"We got to hear from our parents for the first time."
This class, Global Explorations, grew out of a question: What would happen if we created opportunities in school for students to learn about where they are from?
In this course, students study the three major countries where our refugee population has come from: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, and Bhutan. In these units, students learn not only the history of these countries, but the underlying reasons why refugees from these countries were forced to flee their homeland. At a time when immigrants are once again being politicized and the victims of hateful rhetoric, it is important to remember that no one wants to leave their home. But yet, due to violence, war, persecutive, ethnic cleansing, natural disasters, there are millions of people who were forced to leave their homeland. Migration is a human right.
The unique and special thing about Winooski is that you have students from migrant families next to students who have been in Vermont for generations. The richness that this diversity of experience produces is unmatched. Our classroom discussions are lively, full of debate, and are a space for students to truly learn from one another
In this project, students were tasked with telling the story of Winooski: of community members, of family members, or of each-other In this book, we wanted to capture the stories that make up our diverse and unique community. Students conducted intimate interviews and unearthed family stories that might have been lost. For many students, this was their first time hearing directly about a family member's experience fleeing their country. They are now the keepers of these stories.
With Gratitude
Throughout this process, students worked closely with Vermont FolkLife to learn the art of conducting interviews and the importance of co-creating a story to tell together We are grateful for this important partnership. We are also grateful for all of our interviewees: family members and Winooski community members. Your honesty, vulnerability, and willingness to share is what made this project successful.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Congo was a rich and vibrant country for years In 1885, King Leopold II of Belgium claimed Congo as his own personal property and ruled ruthlessly and violently. From 1908-1960, Congo was colonized by Belgium and known as the Belgian Congo In 1960, Congo gained its independence, became the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Patrice Lumumba became Congo’s first prime minister. Just a few months later, Lumumba was assassinated with support from the USA What followed Lumumba’s assassinaton was Mobutu See Seko’s rule from 1961-1991. Mobutu renamed Congo Zaire. Congo then faced the First Congo War (1996-1997) and Second Congo War (1998-2003). Many students from Winooski are from the DRC because they and/or their parents fled the ongoing war and conflict in Congo, which has resulted in lack of food security and safety for the Congolese people. Most recently, violence and conflict between various rebel groups, including M23, continues This is all occuring while the ground of the Congo continues to be mined and exploited for minerals, mainly cobalt, that powers every electronic device, from iPhones to Teslas.
Written by Rehema Jima
We then shifted to the scary and sad topic of how the war came to his village. When he was growing up he didn't know what a refugee was but when the war started he began to see people coming to his village carrying things going door to door asking for help. They were confused; he was wondering who they were and what was wrong. The people told them they were refugees and his village had to ask them what a refugee was. They realized they were coming from other parts of the country to seek safety from the war. The war then came to his home and he started seeing soldiers and hearing guns. They were told that soldiers were coming to destroy the area. People started to get killed. He says “Everything was different from what we used to know”. He used to see soldiers as people that would just pass through but now they would hear neighbors crying and would come out to see people dead. After some time they realized they could not survive and they had to run.
After this, we started to talk about how it was to be a refugee from the DRC. When he was running, he didn’t always know where his parents were and if they were safe. Him and all the other refugees had to go through the forest to try and get to Uganda. They had no food, they were very tired and they were separated from their families. Young men would be grabbed to join the military and girls would be raped. He lost his two siblings and his other relatives like his Uncle. When he was admitted to Uganda he was alone with his Mom he didn’t know where his Father was. When they got to the refugee camp he didn’t know if his family members were alive.
We moved on to how he left the refugee camp in Uganda to come to America and how he eventually got to Winooski. In refugee camps there is a program called resettlement. iIn Daniels' case, he had to be in the camp for over five years. He had to have background checks done before he could leave for America.
When you are a refugee going to a different country you do not get to choose what country you go to. He says the process for refugees to get cleared to go to America takes a very long time and people can get rejected. After you get approved you have to go through medical checks. Once he finished all of the requirements he was finally able to come to America. When he first Arrived in America he started in New York. From New York he moved to Colorado and then to Michigan from Michigan he went to different states. Before he came to Vermont he lived in massachusetts. He came to Vermont because he knew a friend that lived in Vermont and his friend suggested that he moved.
