For 30 years, immigrants from five continents have come to Bowling Green seeking better lives for themselves and their families.
For many, the first step on the path to economic stability is public housing and low-wage labor. A lack of education and a limited grasp of English can make self-sufficiency a lofty goal.
“The current economic climate is not helping the situation,” says Mayor Elaine Walker, “so we’ve got a greater pressure on these people to try and find jobs, and more forces acting against them.”
The demand for aid often exceeds the resources.
According to Walker, the city receives no funding from state or federal sources to address the influx of international residents. The money allocated for assistance is channeled through resettlement agencies directly to the refugees.
“The federal government needs to understand that if they’re going to bring these people into the country, then they need to help take responsibility for that assimilation process,” she says.
Marty Deputy, an advocate for the city’s refugees and immigrants, has seen the progress made by groups who have had several years to establish a foothold. Natives of Bosnia and Japan are among Bowling Green’s small business owners.
“That is just the best thing I think anybody can do is have your own business and do for yourself. And a lot have,” she says.
