Storyteller Series - #60 Story Tiles 1-6

... continuing our virtual tour....

These are the top "My Story" tiles starting from the eastern end of The Community Bench.  I re-typed the wording because I had to use a wider lens view to show placement which makes the detail harder to see.

From top to bottom, left to right:
Multi-Cultural - tile 1

My Story - tile 2
I grew up in southern Sudan being educated
in Arabic, but my native language is Nuer.
When civil war broke out, we fled to Ethiopia
and spent 10 years in a refugee camp.  But
Ethiopia?s own civil war began and we fled
again to Kenya and another refugee camp.
After passing the UNHCR interview and
medical exam in 1994, my wife, daughter
and I arrived in Nashville, Tennessee.  3
more children were born and we came to
San Diego in 1997.  I received computer
training and from 2001 have been a student
at San Diego City College.  Now I?m working
on a Bachelor?s degree.  I now consider this
my country and will not return to Africa.
Rosa Parks is a very nice school and they
love us.

My Story - tile 3
When I was eleven my mother died
so my dad took care of my siblings and
me.  That same year, God took our
father.  My eldest brother cared for us
but treated us badly.  We needed to work
so we could study and buy school
supplies.
My parents were hard workers,
picking beans, corn coffee and fruit.
They were once famous because they
were the first to have electricity in our
small town and donated an electricity
plant to the town.  This is a marvelous
memory.
I remember celebrating Holy Week,
The Day of the Dead and I continue to
follow the tradition.

My Story - tile 4
I came to San Diego 14 years ago and have
been living in the City Heights
neighborhood for many years.  My 3
children were born here.  All my ancestors
came from Mexico.  I graduated as an
Executive Secretary and am an efficient,
creative, organized, friendly and
enthusiastic person.

My Story - tile 5
I come from Tijuana and have been in the
U.S. since 1993.  I volunteer at Rosa Parks
so I can motivate and help my children with
school.  My husband works to support us.  I
want to continue to work for a better future.
If I had to return to my country, I feel it
would be too hard.  I believe the United
States is a country of opportunity.

My Story - tile 6
I was born in San Diego and grew up in City
Heights.  My parents were from Mexico and
taught us to value work, family, giving to the
church and community.  On Saturdays my
father took us to mow lawns to understand
if we didn?t take the opportunity to go to
school, that was what we would do.  The
neighborhood began to change and there
were gang stabbings, shootings, drugs.  I
was afraid to come home late at night after
studying but I knew college would help me
escape this kind of world.  I participated in
the San Diego Revitalization Corporation?s
efforts to help clean up this neighborhood.
I?ve returned to raise my family here
because there is real promise things will be
better for our children.

The designing artist In Today's Views is Sayoko Kay Mura