He says that life in Vermont is good with access to jobs that are well paid. He also says he really likes the community compared to other states “In other states they would say this person is black and they discriminate against you” but in Vermont he says he has not had anyone saying “where are you from?” or “What are you doing here?”.
Life in Congo
In Congo, you will see good and bad Patrice Lumumba by Jayda Lawrence April 2025, link to interview
Everyone in the Winooski School District knows Patrice. He is a caring and thoughtful man with a smile on his face. Patrice has done a lot of things in the Winooski community He has brought a lot of smiles to people. Most mornings, you can find him smiling and shaking hands with students as they enter the school.
Patrice was born in 1990. He is 33 years old and he is from Democratic Republic of Congo. Patrice grew up in a town called Baraka. In the DRC, where Patrice grew up, he dealt with a lot of war that was happening. There were good and bad times in Baraka. Some of the good things were the traditions that he did with his family. They danced together, Cooked together, and played different games. When he talked about these happy memories, he did so with a smile.
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Then there were the bad times in Congo, like the war and the soldiers and shootings. The war came to Baraka in 1996. When we switched to this topic, his voice immediately changed. Patrice grew solemn and slow when he talked about the bad times in his home. As I was looking at him to see his facial expressions I could see the fear in his eyes. He talked about some of the things that he didn't know what was happening. When he explained the bad things he mentioned the rapist and the soldiers and child labor.
Coming to the United States, there were things that he and his family had to do and go through in order to get to safety. They were in the second war when he and his family moved to a country called tanzania. There was peace over in tanzania. They walked around twenty days through woods and rivers until they arrived in Tanzania. From there on in Tanzania they took them in for safety and they gave them a card called food stamps. Where they were able to get food weekly They helped them and took care of them.
After so long of being there they were able to apply to come to the USA. Applying to come to the USA was a long process. It took around five years of waiting. Their names were drawn and they were able to come to the USA. They ended up leaving to a country called Kenya, from Kenya they went to Switzerland and from Switzerland they went to New York and then they finally ended in Vermont. The last thing that he remembered before he left was family members crying that they would never see them again. As they were being taken to become slaves they were scared that they would never see them or never be able to say goodbye.
Patrice has grown an amazing life of working in the Winooski schools district. Patrice loves WInooski. He believes that there is some change in Winooski. Winooski feels like home to him. He has family here. He loves the diversity and the people. How amazing to see how everyone is united together. He feels that when people are down and struggling, the Winooski community helps everyone get back up and find themselves. Patrice is a big advocate. He tries to be a leader in the community.
Patrice has gone through a lot in his life. His hopes and dreams in the future is to own a homeless shelter, and to help and give people another chance in life. He tells his wife everyday “If I ever won the lottery or got a million dollars I would use it to end the homelessness in Vermont at least.”
Patrice believes everyday in anything. He believes that there is a chance to end the homelessness and he feels that there are not a lot of people that want to make it happen because of people's past. He wants people to understand that the homeless are going through so much and he wants to find ways to help them, like making housing free till they are on their feet, or helping people find jobs. If he owned a homeless shelter he would want thousands to two thousand homeless people coming to get help.
In conclusion, Patrice has grown up through bad and good. He has worked hard to help him and the people around him. Patrice is a man of strength and is always there if someone needs help. He has been a person that people look up to. When Patrice was six years old he didn’t know what to do with all the things that were happening in his home. Now he is working to help others and creating an environment where people can come if they need help.
Running from War for a New Life
My Mother’s journey from Congo to Winooski
My mother, Machozi Bigelegel by Rehema JIma
April 2025, Link to listen to full audio
My mother, Machozi Bigelegele, was born in 1968 and grew up in Congo. She lost both parents when she was young, leaving her older brother to take care of them. Growing up with little opportunity, she didn’t receive an education. As she recounted these stories from her youth, tears came to her eyes. I reached across the table and held her hand. Even though I knew this about her, it was hard to hear her tell me again.
