RIT community members to share immigration experiences

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Elizabeth Lamark

Associate Professor Edward Kannyo, left, is one of four speakers scheduled to share his personal experiences immigrating to the U.S. at the My Untold Story event on Nov. 10, organized by RIT Libraries.

RIT Libraries is launching My Untold Story, a new series of events that will invite members of the Rochester Institute of Technology community to share their personal experiences in an effort to challenge stereotypes and build understanding through dialogue. The first event will focus on immigration, and organizers hope to explore a different topic each semester.

RIT students, faculty, staff and alumni who have immigrated to the U.S. will share stories in a small group setting at the first event from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10. The event takes place on the second floor of The Wallace Center and is free and open to the public, with light refreshments provided at 2 p.m.

Four RIT community members are scheduled to speak at the first event:

• Abi Ramos McFiggins ’02, a former “Dreamer” from Mexico who is now a U.S. citizen and engineering manager at Lockheed Martin.
• Edward Kannyo, associate professor of political science who came to the U.S. in 1971 on a Rockefeller Fellowship to do graduate work in political science at Yale. He later sought political asylum as tensions worsened in his home country of Uganda.
• Isha Mehta, a second-year graphic design student from India who spoke little English when she immigrated to the U.S. with her family at age 9.
• Lilli Jensen, assistant director of the International Student Services Office and a dual citizen of the U.S. and Denmark.

“We wanted to create an event focused on civic education and learning about the world we live in,” said Lara Nicosia, liberal arts librarian and one of the organizers of the event. “The first event focuses on immigration because it is an important topic in current events and we want to provide people an opportunity to meet those who have immigrated to the U.S.”

A significant portion of the RIT community comes from outside the U.S. RIT has more than 2,700 international students out of its nearly 19,000 total student body.

Attendees will have an opportunity to meet the speakers and ask them questions about their paths to the U.S. Registration for the event is not required, but those interested in participating are encouraged to register.