- Immigrants Among Us: Why they come to America
- Video: Conversations about becoming and being an immigrant in New Hampshire
- Liliya Mayevsky: Her parents brought her to the U.S. to live in a country free of persecution
- Sebastian Fuentes: ‘The dream of coming to America is definitely a hard one that few people can achieve’
- Glory Wabe: Proudest of her contributions to nursing in New Hampshire
- Geshe Gendun Gyatso-Konchuck: ‘People should see a wider perspective of other countries and other people’
- Ekoue Abroussa: ‘The people who are giving education, they are the best people in New Hampshire’
- Ali Sekou: ‘If you want to change things then be the ambassador of that change’
- Snizhana Riabko: ‘We are very happy that we have been welcomed like this’
- Maria Elena Letona: ‘I’m actually very scared for the United States as a country’
- Caroline Oguda: A lot of immigrants come because they are forced by circumstances
- Kateryna Nazaroya: ‘We are very thankful for everything’
- Sarah Walker: ‘We are good people’
Country of origin: UGANDA
Now living in Nashua
Sarah Walker came to America in 1999, leaving family, a good career, and property behind in her home country because political conditions made her fear for her life.
“I came by myself. I had a job prior to coming to the U.S. I had a very good job, but due to political issues back home, I ended up coming here because I was scared for my life,” says Walker, who worked in the broadcasting industry in Uganda.
She never intended to leave her homeland but circumstances made that impossible to stay. “I didn’t know really what was going to be my path, but I knew that America is a land of the free and there’s some opportunity in your country, so to me, I knew maybe I should come for shelter.”
Her path to citizenship took until 2014 when she became a naturalized citizen. “That process was grueling, I had to ‘wait in line’ [over the course of 15 years]. That’s the truth. I had to wait because when I came in, I came in 1999. I knew nothing about immigration,” she said. Getting out of Uganda was one thing; staying in the U.S. was going to be a longer journey than she expected. “I thought maybe as soon as I entered, I’m safe,” but along the way, she faced many obstacles that could have sent her back to Uganda at any turn..
She is a Certified Nursing Assistant and works as a home health aide. A mother of three, she resides with her sister and mother in her home in Nashua. She is proud of her kids’ Air Force and Navy careers and she feels that this service is a small repayment for all the U.S. has provided her family.
She is in a good position now but her experience has been a mixed bag of challenge and success. She says she has encountered racism but does not dwell on that, preferring to focus on her positive experiences.
She did make an oblique and humorous reference to race when she said, “When I travel back to Uganda to visit now, I can brag to my friends that when I go to the department store in America I get my very own personal security guard!”
Her message to New Hampshire’s people is:
“What I would love people to know in New Hampshire is that we are good people, we are human as you are, and we are good neighbors.”