One day, my mother and siblings were sitting in a house when they heard a gunshot. They knew that this was the start of the war in their area. My mother walked with my siblings for three days to escape the danger surrounding them. They even had to carry a mattress with them as a replacement for a home. They had no food, and they didn’t know where they were going. Every village they passed was barren and empty, as the owner of the houses had already fled. My mom knew that even though it was hard, the journey was necessary since she lost my two older brothers and her niece in the war.
The soldiers used to take men and beat them, some of them to the point of death. The soldiers told the people who tried to flee to return to their villages, and oftentimes they had no choice but to return. Sometimes the soldiers would go to one village in particular and shoot their guns, and sometimes they would go to where my mom lived. The second war started in 2003 and was devastating, resulting in many deaths.
My mom and siblings began to think of going to the refugee camp because Congo was no longer safe. “It was hard to leave Congo but we had no choice,” Machozi remembers.
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My mother, Akpene Elom Essiba, byNatalieDzessou April2025.
In the 1600s, many Nepalis migrated to Bhutan. The Bhutanese government wanted them to come to farm their land They lived there for many, many generations In the 1980s, the Bhutanese government began to implement a One Nation, One People policy. The Nepali people were forced to speak the Bhutanese language, wear Bhutanese clothing, and practice their religion The Bhutanese government committed an ethnic cleansing and forcibly removed all Nepalis from Bhutan. The Nepalis were removed to Nepal, a country they did not know, where they lived in refugee camps for years, before many arrived in Winooski
Written by Puja Sharma
From place to place
No matter what you face, you will get through it.
My father, Kamal Dahal, by Abishek Dahal
Link to listen to audio file
My father, Kamal Dahal, was born in 1976 in Bhutan. According to him, Bhutan had been ruled over by King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who wanted to see everyone follow Buddhism. He put rules on people, such as you have to “speak Dzongkha, having to wear their clothes”. There was also a rule that “women had to have short hair”. If you didn’t follow the rule, they would send army to beat you up. If Naples people had and nice land and a good amount of livestock, they would just come and steal it away for themself. After not following those ridiculous rules set by the King. The King sent an army to the town where Nepalese people resided and destroyed and burned the houses, and was kicked out of Bhutan in a truck.
After being kicked out of Bhutan at the age of 10, he lived in the Goldhap refugee camps, which is one of many camps that people want to go to after being kicked out of Bhutan. Life was peaceful in Goldhap, he said, but one day a fire broke out and destroyed everything. He said that the fire was one of the worst things that had happened in his life. After the fire destroyed everything, he said, “I had to live in a tent for one year.” After that, he moved to Beldangi is located in Naples, and had to rebuild a house.
He moved to Beldangi in 2009. Moving to a new place, he had to rebuild his house. While living in Beldangi, he was trying to get an immigrant visa to move to the United States. After living in Beldangi for 7 years, he finally obtained the immigrant visa are 2016. “I was truly happy to go to the United States.” He described it as more opportunities were being opened for my family when I came to the United States.
My father and I came to the United States in 2016. At that time, I was 9 or 10 years old and came with my whole Family We've been living here for 9 years, and I'm glad to be here in the United States, he said. When I asked him if he wanted to go back, without
Bhutan lives in my heart
Kicked out of Bhutan when he was 36, he still holds no grudge against his country
My grandfather, Bir Bdr Darji, by Nabina Basnet April 2025, Link to listen to full audio
Sitting around our small square kitchen table on Weaver grandfather, Bir Bdr Darji, smiled when I asked him about lit up when given the chance to talk about his country
Even though I´m his oldest grandchild, I haven´t heard about Bhutan, I was young and too small to understand or know anything about the country my whole family is from. Bir Bdr Darji was born in 1965 in Bhutan in the Thimpu region, the area known for their fertile rice fields. My eyes felt heavy and tears were forming when I learned about Bhutan and the hardships that everyone faced while they were ripped out of their birthright citizenship and were forced to leave the country. Though I had learned about this a little in class, it was different to hear it directly from my grandfather.
My grandfather started by telling me about his childhood and how much he loved Bhutan. His childhood was something that he will never forget, going to the rice fields every day with his parents, hanging out with his friends. It was memorable for him. I can´t read minds but I can see his eyes glistening with happy tears, eyes filled with hope, filled with emotions that even I can't describe, it gave me all the answers I needed. He could talk about Bhutan for days and nights.
