Almost 10 years ago, Jahaida, a 31-year-old immigrant from the Dominican Republic, immigrated to the United States. This is her story, in her own words. “I don’t think I am your typical immigrant. I actually came here because of a boyfriend. We met in the Dominican Republic, moved first to Spain together, and then came to New York because we thought we’d have more opportunities here. “Later we broke up, but I stayed. In almost 10 years of living...
Written by Jahaida Hernández Jesurum It’s challenging to talk about Zahra Noorbakhsh without bringing up religion. So much of the California-born Iranian-American’s work focuses on the fact that she is Muslim — but perhaps not in the way you might expect: through comedy. Noorbakhsh, a comedian, full-time actress, writer, and host of the podcast #GoodMuslimBadMuslim, loves making people laugh in unexpected ways. In her second one-woman comedy show, Hijab and Hammerpants, which debuted in 2015, Noorbakhsh explored the conflicting...
Written by Lilly Maier Jahaida Hernández Jesurum left her hometown, Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, in her early twenties. After a short detour in Spain, she immigrated to New York in 2007, becoming part of the largest foreign-born group in the city. Dominicans make up 12 percent of all immigrant New Yorkers, relegating Mexicans (the country’s biggest immigrant group) to third place, according to an official report by the city. After years of working odd jobs and...
Written by Edil Cuepo Every year, the Fourth of July takes me back to the time I got my green card. For immigrants like me, becoming a permanent resident in the US is a major life event. It is as significant as getting engaged and married or having a baby. I get emotional when I look back on all the challenges I had to overcome in pursuit of permanent residency. A green card meant freedom in the US. America...