Storycorps: Slava and Leon Leykin

Levi comes to the U.S. for high school without knowing any English. He adapts to the culture, goes to college and finds a wife, our audio engineer Maren Del Rio, in America.

Ethel and her family visit America from Galicia and Ethel stays, against her father’s wishes. She meets a boy in English class and they fall in love and get married. Learn more about Corinne Stavish by visiting: www.stavishstorytelling.com

Tabinda immigrated from the Dominican Republic and Tariq immigrated from Pakistan. They met working in a Manhattan hotel, and despite the fact that both of them didn’t speak English well, they fell in love.

Blanca tells her story of crossing the border from Mexico to the U.S. She tells her daughter, Connie how hard she and her husband had to work to support their family.

Muhammad Faridi talks about growing up with a dad whose a taxi driver. His father, also named Mohammad, immigrated from Pakistan to the U.S. in the 1980s.

Francisco’s parents immigrated from Mexico to the U.S. when he was a little boy, just so they could get jobs and send money to their kids. Later, Francisco goes to the U.S. and when he’s in college he is an English tutor for his peers.

Song about immigrants working hard each day to put food on the table. Learn more about John McCutcheon by visiting: www.folkmusic.com

Yvonne’s grandfather, Con, sailed to America from Ireland, and then, not wanting to be interrupted mid-story, stays on the boat and goes straight back where he came from. Learn more about Yvonne Healy by visiting: www.yhealy.com

Song about all the different lullabies sung by grandmas who are from all over the world. Learn more about Dan Keding by visiting: www.dankeding.com