{"id":240,"date":"2014-10-28T18:12:57","date_gmt":"2014-10-28T18:12:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/generationone.kera.org\/?p=240"},"modified":"2015-04-07T19:18:06","modified_gmt":"2015-04-07T19:18:06","slug":"in-a-land-of-strangers-paving-his-own-path","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/in-a-land-of-strangers-paving-his-own-path\/","title":{"rendered":"In A Land Of Strangers, Paving His Own Path"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Just two weeks after arriving from Africa, David Kapuku enrolled at Conrad High School in Northeast Dallas. He started school in a new country where students speak a different language. It can be overwhelming. Now, a year and a half later, David is helping other refugee kids making the transition.<br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"900\" height=\"506\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/c6KjAoGGh74?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>For David Kapuku, the first few months at school were rough.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>He wasn\u2019t just new to Dallas; he was new to the United States, arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The worst part for him and his three siblings? There weren\u2019t many people they could talk to.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We are frustrated the first day. You know?\u201d David says. \u201cBecause I knew only French, so we didn\u2019t know how to speak English.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In the Dallas Independent School District, students speak more than 60 different languages. They come from 147 different countries. Sitting in the lunchroom at Conrad High was unlike anything David had experienced.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn Africa, everybody\u2019s, like, black,\u201d David said. \u201cIt\u2019s not like being racist. When we come here, we see, like, Mexicans. We see, like, people from Honduras. Like Nepalese, American people, so like everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When his family arrived in January 2013, David began studying, but not just homework. He watched other students to see how they acted and talked. He\u2019d see teachers explain a lesson &#8212; he wondered what they were saying.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_275\" style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-275 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-1-1024x575.jpg\" alt=\"David 1\" width=\"900\" height=\"505\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-1-1024x575.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-1-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-1-800x449.jpg 800w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-1-450x253.jpg 450w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-1.jpg 1316w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 900px\" >David is embracing his new life by singing in the school choir at Conrad High. Photo\/Mark Birnbaum<\/p><\/div>\n<h6 style=\"text-align: left;\">&#8216;I was so alone&#8217;<\/h6>\n<p>What\u2019s it like being the new kid? Not that great, says David\u2019s sister, Ruth.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was so alone,\u201d said Ruth, who\u2019s 14. \u201cI was thinking to stay home, sleep and watch TV. That\u2019s better than to go to school to not spoke with anybody. But when I learn to speak little bit English, now I think I like the school.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_446\" style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-446 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-family-NEW-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-family-NEW-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-family-NEW-1024x679.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-family-NEW-800x530.jpg 800w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-family-NEW-450x298.jpg 450w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-family-NEW.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 300px\" >David Kapuku, right, with his family in Northeast Dallas. Photo\/Stella M. Ch\u00e1vez<\/p><\/div>\n<p>For many immigrant kids, those first few days, even the first year, can be daunting.<\/p>\n<p>At Conrad, an orientation for refugee helps ease the transition.<\/p>\n<p>Marnie Tao, who teaches English to immigrant students at Conrad, leads a recent session in the school library. The teens hail from Burma, Somalia, Nepal and Iraq. One girl is in a hijab, the traditional headscarf for Muslim women. Several boys sport colorful soccer jerseys.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCultural acceptance is understanding that people all around you may be very different from you, but that\u2019s OK and that\u2019s a good thing,\u201d Tao tells the students.<\/p>\n<p>Tao rattles through details that affect all students, such as school uniforms, cellphones, attendance policies and detention.<\/p>\n<p>She also talks about situations unique to immigrant and refugee students. Conrad hires interpreters for 12 different languages, including Somali, Arabic, Chin and Karen. The school counts green card appointments as excused absences.<\/p>\n<p>Some of these students attended Tasby Middle School, which is in the neighborhood. Some know English.<\/p>\n<p>But others may have never been to school in their life, Tao says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMaybe some of you guys have never been to school before Tasby, OK?&#8221; Tao tells the students. &#8220;Or they maybe only got to go to grade five before they had to leave their country.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Last year, 1,300 refugee students were enrolled in Dallas ISD. Most are learning English. Many are poor.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mt-insert\">\n<div id=\"attachment_239\" style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 1321px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-239 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-2.jpg\" alt=\"David 2\" width=\"1321\" height=\"740\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-2.jpg 1321w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-2-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-2-1024x573.