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Who's a 'New American'? Unpacking the phrase and its use in Vermont

People wave American flags as they gather on the National Mall for the inauguration ceremony Monday.
Joe Raedle
/
Getty Images
What role do words play in immigration advocacy work?

The term 鈥淣ew Americans鈥� is often used to refer to recent arrivals to Vermont and other states: immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers and more. Some say it's helpful to be able to unite diverse communities under one term. Others question the phrase, wondering if "New American" is really as inclusive as it sounds.

This hour, we'll look at the umbrella term 鈥淣ew Americans鈥� and explore how it resonates with the people it's meant to include.

Our guests are:

  • Ali Dieng, Burlington Ward 7 city councilor and secretary of the , a coalition of self-described New Americans striving to increase civic engagement and expand opportunities for their communities in Vermont
  • Rich Andr茅, Senior Policy Advisor, State and Local Initiatives,
  • Amila Merdzanovic, director of the

This show featured excerpts of an interview with Tyeastia Green, the former director of Racial Equity, Inclusion and Belonging for the City of Burlington. That interview was from an August episode of Brave Little State which asked, why do people leave Vermont?

Broadcast live on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022 at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or tweet us .

Mikaela Lefrak is the host and senior producer of Vermont Edition. Her stories have aired nationally on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, Marketplace, The World and Here & Now. A seasoned local reporter, Mikaela has won two regional Edward R. Murrow awards and a Public Media Journalists Association award for her work.
Matt Smith worked for 开云体育 from 2017 to 2023 as managing editor and senior producer of Vermont Edition.