of approximately 61 thousand residents in Utica New York nearly 11,000 are
in Utica New York nearly 11,000 are
in Utica New York nearly 11,000 are immigrants and refugees and 450 or more
immigrants and refugees and 450 or more
immigrants and refugees and 450 or more arrive here each year
arrive here each year
arrive here each year Utica was a manufacturing home in the
Utica was a manufacturing home in the
Utica was a manufacturing home in the 1970s and 1980s some of our factories
1970s and 1980s some of our factories
1970s and 1980s some of our factories began to leave and our population began
began to leave and our population began
began to leave and our population began to a decline but then later in the 1980s
to a decline but then later in the 1980s
to a decline but then later in the 1980s in came the refugees they began to buy
in came the refugees they began to buy
in came the refugees they began to buy houses the driver on East Utica you’ll
houses the driver on East Utica you’ll
houses the driver on East Utica you’ll see many businesses run by some of the
see many businesses run by some of the
see many businesses run by some of the refugees from other countries and would
refugees from other countries and would
refugees from other countries and would you say that they have revived the
you say that they have revived the
you say that they have revived the economy I think it’s been a godsend
are you what’s your name Chris do you
are you what’s your name Chris do you run this place yeah
run this place yeah
run this place yeah collectively Chris Sunderland helps to
collectively Chris Sunderland helps to
collectively Chris Sunderland helps to run the Midtown Utica community center
run the Midtown Utica community center
run the Midtown Utica community center and this place is a bit of a hangout it
and this place is a bit of a hangout it
and this place is a bit of a hangout it just looks like a bag of fun it is also
just looks like a bag of fun it is also
just looks like a bag of fun it is also a place for anyone to come and dance and
a place for anyone to come and dance and
a place for anyone to come and dance and play and learn they provide food
play and learn they provide food
play and learn they provide food assistance programs and more where are
assistance programs and more where are
assistance programs and more where are you from that must’ve been a very hard
you from that must’ve been a very hard
you from that must’ve been a very hard decision for them when they left Kenny
decision for them when they left Kenny
decision for them when they left Kenny has come to America
has come to America
has come to America dude that was right for family yeah with
dude that was right for family yeah with
dude that was right for family yeah with the afternoon vibe of this place in full
the afternoon vibe of this place in full
the afternoon vibe of this place in full swing Chris and I took a moment to chat
swing Chris and I took a moment to chat
swing Chris and I took a moment to chat all the people in Utica who are
all the people in Utica who are
all the people in Utica who are uncomfortable with the levels of
uncomfortable with the levels of
uncomfortable with the levels of refugees wonderful older woman who owned
refugees wonderful older woman who owned
refugees wonderful older woman who owned the house she asked me one day why there
the house she asked me one day why there
the house she asked me one day why there were so many Asians moving onto the
were so many Asians moving onto the
were so many Asians moving onto the street I I said I don’t know but they’re
street I I said I don’t know but they’re
street I I said I don’t know but they’re cleaning up the block so and it’s that
cleaning up the block so and it’s that
cleaning up the block so and it’s that true oh yeah absolutely if I took up I
true oh yeah absolutely if I took up I
true oh yeah absolutely if I took up I should have taken pictures six years ago
should have taken pictures six years ago
should have taken pictures six years ago and this street has quite a high
and this street has quite a high
and this street has quite a high concentration of refugees right yes and
concentration of refugees right yes and
concentration of refugees right yes and it’s all come full circle there’s a
it’s all come full circle there’s a
it’s all come full circle there’s a health clinic there there’s three
health clinic there there’s three
health clinic there there’s three different grocery stores so this area is
different grocery stores so this area is
different grocery stores so this area is game getting better yeah
there’s a lot more that the United
there’s a lot more that the United States and the rest of the international
States and the rest of the international
States and the rest of the international community can do to more effectively
community can do to more effectively
community can do to more effectively address the global refugee crisis we
address the global refugee crisis we
address the global refugee crisis we have to protect the rights of refugees
have to protect the rights of refugees
have to protect the rights of refugees to flee their country and when they get
to flee their country and when they get
to flee their country and when they get to a neighboring country refugees need
to a neighboring country refugees need
to a neighboring country refugees need to be able to access education and they
to be able to access education and they
to be able to access education and they need to be able to work if they can’t do
need to be able to work if they can’t do
need to be able to work if they can’t do those things they’re not going to be
those things they’re not going to be
those things they’re not going to be able to stay there they’re not going to
able to stay there they’re not going to
able to stay there they’re not going to be able to support their families
be able to support their families
be able to support their families they’re going to be a constant risk of
they’re going to be a constant risk of
they’re going to be a constant risk of being returned back to face danger and
being returned back to face danger and
being returned back to face danger and harm most of us come from immigrant
harm most of us come from immigrant
harm most of us come from immigrant families my grandmother and grandfather
families my grandmother and grandfather
families my grandmother and grandfather came from Italy in the 1890s they were
came from Italy in the 1890s they were
came from Italy in the 1890s they were welcomed here Who am I not to welcome
welcomed here Who am I not to welcome
welcomed here Who am I not to welcome refugees
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