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-2-800x448.jpg 800w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-2-450x252.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1321px) 100vw, 1321px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 1321px\" >In the Democratic Republic of Congo, David Kapuku would walk 30 minutes just to get to school. Today, he takes a much shorter walk on his way to Conrad High School in Northeast Dallas. Photo\/Mark Birnbaum<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><\/figure><strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"text-align: left;\">&#8216;I&#8217;ll be there to help them&#8217;<\/h6>\n<p>David, a junior, has become somewhat of a leader at Conrad. His English improved after he attended Saturday tutoring lessons. He also credits his English teacher. Now, he volunteers as a school guide for new refugee students.<strong><em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo you need to be here a little bit early to get in the front of the line,\u201d David, 18, told some of the newcomers. \u201cSo everyone need to be in the line, then we go over there and take lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_449\" style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-449 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/photo-18-NEW-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/photo-18-NEW-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/photo-18-NEW-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/photo-18-NEW-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/photo-18-NEW-450x337.jpg 450w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/photo-18-NEW.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 300px\" >David Kapuku volunteers as a guide for refugee students at Conrad High School. Photo\/Stella M. Ch\u00e1vez<\/p><\/div>\n<p>David says these students are the future. When he was in their shoes, a native of Africa who spoke French showed him around. The student told him not to worry, that it would take time to learn a new language and feel more comfortable.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s why I say I\u2019m gonna be there to help other people like refugees or people who came here, but who doesn\u2019t know how to speak English,\u201d David says. \u201cI\u2019m gonna be there like when they don\u2019t know how anything to do, even by sign or gestures. I\u2019ll be there to help them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Zeljka Ravlija came to the U.S. 15 years ago as a refugee from Bosnia. Now she coordinates the district\u2019s Refugee School Impact Grant. She says education can lead to role reversal in families. For David, that means translating for his parents.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey are sometimes taking role of interpreter for the family or for the community, taking care of some family businesses such as food stamps, doctors\u2019 appointments, banking business,&#8221; Ravlija said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"quotemark \">The United States is powerful. I believe that my country one day is going to be powerful also.<div class=\"quote-source\">David Kapuku, reflecting on the Democratic Republic of Congo<\/div><div class=\"quote-rating-\u201c3\u201d\"><\/div><\/div>\n<h6>Hoping for a better future<\/h6>\n<p>David and his family live in Vickery Meadow, an ethnically and racially diverse neighborhood in Northeast Dallas. Vickery Meadow was in the international spotlight this fall after a Liberian man staying there became the first person to be diagnosed with Ebola on American soil.<\/p>\n<p>The Kapuku family rents an apartment like they did back home. In Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the kids got up daily at 5 a.m. and walked 30 minutes to get to school. In Vickery Meadow, David is just a few minutes away and a short walk from Conrad High.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_792\" style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-792 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-51-300x168.jpg\" alt=\"David Kapuku is a student at Conrad High School in the Dallas Independent School District. Photo\/Mark Birnbaum\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-51-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-51-1024x575.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-51-800x449.jpg 800w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-51-450x253.jpg 450w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-51.jpg 1316w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 300px\" >David Kapuku is a student at Conrad High School in the Dallas Independent School District. Photo\/Mark Birnbaum<\/p><\/div>\n<p>David says his parents came to the U.S. so he and his brothers and sister could have a better future.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf we get our degree here in United States of America, it\u2019s gonna be easier for us to find a job everywhere around the world,\u201d David says. \u201cBecause, in my country, there are some people who got the degree, but they can\u2019t find job. They can\u2019t find job.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>By being in the United States, David feels he owes something to his family, and his country back in Africa.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;People are dying of hunger in my country. Life is not stable,&#8221; David says. &#8220;In my country \u2026 Yes, I was normal. But that normal is not the same thing that we are here in the United States of America. We need to be good persons so one day we can help our family; we can help everybody in my country.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The United States is powerful. I believe that my country one day is going to be powerful also.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_273\" style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-6.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-273 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-6-1024x575.jpg\" alt=\"David 6\" width=\"900\" height=\"505\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-6-1024x575.