The Impact of Knoxville Internationals Network - KIN - KIN - CONNECT

Watching From Afar

2/2/2022

2022 n01
With over 1 million people of Ukrainian descent (reference) and an estimated 344,000 current Ukrainian immigrants (reference) in the United States, it’s not surprising that we have Ukrainian friends and neighbors here in metro Knoxville. KIN reached out to two Ukrainian-American women to see how things were going for them. Both have been in the United States for close to a decade, and both are married to men of Ukrainian descent as well. We withheld their identity for privacy and security reasons. Their answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Giving Good Words

10/11/2021

2021 n07
Nate* could have chosen any city when he immigrated to the USA, but he chose Knoxville. He had friends, he says, who were “giving me good words about Knoxville.” They said his children would have a good future if he moved here, and the cost of living was reasonable.

Three years later, Nate is “giving good words” about Knoxville himself! He wants to buy a house and see his children grow into adulthood here.

But getting to Knoxville wasn’t easy.

The Encourager Professor

4/21/2020

2020 n07
With over 300 active volunteers, KIN representatives serve the international population of metro Knoxville in many ways. Only a few of those have changed since we began facing COVID-19. For example, while it may look a little different, one-on-one conversation and pronunciation practice continues. For example, Diane* began volunteering with KIN last fall.

One Chinese Story

3/24/2020

2020 n06
Mei* walked onto American soil two and a half years ago, the bride of a life-long Knoxville resident. She came from China. Here’s an interview with her, edited for length.

1. Briefly explain why you immigrated.
I met my now-husband on the internet. After a few months, we fell in love. He quit his job and moved to China to be with me. Occasionally, we had a hard time understanding each other due to the language barrier, but our relationship grew fast as we shared everyday life together.

Hats, Scarves, and Gloves…oh, my!

12/3/2019

cold weather sets wrapped and ready to go

2019 n25
The calls went out within an hour of hearing the plan. Here at KIN, we love ELL (English Language Learner) teachers, and ELL teachers love their students.

At one local high school, the ELL teachers wanted to make sure every student had a Christmas gift. For some students, it’s their first Christmas in the US…and their first Christmas in the cold.

Of Holidays, Gravy, and Refugee Camps

11/20/2019

2019 n23
If you grew up in the United States, the story isn’t new for you. You know about the Pilgrims’ struggle to survive when they first arrived in the new land, about the Native Americans’ generosity and patience, and about that first Thanksgiving feast to celebrate a plentiful harvest.

But Thanksgiving is an exclusively American holiday, so for ten African adult English students meeting at a nearby middle school, everything about it is new—even the mashed potatoes.

What'cha Gonna Do?

10/22/2019

2019 n22
There’s English, and then there’s southern American. The ESL workbooks don’t teach southern American, which means the books don’t provide a few of the words our internationals need to understand their Knoxville neighbors.

One recent ESL class talked about contractions. The instructor handed out a list of common contractions, and the class reverse-engineered them to discover the full phrases behind each one.

Because Teeth Are Important

8/5/2019

2019 n14
Going to the dentist is nothing new for Omar. He used to go every year in his home country, but after his father was kidnapped and the family fled, it wasn’t so easy to get proper dental care. Since he and his family arrived in Knoxville a few years ago, they haven’t had insurance or reliable transportation for dental appointments, so he didn't go.

That fact changed in the summer of 2019.

Starting Over AGAIN

6/17/2019

Vincent with his family, at the mall shortly after they arrived

2019 n12
In primary school, Vincent Ndahayo had to draw the African continent, placing all the countries with their capitals and naming the president of each. This knowledge served him well in 1994 when, at the age of 24, Vincent faced the difficult decision to leave his home and country or be killed because of his ethnicity.

Backpack Blessings

1/21/2019

2019 n02
Remember the excitement of the first day of school? Remember how proudly you shouldered your new backpack and marched into school?

International children now have the same feeling after they visit the Knox County Schools Welcome Center, where new families enroll their children in school throughout the year. Every child receives a well-stocked backpack, readying them for that first day in their new schools.

In 2018, KIN collected 100 backpacks for the Welcome Center. Ms. Sharon Cate, the director, described the impact this way:

"When new students arrive to our district, they come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. As they prepare for school in a new environment, there are many new experiences they encounter, one of which is being screened for ESL services. They do this by completing an online language screener. As you can imagine, this is sometimes stressful for new students.

"Just one example of how the backpacks have helped our students is demonstrated by a young student who broke into tears upon learning that she needed to complete an on-line English screener. To calm her down, we stepped away from the screening area and invited her to pick out a backpack filled with school supplies. She was so happy to have the materials she needed for school and a new backpack. She came back ready to complete her screener and go to school.

"The gifts of your time, money, and materials make a difference. The backpacks and school supplies are a tangible way of showing our new students and their families that they are indeed welcome in Knox County. Thank you so much for your support."

Replacing Ronaldo's Hope

12/3/2018

2018 n03
A bomb robbed young Ronaldo of much of his hearing. Then an international move robbed him and his family of their home and everything familiar. It’s no surprise Ronaldo struggled in school after they reached Knoxville. He couldn’t hear well, and what he heard wasn’t always understandable. He couldn’t sit still in class. He couldn’t finish his homework, and he resisted discipline at school. Ronaldo was frustrated. His parents were desperate.

About

Why KIN?
Our Team
KIN's History
Statement of Faith
Numbers & Need
KIN in the News

Contact KIN

865.235.1476
admin@kin-connect.org

Mailing
PO Box 31052
Knoxville, TN 37930

Office
6300 Deane Hill Drive
Knoxville, TN 37919

Photos used under Creative Commons from shixart1985, shixart1985