Stories

  • Dancing to Umoja: The Black Beanz connect Akron to East African culture

    By Jala Forest “My name is Yoshua,” he said eagerly. He used his fingers to count as he proceeded to introduce me to his seven friends: “Chomba, Kamana, Martin, Samweli, Mmunga, Malanga, and Justly.”  He called the rest of the bunch from their hotel pool to the table to personally introduce themselves.  All of the…


  • Chasing the dream: Afghans pursue cricket in Akron

    By Jacob Hansen At 16 years old, Homayoon Ahmadzai had to make a difficult decision between trying to play for Afghanistan’s national team or moving to the United States. “It was tough to leave our country but you know at that time we haven’t had much education there. So it was like, good and bad,”…

    Chasing the dream: Afghans pursue cricket in Akron

  • Growing Together: the story of ballfields converted for agriculture

    By Alexandra Golden When you drive into Akron Cooperative Farms, an old concession stand converted into a storage facility for seeds and supplies greets you. “Growing Together” can be read on the facility in big green letters. To the left and right are old t-ball fields turned into plots of land for farming and hoop…

    Growing Together: the story of ballfields converted for agriculture

  • The Himalayan Arts, Language and Cultural Academy puts the fun in fundraiser

    By Brianna Phillips The Himalayan Arts, Language and Culture Academy officially opened in 2016. Its founder, Puspa Gajmer, a refugee from Bhutan, has been in the United States for roughly 13 years. Due to the Bhutan government targeting Lhotshampas, Nepali-speaking Hindus, they were forced out of their homes and country. Many were either homeless or…


  • The greatest climb: from Nepal to Akron 

    By Nathalia Teixeira Sagarmatha means Mount Everest in Nepali. Mez Baniya, a refugee from Nepal and the owner of Sagarmatha Grocery and Clothing Store, gave his store this name so it would grow as large as the tallest mountain on Earth.  His passion while selling food from different cultures and Nepali dresses makes the store…


  • Immigrants, refugees are part of North Hill’s past, present

    By Kaitlyn Finchler As a city established in 1825, Akron’s earliest residents were Irish and German immigrants. Fast forward to the 1860s reconstruction era, immigrants made up 14% of Ohio’s population. Twenty years later, immigrants came from countries such as Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Italy. Akron was a hot commodity for immigrants because the city…

    Immigrants, refugees are part of North Hill’s past, present

  • How four grocery stores serve their communities

    By Kaitlyn Murray Sagarmatha Grocery and Clothing, 787 North Main Street  Walking down Main Street in North Hill, you will pass at least four grocery stores. They sell different foods from all over the world, giving the many refugees that relocated there a little taste of home. As I walked into Sagarmatha Grocery and Clothing…


  • “Royal Palace” origins and the story of entrepreneurs who opened doors for their community

    By Mason Jones Within North Hill, there are several grocery stores and restaurants owned and operated by immigrants and refugees, such as the Royal Palace located on East Tallmadge Avenue in Akron. Before it was the Royal Palace, it was called the Italian Center, until the building was bought out by Nepali immigrants Janga Baraily…


  • Settling into religious freedom

    By Gabby Jonas With a silk scarf, I covered my hair as I walked into the Islamic Society of Akron and Kent. I have never done this before and struggled as I used bobby pins and three hair ties to keep my hair in place. Removing my shoes as I walked in, I sat in…

    Settling into religious freedom

  • North Hill library acts as hub of services for those new to U.S.

    By Jenna Bal When Maurice moved from Mexico to the North Hill area of Akron about one year ago, he felt like he was starting a new life.  “It’s all different,” Maurice said, “country, language. It’s another life completely.”  Maurice, referred to only by his first name for privacy, moved to North Hill when his…

    North Hill library acts as hub of services for those new to U.S.