By: Michael

Michael
Mon, 08 Apr 2019 23:06:45 +0000

Very thorough and well-written article! Although I did want to say a few things regarding HAY’s mission. While they are doing an excellent job, keep in mind that Columbus’s low-income Asian immigrant population consists of MORE than just Cambodians.

Columbus has one of the largest number of Lhothshampa (ethnic Nepalese from Bhutan) refugees in the U.S., and many of these refugees are often first in their families to receive schooling. Columbus also has had a growing number of Burmese Christian refugees, and like the Lhotshampa, they are often resettled in the Hilltop, North Linden, Clintonville, and along Morse Road in the Northland neighborhood(s).

Furthermore, Vietnamese, Hmong, and Laotian refugees have also been in Columbus since the 1970s (after the end of the Vietnam War ended), and a lot of them often struggle in school due to similar reasons.

It’s not just Asian refugees either. Since the late 1980s, Columbus has experienced an influx in Filipino, Indonesian, Pakistani, Chinese, Indian, Nepali, and Bangladeshi immigrants. Many of them are low-income and in the blue collar sector, and often can only afford to live in lower-end neighborhoods of Columbus.

HAY could be merged into a larger organization, which seeks to not only help educate low-income/first-generation Asian immigrant families, but also helps to clean up neighborhoods and work with law enforcement. Such a large organization will benefit ALL Columbus residents, regardless of country of origin or background.