When I asked him about the hardships he faced in Bhutan during the One nation One people act in 1985, his voice shifted. He turned his body towards me, directly looking in my eyes with a hint of emotions that I can't describe, it was something about it that gave me chills in my body I focused on him, paying full attention. He then told me about One nation one people act, he told me about the Government and how they forced all the Nepali people to leave the country, he told me that while he was there, he had to wear
their clothing, Gho and Kira, they were forced to follow their religions when majority of Nepalese are Hindu, the torture was so extreme that all of them had to leave the country so that they could be safe, so that their families could be safe. As he recounted all of this, his voice was shaky and I could see some tears in his eyes. I knew it was hard for him to talk about it.
My Grandfather then told me how he went to fight for his rights. He had gone to the Border where all the commotion was happening, people were shouting, fighting one another. It was stressful for him, but he needed to fight for his right, for his people´s right. It was not easy, I admire his bravery to resist, he not only fought for himself but also his people and his children.
¨It was hard for me, I had to leave my country that I love so dearly, a place where I grew up in,” he said seriously This made me emotional because I also had to leave my country in search of a good future. It made me realize the generational impacts of what happened to him when he was a young man. Now, here we are, both in Winooski, both missing a country that we never got to fully know
Till this day, when I ask him about his country, Bhutan, his eyes glisten with tears and emotions. He tells me that he has many dreams for his children and grandchildren. He wants them all to go to school and pursue their dreams of becoming successful. To this, I smile and feel happy I know I will make him proud.
1986. A few years later, her husband died, and she remarried a few years after. She has 2 more kids, one son and one daughter.
My grandmother remembers the time before the ethnic cleansing as a great life; she thought what could possibly go wrong, but didn't realize that she was in the calm before a storm.
One day, the Bhutanese government started a policy called One People One Nation; they had started implementing rules and regulations, and telling everyone they had to start wearing Bhutanese clothing and dresses called bakhu, and had everyone start speaking the Bhutanese language called dzongkha.
My grandmother was always following the rules and regulations because she was scared of being taken away or what was going to happen to her and her family Her parents also told her to follow the rules. Soon enough, the Bhutanese people came one night and started a riot, threatening Nepalese people that they would be killed if they didn't leave Bhutan. The government started burning down houses and they had almost tried to burn down my grandmother's house as well. My grandmother and grandfather left to escape the riot and keep themselves and their young daughter safe.
I had asked her what it was like for her to leave her homeland and mother tongue behind and adapt to a new place and new lifestyle, and her response was quite sad to hear She had so much anger, confusion, fear, and sorrow because everything she had built for herself and her family was all destroyed and gone in a blink of an eye. The memories, the laughter, and the bliss of happiness were all gone. They packed their bags with memories, trauma, pain and left the place never looking back. She was more scared than anything in her life, but knew she had to push through and keep going.
My grandmother and her family, along with hundreds of others, left Bhutan. They walked for days since they had left their belongings and wealth behind and had left and gone to Nepal. It took a few days until they had reached the refugee camp. There, they had found little houses made with mud and bamboo sticks and other people all around, they found someone who welcomed them and hundreds of others to start a new life and create new memories.
Her life in a refugee camp was very simple and hard but she made the most out of it. Her and her family had gotten a little house to live and take care of everyday, she would
For us, her family, her journey is a reminder that we have this life but we still miss our culture and experiencing life back in our homeland. We know we are here and have a life that we couldn't ever have imagined. This isn't our lives, it is our privilege to fulfill what our ancestors wanted but couldn't get.
Leaving Home
As I go through this, I'll learn what home really means and how to be strong when saying goodbye.
My Mother Ganga Rai by Puja Sharma April 2025
My mother, Ganga Rai, left her country when she was 7 years old. She was born in Bhutan city sarpang dzongkhag in 1980. She is the youngest of seven children. She remembers living in her small bamboo house near the rice fields. She remembers laughing and having fun with her siblings, but as a young girl, she didn't really understand which clothes were her traditional ones. She just felt a bit confused about wearing Bhutanese traditional clothes. However, she loved the trips with her dad to the fiver near their house, where they went fishing together. She also remembers cutting grass for the animals with her mom and visiting her sister’s house. Those moments were really special for her.
My mom remembers the day they left Bhutan. At seven years old, she felt a mix of confusion and sadness as they packed their things and said goodbye to their homeland. She didn’t fully understand why they had to leave, but she felt the loss of her family, friends, and the places she loved. The main thing she missed was the rice fields and the fun times with her siblings. Where laughter filled the air while we played hide and seek and climbed mango trees, feeling so pure and joyful. Those moments are memories we can’t have again, but will always hold in our hearts.
do many bad things, so my mom took me and my brother to Nepal for a fresh start. As a single parent of two kids, trying to make their lives better, I believe that sometimes when life gets hard you just have to take a step and start fresh.
We went to a refugee camp in Nepal when I was five and my brother was seven. At first, we were really confused because we didn’t understand what was happening. As we settled in, we had our own house made of bamboo and mud, and we went to school there. Life was still tough since my mom was the only parent looking after us, doing everything by herself. After a few years, my mom started applying for the US, and that’s when we finally moved in 2017. It was a big change for us.
We arrived in Vermont on February 10, 2017, and it was snowing heavily. My mom remembers arriving in Winooski and says, "I felt scared and unsure of what to do or where to stay. Even though my family was here, in our culture, when you get married, you usually don't go back to your parents' house, so I felt a bit lost."
But she was also happy to see her parents and brother again. She says, "The people I met in Winooski were incredibly nice; they welcomed me with open arms and offered support.
However, it was also challenging because I didn't know how to speak English well, and I still struggle with it due to my limited education. Overall, my experience was a mix of joy and difficulty, as I often didn't understand what people were saying. The biggest challenge I faced when I came to America was being the only parent for my children. I had to be both dad and mom while they were young. When I immigrated, my hopes and dreams were for a better life for my children and to give them opportunities that I didn't have.
Now, seven years later, life has truly been a blessing for my family and me because we have everything we need. My mother got married, and she had a son from her second marriage.
Her deepest hope for her children is for them to find happiness, no matter what life throws at them. She said, “I know there are times when everyone feels like giving up, but I want to instill in them the courage to keep pushing forward, even when school feels overwhelming.”
She smiles as she tells me that it is so important for me to show up because their education is for my future. She says, “I want you to know that your struggles mean that they’re building a path to something great.” I nod, knowing that she is right.
Somalia
Somalia is a rich and wonderful country. It was colonized by Britain, Italy, and France from the late 19th century until 1960 In 1960, Somalia, along with seventeen other African nations, fought and won its independence Since 1960 independence, Somalia has experienced a turbulent journey. Siad Barre, a dictator, ruled the country from 1969 to 1991. In 1991, Barre was overthrown, which led to a decades long civil war and no strong central government There was a lot of tribal conflict and violence and the results were ultimately many Somalis without access to food, safety, or security. Many of the Somali families in Winooski fled Somalia for refugee camps in Kenya, Yemen, or Tanzania
Written by Ayub Ali
From
Somalia to Vermont: A Father's Journey of Hope and Strength
A journey for his sons
Name of Interviewee by Abdullahi Mohamed
April 2025, Link to listen to full audio
As the room grew quiet, as my father shared his story with his family around him. He talked about moving to Winooski, Vermont, after his uncle encouraged him to come. It wasn’t a typical immigrant story, but family and hope guided his journey. Starting over wasn’t easy, but their support helped him adjust. “My family’s support gave me the strength to start over,” he said. Before the war, my family had a big famer business that sold fruit like bananas, watermelon and other fruit when they sold the fruit to other countries and life was good.
My dad was born in 1974 in Somalia. In 1991 , when the war started, he had to run away to stay safe. During the war, his brother was sadly killed, and it changed his life forever The loss of his brother and the fear around him stayed with him for a long time. Despite the pain, he kept moving forward and built a new life.
My dad played football in Somalia wearing the number 4 defense jersey He admired Cristiano Ronaldo, not just for his skills, but because he used his money for good causes. He often argued about sports, and my dad's favorite NBA team was the Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan. He liked Jordan’s dunks and his six championships. Another player my dad liked was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, an NBA star who played for the Los Angeles Lakers. He was my dad’s second favorite player because he saw him as a hero in his life.
My dad wanted to stay safe, so he went to Kenya for safety. I was born in Kenya, along with my older brother Mohamed, who is two years older than me. He was named after our grandfather, also named Mohamed, and our dad’s last name is Mohamed too—so my brother's full name is Mohamed Mohamed. Later, my uncle gave my dad the idea to go to Vermont for new opportunities. After making that decision, we went to the airport and traveled to the USA. When we arrived, immigration said my dad needed to take a U.S. history test. Luckily, my dad likes history and passed the test, which allowed us to move to Vermont.
When we got to Winooski, everything was different. It was cold—really cold—and I hated it because I was used to the hot weather in Somalia. My dad worked a lot because he always said we had to work hard if we wanted a good life. “Work hard to
succeed,” he’d tell us. His favorite thing to watch was football, and he was a huge fan of Manchester United f.c .
Even with all the challenges, my dad always held onto hope. He worked hard, believing that if we put in the effort, we could have a better life. His dream was simple: to give us the opportunities he didn’t have. He often said that success wasn’t about where you come from, but where you’re going. “Keep pushing forward, no matter how hard it gets,” he would say. His hope for us kept him moving forward, no matter the obstacles
His strong work ethic, his belief in family, and his dreams for a better future live on in me. When life gets tough, I hear his voice telling me, “Don’t quit. Keep going.” His strength, hope, and love continue to shape who we are. “You’re stronger than you think,” he used to say I carry his legacy with me, always striving to make him proud.
From Dadaab to a New Life in Ame
In this essay, I will share how my sister Abshira's experiences camp shaped her life and influenced her dreams for her children in America.
My sister Abshira Ali by Ayub Ali April 2025, Link to audio
Abshira Ali, my oldest sister, is 32 years old and was born in 1993 in Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya. Dadaab refugee camp Is one of the biggest refugee camps in Africa with a population of 200,000 displaced People. She is the second oldest in our family
I sat down with her one April evening in our small living room. We could smell the rice still cooking and the light breeze of the fresh from the window She seemed surprised that I wanted to hear about her life but she smiled when I asked her about growing up in Dadaab.
She remembers our home and the Dadaab refugee camp where we lived for several years. With a smile, she describes the house we lived in as a house full of laughter, the nonstop spirit of our family. “The living conditions were tough,” she said. “There was no electricity, no lights, just a flashlight powered with batteries.” Those times were challenging but the memories are an important time in her life.
Our parents left Somalia in 1991 because of the Civil War, looking for a safe and better place for their children. At the time, they had only one child, my oldest sister Sadio. One day, they arrived at Dadaab. They found themselves in a refugee camp, which was home to thousands of displaced people because of the war. Dadaab was not a permanent solution, but it gave them hope. Despite the strong sense of community, the challenges of daily life in the refugee camp were hard, but they were also shown by moments of joy, as siblings played together, dreaming of a better life. Abshira's childhood was challenging, she said, “there were some times it was hard with the living conditions, but it was also special because she had five younger siblings to
He's always smiling
There are a lot of steps on the way And some people don't make it
Dalib Bulle by Afia Diagne
April 2025, Link to listen to full audio
Dalib Bulle, a multilingual liaison at Winooski High School, is a huge part of the community. He has been working at Winooski High School for years, and everyone knows and loves him. Dalib, born in Somalia in 1985, came to the U.S. in 2004
When Dalib was born, he was born into a civil war in Somalia. It was dangerous and unsafe for him and his family. He was 2 months old when his parents fled to the Dagahaley refugee camp in Kenya.
“It was a very tough life, and because you can imagine, like, if you leave your country and you come to a different country and you come with nothing and you have to start from scratch, life is not going to be easy," Dalib says.
After coming to Kenya, life was less dangerous for him, but it was still rough. When they got to the camps, they had few supplies. They didn't have proper shelters, leading to them initially living in tents. Eventually, they built houses from mud. Dalib talked about how, though it wasn't easy, it was better than their past situation.
