Immigrant neighbors
What immigrant neighbors carry, what they've left behind, and what they wish you'd just ask.
Questions people ask
- Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day: which is it? Both fall on the second Monday in October. 2 min read
- Is “Arab” the same as “Muslim”? No. Arab describes a people who share a language and culture. 2 min read
- Is Día de los Muertos “Mexican Halloween”? No. Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is a time to remember and welcome back loved ones who have died. 2 min read
- Is it OK to ask how to pronounce someone’s name? Yes. Always. 3 min read
- What does ‘first generation’ mean? It depends on who’s using it. In the most common American sense, ‘first generation’ means the first in a family to be born here, the child of immigrants. 3 min read
- What is Lunar New Year? Lunar New Year is the new year celebration based on the lunar (moon) calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar most of the world uses. 3 min read
- Why do some immigrants keep their language? Because it’s who they are. Language isn’t just communication, it’s how you tell your grandmother you love her, how you pray, how you think when you’re exhausted, how you make a joke that actually lands. 3 min read
- Why do some people take their shoes off at home? Practical, respectful, and in some cases sacred, usually all three at once. 3 min read