Improving the Human Condition

The Real Value of Immigrants

As we all cringe at the clearly unlawful raids being carried out by Schemekel’s masked and unidentified troops in US cities across the country, I have to reflect on the good things that so many immigrants have done for America.

Think about this small list of immigrants to America – Madeleine Albright (Czech Republic, Past Secretary of State), Albert Einstein (Germany…no introduction required), Isabell Allende (Peru, One of the world’s most-read Spanish authors and awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the US), Steve Chen (Taiwan) and Jawed Karim (East Germany) (These two guys co-founded Youtube!), and Jorge Ramos (Mexico, Journalist that’s won 10 Emmys and was named on Time’s list of “The World’s 100 Most Influential People). This a very limited list of the immigrants – male and female from all over the world – that have made significant contributions to American scientific discovery, economic growth and innovation, and cultural and literary development. Amazing when you think about it. So many of these people are now considered American assets and celebrated across the globe. So, what’s the rationale for the Schemekel’s push to deport everyone? Oh yeah, he’s protecting America from invasion!

What prompted me to write about immigrants for this blog post was a recent experience I had here in Asheville. Many of us have had life-long friendships with immigrants or frequent interactions with people who moved here from other counties that really remind you of how important immigrants can be in our society and local communities. I have had the privilege of working with a wonderful woman in our valley who’s been an institution here for over 30 years. Renate moved to the US from Germany more than 40 years ago and after living in a few other states she ended up in Asheville. She’s been a community advocate ever since – helping start the Haw Creek Community Association, advocating for sidewalks along the main road (Tunnel Road) from downtown to the regional Veterans Administration Hospital (to allow veterans to safely get from the bus station downtown), organizing years of litter cleanups to keep the community clean, and, most recently, organizing a flower planting project at the new East Asheville Library! This woman is a dynamo and still going full steam in her 80s.

So, when she asked if I could help her (she had a hip fracture recently or she’d have done it herself!) cut down a couple small trees in her yard I was happy to help out. Renate stayed outside with me the entire time in the heat of the NC summer morning and kept me entertained while I cut and stacked the tree limbs. At one point, a neighbor stopped by and asked for help with her broken chainsaw. This woman, Svetlana, was originally from Russia and had come the US decades earlier as a military bride. Renate had helped her get settled back in the day because Svetlana spoke no English when she arrived but did speak a little German. An immediate friendship. The husband is long gone but this lady was another resilient, get-it-done yourself person and needed her chainsaw working! It was a quick fix – just a loose chain – and she was ready to go. She thanked me over and over and asked if I liked honey. Next thing I know she’s back with a bag full of fresh vegetables and a jar of honey! I damn near teared up.

Svetlana and Renate my lovely “immigrant” neighbors.

The gift of vegetables and honey.

I know this is just one minor example but it clearly demonstrates the value of the immigrant community in our neighborhood and how small acts of kindness really do “improve the human condition”.

“Happiness is not something readymade; it comes from your own actions.” Dalai Lama