My name is Mimi Hassanein. I am a first generation immigrant born and raised in Cairo, Egypt.

I came to this wonderful country in 1969, where I was able to settle down and get married in 1979 to my current husband of 51 years. I was fortunate enough to be able to grow my family further, and have three wonderful children who have blessed me with 15 amazing grandchildren!!

When I first immigrated here, I was concerned about how I would connect in a community where I was unfamiliar with English. However, like many immigrants, I put in the time and effort to learn the native tongue of my new home country and was able to enrich myself in the intricacies of our community. I then furthered my education by volunteering in small projects around the community, supporting others who were having difficulty integrating in this seemingly foreign system, and taught them what I had learned in my time in this country – that education is our passport.

As Americans, we live in a country born and bred off the work of the immigrants who came before us. We are one of the most diverse countries in the world, and are one of the strongest because of this. We have the ability to learn a multitude of cultures that you would have to travel the world to experience, just by walking down the street and saying, “Hi!” to our neighbors.

I had the pleasure of hearing about Story Tapestries when I met Arianna Ross, the Founder and Executive Director, at a meeting with some of the elected officials from Gaithersburg. She had found a way around the language barrier that so many new immigrants struggle with by communicating through a commonality all cultures have – an appreciation for art – and providing a platform where their voices can be heard. I am in awe of what she has been able to accomplish this far, and how she has been able to better these children’s lives by providing them a space where they can feel safe to express themselves in spite of being in a place where they are treated as aliens.

I was able to tell my story and help others get involved in the community through my own blood, sweat, and tears. But with programs like those offered by Story Tapestries, this future generation won’t have to navigate this beautiful country on their own. That is why I am in full support of Story Tapestries’ mission and vision.

Contributed by Mimi Hassanein, Board Member of Story Tapestries