Though these houses were stable and had roofs, they still had downsides. “When it rains, you know, it leaks everywhere and then, like, you're going to school in the morning, but then you will find out that you're all wet from the rain in your house,” Dalib said, highlighting the struggles they experienced. Along with housing struggles, they also had very scarce food. They received food only from the United Nations, and it was hard to get enough due to the number of people who needed food. “The kind of food we got was uh some flour and a little bit of oil, a little bit of salt, and we had to make something out of that. It wasn't an easy life. It was a very tough life.” Dalib said, reiterating the struggles he experienced.
Though life was rough for Dalib in Kenya, that didnt mean it was a bad life. “As kids growing up and playing with my friends, that was what mattered most to me, and I had that, and I was so happy,” Dalib says as he recalls memories of his youth. Celebrations such as Ramadan and Eid were widely celebrated in Kenya. Ramadan is a holiday where Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. This holiday is focused on becoming closer to God, reflecting, and acts of charity.
“These holidays are a big thing, and we celebrate. The whole city is like there are a lot of things wherever you go, it is like so much happiness and all these things, and those two are important,” he said with a smile.
At 18, in 2004, Dalib arrived in Colchester, VT, through a refugee resettlement program. Dalib and his family had a case manager who helped them adjust to life in the U.S. He remembers, “This is where you sit in the living room, this is the bedroom, this is the light switch.”
Dalib is a proud member of the Somali community in Vermont and an essential part of the Winooski School District.
Winooski
Winooski, the Land of the Wild Onion, on the land of the Abenaki, is the most densely populated city in Northern New England It is home to nearly 8,000 residents, including many New Americans from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, and Bhutan. The mills played a vital role in the city’s history and continue to be a hub of city life Winooski recently celebrated its 100th birthday in 2024 The city is a vibrant hub of both culture and history
Life continued like this until he graduated from Harwood Union High School. As soon as he got out of school, he and a couple of his friends were able to get hired at the Saint Albans correctional center. So together they rented a house in Essex where they split rent and crunched out many hours at the correctional facility.
Eventually he moved out of that house, finding a bigger one here in Winooski that he lived in with a couple other co-workers while renting out the remaining rooms to friends of his roommates It continued like this for a while until one day he ended up renting out, unknowingly, to my mothers best friend. And that was how they first met.
Life since then has been pretty straightforward His friends moved out, leaving just my parents with the house My dad continued to work at the facility until eventually he had to get both his hips replaced in his mid 40s He didn't want to stop working but he knew his body didn't have anything left to give, so after his years and years of hard work, he finally hung it up. And he has since been able to pay off our house, and support not only us, but also his mom, finally allowing her to retire and live out the rest of her life in peace. Since then Me and my younger brother have come into the world and he has stepped up in so many ways that his biological and step dad never did He's through the ups and downs of life He's always tried his best to be here and support me in ways he wished people did for him before. And for that I am forever grateful.
My dad’s story shows that no matter how many variables are stacked against you and no matter how hard the climb may be, you can always achieve success, no matter how hard, and no matter what success looks like for you You just need to put in the hard work, and that's a lesson I'm grateful he taught me. I hope that one day I’ll be able to take all the lessons he's taught me, and live the dream he's given me the potential to chase
A Helper
'’The biggest part is I just enjoy helping people'’
Michael Schmoll by Mikey Schmoll
April 2025, link to listen to full audio
I share the same name as my father, Michael Schmoll. My pops, born in 1975 in Burlington, Vermont, lived in Winooski and Milton when he was a kid. Mike only had one other older sibling growing up. They grew up in a smaller home and had a pretty good upbringing.
When Mike was a kid, his grandmother owned a small Winooski home where he would spend all of his summers. He was very frequently around Winooski and was familiar with the town and people. He really liked Winooski when he was younger. “It was a nice play to be a kid,” he remembers.