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-6-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-6-800x449.jpg 800w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-6-450x252.jpg 450w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/David-6.jpg 1317w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 900px\" >David Kapuku talks with his father, Corneille, outside their Vickery Meadow apartment. Photo\/Mark Birnbaum<\/p><\/div>\n<h6 style=\"text-align: left;\">A reminder of home<\/h6>\n<p>David\u2019s parents were pastors in Kinshasa. Here, David\u2019s dad, Corneille, works an overnight shift stocking items at Wal-Mart. His mom, Bernadette, works all day assembling products for Samsung.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_451\" style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-451 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/Davids-parents-NEW-300x231.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"231\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/Davids-parents-NEW-300x231.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/Davids-parents-NEW-1024x790.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/Davids-parents-NEW-800x617.jpg 800w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/Davids-parents-NEW-450x347.jpg 450w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/Davids-parents-NEW.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 300px\" >Corneille and Bernadette Kapuku, David&#8217;s parents. Photo\/Stella M. Ch\u00e1vez<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Everyone in the family has green cards after David\u2019s mom won the chance to become a permanent resident through the State Department\u2019s diversity visa lottery program.<\/p>\n<p>Corneille Kapuku says the long, grueling hours at work beats working in a politically unstable country. In Congo, millions have died in war \u2013 and others have died due to disease and malnutrition.<\/p>\n<p>He speaks in French. David translates.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe politics system, you know, in Africa &#8212; the president and all the staff, they are like a little bit tricky with the stuff they are doing, like bad stuff,\u201d David\u2019s dad says.<\/p>\n<p>David is adjusting to his new life. He&#8217;s learning about architecture and construction.<\/p>\n<p>He&#8217;s playing basketball. He\u2019s in a robotics club. He&#8217;s attending college prep events &#8212; he wants to become an electrical engineer.<\/p>\n<p>He also joined the school choir.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI like when the combination of those voices makes a good melody,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You feel something inside you. When you sing, it\u2019s really good.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes, they sing in Swahili. It\u2019s one of the languages spoken in his native land.<\/p>\n<p>Eight thousand miles away from Congo, the song is a reminder of home.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h6>One district, many languages<\/h6>\n<p>Kids in the Dallas Independent School District come from 147 different countries and speak more than 60 languages. Here\u2019s a sampling of some of the languages that are spoken:<br \/>\n<div class=\"one_third\"><span class=\"langBox\">Amharic<\/span><span class=\"langBox\">Bosnian<\/span><span class=\"langBox\">Burmese<\/span><span class=\"langBox\">Cambodian<\/span><span class=\"langBox\">Farsi<\/span><\/div><div class=\"one_third\"><span class=\"langBox\">German<\/span><span class=\"langBox\">Ibo<\/span><span class=\"langBox\">Korean<\/span><span class=\"langBox\">Lao<\/span><span class=\"langBox\">Malayalam<\/span><\/div><div class=\"one_third last\"><span class=\"langBox\">Nepali<\/span><span class=\"langBox\">Russian<\/span><span class=\"langBox\">Swedish<\/span><span class=\"langBox\">Swahili<\/span><span class=\"langBox\">Tagalog<\/span><\/div><div class=\"clearboth\"><\/div><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: Dallas Independent School District<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h6>Slideshow: Life in Africa<\/h6>\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\">David Kapuku grew up in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Here are some snapshots of his life in Africa.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- meta slider -->\n<div style=\"width: 100%; margin: 0 auto;\" class=\"metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-577 ml-slider nav-hidden\">\n    \n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_577\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_577\" class=\"flexslider\">\n            <ul class=\"slides\">\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-578 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/congo-picture-1-480x300.jpeg\" height=\"500\" width=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-577 slide-578\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Photos courtesy David Kapuku<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-580 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/congo-picture-2-461x288.jpg\" height=\"500\" width=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-577 slide-580\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Photos courtesy David Kapuku<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-581 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/congo-picture-3-480x300.jpeg\" height=\"500\" width=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-577 slide-581\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Photos courtesy David Kapuku<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-582 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/congo-picture-4-480x300.jpeg\" height=\"500\" width=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-577 slide-582\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Photos courtesy David Kapuku<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-583 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/congo-picture-5-480x300.jpeg\" height=\"500\" width=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-577 slide-583\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Photos courtesy David Kapuku<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n    <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n        var metaslider_577 = function($) {\n            $('#metaslider_577').flexslider({ \n                slideshowSpeed:3000,\n                animation:\"fade\",\n                controlNav:false,\n                directionNav:true,\n                pauseOnHover:true,\n                direction:\"horizontal\",\n                reverse:false,\n                animationSpeed:600,\n                prevText:\"&lt;\",\n                nextText:\"&gt;\",\n                slideshow:true\n            });\n        };\n        var timer_metaslider_577 = function() {\n            var slider = !window.jQuery ? window.setTimeout(timer_metaslider_577, 100) : !jQuery.isReady ? window.setTimeout(timer_metaslider_577, 1) : metaslider_577(window.jQuery);\n        };\n        timer_metaslider_577();\n    <\/script>\n<\/div>\n<!