SUITCASE STORIES®

Suitcase Stories® features foreign- and US-born residents sharing powerful and inspiring stories of refugee and immigrant life. The series provides a way to dig beneath the headlines, exposing audiences to the complexity of migration. 

STORYTELLERS

  • Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne unpacks her journey of belonging
  • Shweta Bhatt navigates what it means to be Indian-American
  • Gak Kon seeks connection as a Sudanese refugee after resettlement
  • Ishtar Pady shares how her migration from Haiti brings loss and hope
  • Antonio Sacre explores memories as the son of a Cuban father and Irish-American mother
  • Andrew Shellfo faces unexpected anti-immigrant bias in Western MA
  • Aida Zilelian searches for identity as an Armenian-American

Presented in collaboration withStellar Story Company and the International Institute of New England(IINE), where the program originated in 2017. Suitcase Stories® is a registered trademark of IINE. 

Stellar Story Company helps people and institutions deliver extraordinary stories and unforgettable events that lead to meaningful change.With sites in Greater Boston and Lowell, MA, and Manchester, NH, IINE creates opportunities for refugees and immigrants to succeed through resettlement, education, career advancement, and pathways to citizenship. To make a donation or learn about volunteer opportunities and programs, visit iine.org. 

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(c) Jill Goldman 

(c) Jill Goldman 

A circular image of a person with short black curly hair wearing a pattered set of a yellow shirt and matching pants. They are smiling while looking at the ground and holding their hands in the air.
A circular image of a person in a gray suit. They are standing in front of a microphone and smiling.
A circular image of a person standing in front of a microphone. They have medium length, straight, light brown hair and are wearing a white blouse and black pants.
Biography: