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Test anxiety is worth it for new U.S. citizens By Eun Kyung Kim ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH 07/02/2006

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Leaders in ethnic communities here get training in mediation skills By Eun Kyung Kim ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH 01/24/2006

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According to the St. Louis American newspaper, the leadership of Metaferia is “AMAAM ‘S offices have become an international way station for the city’s population of African refugees who seek neighborhood associations to ease their transition to life in St. Louis and as American citizen.”

Gedlu B. Metaferia Executive Director

The Importance Of Exercising
Our Rights To Vote

As naturalized citizens and legal immigrants we must take the power voting seriously. We cannot afford to take the responsibility lightly because almost all of us came from countries that deny the right of their citizens to vote.

We also appreciate the great works that is being done by the International Institute of
St. Louis in educating New American Voters through its voter initiative program. There are many foreign born persons who take voting very seriously. Naturalized Africans are no exceptions. According to the ”Spirit of Democracy Symposium on Diversity” sponsored by National Coalitions on Black Civic Participation on May 8, 2003 between 1970-2000 , the share of black immigrants in the US grew from 1.3% to 8.7% among whom 2/3rd arrived after 1980 with a total population of 5 million including the Carrebians.

Diversity is the strength of this nation of immigrants. The respect for individual rights and human rights is expressed in the Constitution and Bill of Rights. That is what makes America a unique experimental nation within a short period of time. Various amendments in the constitution and improvements in civil rights have achieved their goals through peaceful petition, voting
and participation. Still there is more to be done. People have paid their precious lives in defending the nation and in achieving democracy in civil rights. As democracy is a process America is great because of the vigilance of its people to make lives better in the nation.

Citizens also should be aware of the great sacrifices by immigrants in the nation. According to credible estimates there are about 37,000 legal immigrants (permanent residents ) serving in the US military. Some have been given citizenship posthumously after their sacrifice. In the immigration debate, we have to acknowledge the contribution of immigrants also.
 

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"Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible."

"For Africa to me … is more than a glamorous fact. It is a historical truth. No man can know where he is going unless he knows exactly where he has been and exactly how he arrived at his present place."

--Maya Angelou