Madison is full of immigrants, enhancing our culturally-diverse population and establishing their own connections and communities here. But what’s it like being from continents away — and landing here? Four Madison immigrants share their journeys to the capital city, and why they’ve chosen to stay.
Immigration policy is a complicated topic — and those who work in the arena will tell you as much. People immigrate to the U.S. for a variety of reasons — family, work, education opportunities or fleeing an unstable situation in their country.
Being in Madison has offered ample opportunity for the immigrant women we talked to — but it hasn’t been without challenges. Says Linda Vakunta, deputy mayor of Madison: “I realized I had to educate others about my culture whether I wanted to or not.”
By Shayna Mace, Katy Macek and Jessica Steinhoff | Photography by Hillary Schave, shot on location at Ellsworth Block
LINDA VAKUNTA: Leading Multicultural Madison
It’s time Madison started viewing itself as a multicultural city. So says deputy mayor and Cameroonian-born immigrant Linda Vakunta.
FABIOLA HAMDAN: Creating Connections
Hamdan’s story began in La Paz, Bolivia, where she lived with her parents, brother and sister. In the ’80s, Hamdan’s mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor, which brought part of her family to Madison so her mother could be treated at UW Hospital. (A family acquaintance knew someone who worked there, and they recommended she be seen there.) Although Hamdan was planning to stay back in La Paz with her father to attend college, the pair ended up in Madison as well to assist her mother after her brain surgery.
ANKITA BHARADWAJ: Finding Her Voice
At just 34 years old, Ankita Bharadwaj has already racked up plenty of life experience. She has three law degrees — two from India and one from UW–Madison — is fluent in three languages and has worked as a lawyer, activist and university employee.
SEHADE CARTER: The Economy of Empathy
Growing up in an Albanian Muslim immigrant family, Sehade Carter found middle school especially hard. Her classmates made fun of her name so often that she started going by Sarah.
IMMIGRATION ORGANIZATIONS
By Olivia Mizelle
These Madison-area groups assist immigrants and refugees through a variety of services.
Centro Hispano
Centro Hispano provides consultation and assistance with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services applications. micentro.org
Dane County Immigration Affairs
Bilingual social case workers at the Immigration Affairs Office of the Dane County Department of Human Services provide a variety of services to immigrants and refugees including navigating the immigration system case management. danecountyhumanservices.org/children-youth-and-family/immigration-affairs
Jewish Social Services
In addition to Jewish spiritual care and family resources, JSS helps refugees and immigrants of all faiths and ethnicities resettle in Wisconsin. jssmadison.org
Latino Chamber of Commerce
For Latino business owners, LCC is here to help. They work to promote the interests of Madison’s Latino and non-Latino business community, as well as connect the Latino community with each other and the greater Madison area. lccmadison.org
Leading Change Africa
This organization helps young African immigrants get a quality education in the U.S., and preps them for college and leadership opportunities in the future. leadingchange-africa.org
Madison International Partners
Global citizens in Madison can find familiarity through Madison International Partners programs. From international cooking and dinners to conversations with native English speakers, MIP says their goal is to “provide a home away from home” for international visitors and residents of Madison. internationalmadison.org
Open Doors for Refugees
Open Doors volunteers provide housing options, transportation, translation services, employment and more for refugees arriving in Madison. opendoorsforrefugees.org
Wisconsin ESL Institute
WESLI has been teaching English in Madison for decades. They provide various course pathways, including Business English and the University Pathway, along with housing and accommodation options. wesli.com