--\/\/ meta slider-->\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\">Africans in North Texas<\/h4>\n<div class=\"bullets tick red\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The foreign-born population from Africa has grown dramatically in recent decades. In 1970, about 80,000 Africans lived in the U.S. By 2012, it was about 1.6 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.<\/li>\n<li>Four states have an African-born population over 100,000 people. That includes New York (164,000); California (155,000); Texas (134,000); and Maryland (120,000).<\/li>\n<li>Dallas-Fort Worth is among the country\u2019s metro areas with the largest African-born populations. North Texas ranks No. 6, with 61,000 people. New York City ranks first with 212,000. Washington, D.C. has 161,000; Atlanta and Los Angeles each have 68,000. Minneapolis-St. Paul ranks fifth with 64,000.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Source: U.S. Census Bureau<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h6>Slideshow: Scenes from Vickery Meadow<\/h6>\n<p>Vickery Meadow was in the international spotlight this fall after a Liberian man staying there became the first person to be diagnosed with Ebola on American soil. It&#8217;s an immigrant-rich neighborhood in Northeast Dallas. Take a look as kids from Vickery Meadow got ready for the first day of school.<\/p>\n<!-- meta slider -->\n<div style=\"width: 100%; margin: 0 auto;\" class=\"metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-901 ml-slider nav-hidden nav-hidden\">\n    \n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_901\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_901\" class=\"flexslider\">\n            <ul class=\"slides\">\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1000 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/12\/firstday1-optimized1-800x500.jpg\" height=\"500\" width=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-901 slide-1000\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Photos\/Christina Ulsh<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-454 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/1408240015firstday-NEW-800x500.jpg\" height=\"500\" width=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-901 slide-454\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Photos\/Christina Ulsh<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-455 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/1408240014firstday-NEW-800x500.jpg\" height=\"500\" width=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-901 slide-455\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Photos\/Christina Ulsh<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-460 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/1408240009firstday-NEW1-800x500.jpg\" height=\"500\" width=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-901 slide-460\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Photos\/Christina Ulsh<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-457 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/1408240011firstday-NEW-800x500.jpg\" height=\"500\" width=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-901 slide-457\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Photos\/Christina Ulsh<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-456 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/1408240013firstday-NEW-800x500.jpg\" height=\"500\" width=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-901 slide-456\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Photos\/Christina Ulsh<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-459 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/10\/1408240008firstday-NEW-800x500.jpg\" height=\"500\" width=\"800\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-901 slide-459\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Photos\/Christina Ulsh<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n    <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n        var metaslider_901 = function($) {\n            $('#metaslider_901').flexslider({ \n                slideshowSpeed:5400,\n                animation:\"fade\",\n                controlNav:false,\n                directionNav:true,\n                pauseOnHover:true,\n                direction:\"horizontal\",\n                reverse:false,\n                animationSpeed:600,\n                prevText:\"&lt;\",\n                nextText:\"&gt;\",\n                slideshow:true\n            });\n        };\n        var timer_metaslider_901 = function() {\n            var slider = !window.jQuery ? window.setTimeout(timer_metaslider_901, 100) : !jQuery.isReady ? window.setTimeout(timer_metaslider_901, 1) : metaslider_901(window.jQuery);\n        };\n        timer_metaslider_901();\n    <\/script>\n<\/div>\n<!--\/\/ meta slider-->\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Just two weeks after arriving from Africa, David Kapuku enrolled at Conrad High School in Northeast Dallas. He started school in a new country where&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":299,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-generation-one","post_format-post-format-audio","byline-stella-m-chavez"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/240","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=240"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/240\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1250,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/240\/revisions\/1250"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/299"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=240"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=240"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/generationone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}