Tea Rozman Clark, said during these tumultuous political times, she hopes the program will continue. All proceeds from book sales will go toward a third program, destination currently unknown.

Clark was born in the former Yugoslavia, emigrated to a small town in Wisconsin before moving to New York. The idea behind the project stemmed from her experiences in small town USA and the true “melting pot” of Manhattan. She believes these books, written by students – survivors – will help tear down the cultural barriers many small towns still hold against immigrants.

“When we hear stories of other people, we find ourselves in them,” she said. “And that’s how we find out who they are.”

She has recorded 260 stories from 22 countries, most of which are available to watch online, or on Youtube, and through social media, she said. Books are on sale on Amazon, and at local bookstores such as Zandbroz or Barnes & Noble. Students have the option to attend readings, and will be paid $50 for each event they attend, Clark said.

The project began in September 2016 when Green Card Voices traveled to Fargo to meet with Fargo South High School teacher Leah Juelke and principal Todd Bertsch. Juelke is the English Learners teacher for the school and worked with the students during the seven-month process, according to a Green Card Voices press release.

Senator Heidi Heitkamp D-N.D. expressed her support for the book through a digital recording.

“Your stories and experiences are now our stories, our experiences,” Heitkamp said. “Every North Dakotan, including me, came from somewhere else. Native Americans are the true first inhabitants of our area. You are following in the footsteps of so many immigrants who have traveled to America and to North Dakota seeking a better life. You are part of what makes Fargo a thriving diverse city. You should never forget where you came from. You should also never forget that you belong in North Dakota and you are welcome in our state.”

After the nearly three-hour event ended, students excitedly gathered near the exit to sign autographs. Parents, teachers, even a Fargo police officer lined up to have their books signed.