Season 2
Hidden Heroes in a Small Town
In “Hidden Heroes in a Small Town," we talk with the staff and caseworkers at the American Civic Association (founded in 1939), a non-profit organization in Binghamton, New York. The ACA serves as a community home for both newcomers and American citizens, and the staff work tirelessly to resettle refugees, asylees, and immigrants. Notably, the majority of the staff turn out to be immigrants themselves, or descendants of families who immigrated, with remarkable personal journeys across borders and cultures. They refashioned their lives and creatively reimagined their possibilities by serving the civic and cultural needs of the local community.
Our focus on the stories of the ACA is a testament to a living space of multicultural resilience. The year 2024 is the fifteenth anniversary of one of the deadliest mass shootings in American history, when thirteen people were shot dead at the ACA during a class on citizenship. By introducing ACA voices at this moment, this season honors the resilience of a community and the people who serve it.
Supported by Humanities New York; Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, Centre for Civic Engagement, Department of English, Asian and Asian American Studies, Institute for Asia and Asian Diasporas at Binghamton University; in partnership with the American Civic Association and the Tenement Museum.
Hussein final.mp3Laila Final 8:10.mp3Episode 1 Hidden Heroes: Hussein Adams
Hussein Adams is the Director of the American Civic Association. Hussein gives an overview of the breadth of critical work that immigration caseworkers do for the local community and for new immigrants and refugees. He also narrates his personal journey of migration as a Muslim man through the Caribbean and North America, and especially, the impact of post 9/11 on him and his family. As a community leader and as a father, Hussein’s story touches on the complexity and richness of becoming American today.
Episode 2 Hidden Heroes: Laila Hernandez
Laila Hernandez is Deputy Director of the American Civic Association. Laila shares her journey as a remarkable woman wearing many hats - as an immigration caseworker accredited by the department of justice, as the chief mentor for her busy staff, as an educator for student interns, as a mother homeschooling her children, and more.
Edward episode final.mp3Aye Aye Final with intro&outro&music.mp3Episode 3 Hidden Heroes: Edward Marte
Edward Marte was a caseworker at the ACA where he helped immigrants and refugees settle in Broome County. Edward, an immigrant himself, shares the difficulties he encountered as a young person in a new country, and the ways in which he tirelessly gives back to the community both in the US and in the Dominican Republic. Edward also speaks about his experience with the Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute, with which he has often collaborated in different charity and solidarity programs.
Episode 4 Hidden Heroes: Aye Aye Mar
Aye Aye Mar was an immigration caseworker at the ACA. Aye Aye shares with us many aspects of her complex journey of migration from Burma (now Myanmar), to a refugee camp in Thailand, to the US. She also talks about her work helping immigrants and refugees at the ACA.
Goretti Final Re-edit 2024.mp3Tamar.mp3Episode 5 Hidden Heroes: Goretti Mugambwa
Goretti Mugambwa is an immigration caseworker at the ACA for over 10 years. She shares her arduous and inspiring journey of migration and re-migration as a single mother, starting in Uganda and then to Kenya, Nigeria, Canada, and the United States. She also sheds light on the struggles of immigrant women as they arrive the United States and settle in local communities. Goretti is the inspiration for Season II.
Episode 6 Hidden Heroes: Tamar Boyajian
Tamar Boyajian was program coordinator at the American Civic Association. Tamar is of Armenian heritage and immigrated from Lebanon. She shares her journey and the importance of Armenian cultural practices. She also shares how the ACA helps immigrants to celebrate their cultures and come together as one diverse community. Have you wondered how you can help the ACA? Tamar tells us the best ways to contribute to this non-profit at the end of the episode.
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