He moved away to California to join the marines over 30 years ago, when he was 20, and about 20 years ago, he decided to move back to Winooski. When he moved to
Growing girl with deep roots and big stories
We didn't have much as a family in money wise but I was rich in community and love
Sally Anne Bundy by Sali Diallo April 2025, Link to audio
Sally Anne Bundy from Vermont will smile ear to ear when she tells you that killer Ted Bundy Sally Anne Bundy, her maiden name, or also known as Sally Anne Girard, was the youngest sibling of five She grew up on River Road in Colchester, Vermont or also referred to as the sticks “We didn't know we were poor back then, now I know” Sally lived on six and a half acres of land in a small three-bedroom camp. It had a screened-in porch that ran along two sides of the house. Sally lived with her Mom, Dad, Grandmother, and 4 sisters Unfortunately, her dad passed away when she was 13 She also grew up with her Five Sisters as well as her grandmother
Sally lived a very normal life for the way it was back then Families back then had small houses with lots of people living inside Typically, a family with five to six kids like Sally's, would have the kids share bedrooms; boys in one room and girls in another They would have bunk beds, cots or share a full size bed Sally's house had three bedrooms Her mom and dad slept in a room All of her sisters slept in another room. She described it as a horseshoe look; one bed against each of the three vacant walls The kids had two dressers, each of them got two drawers. Sally slept in her parents room until her grandfather passed away when she was around 2 Then she slept with her grandmother until her grandmother passed away when Sally was 14 When she was younger, her life consisted of waking up, having breakfast, going outside, coming in for lunch, and then back outside until dinner She and her sisters would make up lots of games with their imagination, “we could play outside forever, we had lots of fun” TV back then was not how we watch TV now. Sally and her sisters were allowed to watch TV, but they were limited. There were two stations on a
black and white TV and they were allowed to watch certain shows after dinner or on Saturday mornings She said to work the TV, you would have to move the ears on the antenna Sally and her family didn't leave the area much. When they did leave their house, it was usually for school, church, or to go grocery shopping
Sally went to the Champlain Valley Fair when she was younger for the first time. She said that she thought she was going to a different state because of how far it was, she had never traveled that far before She lived in Colchester and the fair was located in Essex, which was only a 30 minute drive
Sally's sister Judy, whom she was very close with, wanted to know more about her heritage and her ancestors Judy had traced their ancestors back to the Mayflower Their family was the Chilton family originally from Holland “My ancestor was known to be the first and youngest female to step foot on Plymouth land.” Her name was Mary Chiliton. Mary's father passed away on the trip. Mary’s family who survived the Mayflower trip were her mother, her siblings and herself
Sally grew up knowing about Columbus Day and Thanksgiving, but not all the truth of what occurred. Sally explained that the Mayflower came here so they could escape religious persecution Mary and her family, along with many of the other people on the Mayflower, were more on the Protestant side of religion, but where they were living in Holland, they were more Catholic I believe the Mayflower came here for a good reason, they didn't just come to take someone's land They were trying to get away from persecution themselves
Sally mentions, “I wish we had not done what we did to the natives. I wish we had learned from them. I think that they knew how to live on the land without spoiling it like we did We could have learned a lot, and we could have worked together” I know when the Mayflower got here, the Native Americans were scared. I would have been too. The Mayflower brought lots of diseases and things to the land and to the natives that they hadn't seen before Lots of people had gotten sick on the trip over She wants to study and do more research so she can dive deeper into the Mayflower as well as the Native American Life and things that happened when the Mayflower settled on Plymouth land.
Sally has lots of hope for the world as we adventure into the future and grow as a society Sally says “I hope we find world peace and love soon before we destroy ourselves and the amazing earth I wish that people as a whole could realize that money is not the answer. As the old saying goes - Money can't buy you true happiness and it really is the root of all evil when you make it your priority For years Sally has had this quote written on a little piece of paper that she reads from time to time, “Money is a tool to pick up along the way, not the reason for the journey. Prosperity gives you more options, but that doesn't make it worthy of Relentless Pursuit”
Sally has lots of hope for her family, for them to grow strong and succeed in life as much as a person can succeed Sally said that for the hope of her kids and grandchildren, the song Forever Young by Rod Stewart says it all The song sings “And may you grow to be proud, dignified, and true and do to others as you'd have done to you, be courageous and be brave, and in my heart you'll always stay forever young”
