Crowded into the coatroom off the Walb Ballroom at IPFW, about 20 Burmese children and a few of their parents were dressing them for their stage performance. The children were chattering in English, while their parents spoke in Burmese.
It was a reminder of how far in miles and culture theses families have come from their homeland. Their courage and determination to give their children a better life in America and the steps they have taken to become productive parts of the Fort Wayne community were celebrated Saturday night at Burma Night, a gathering hosted by the Burmese Advocacy Center. Local, state and federal officials addressed the members of the Burmese community.
Pat Proctor, president of the board of the BAC, paraphrased the poet William Butler Yeats in his remarks to the gathering.
"I am old and you are young. So we speak a different tongue." Proctor said.
Proctor praised the audience, "It is no small thing to leave your homeland and come to a new country where you are likely to be treated differently, as a second-class citizen," Proctor said. Proctor reminded the Burmese children of the sacrifices their parents made to come here so they could have a better future. Proctor thanked the community and all the organizations here that have worked with the BAC and their clients.
The BAC was first started in 2007 and in 2008 received its 501c3 not for profit organization status. Minn Myint Nan Tin, BAC executive director, said in the last six years their case management program has helped 547 refuges to get a job. Their goal is to make sure every family in the community has a stable income to support their family on their own. They are currently working with 30 employers in the community. In addition there are 30 small businesses that have been started within the Burmese community.
Mayor Henry thanked the Burmese for coming to Fort Wayne and choosing to make it their home. Fort Wayne still has one of the largest resettlement populations of Burmese in the country, with nearly 6,000 Burmese who were resettled here or who came through secondary migration. Henry said the community could not have supported the new members without all the service organization that helped, as well as state and federal agencies. Henry said the next challenge he has for the city's new population is to spread out through the community so more of Fort Wayne's population can get to know them.
"There is a house for sale across the street from me; if you are interested I can connect you to a Realtor," Henry said with a broad smile.
As reported in October 2013 by The News-Sentinel, Tom Herr, president of the Fort Wayne Sister Cities, told the gathering they would be seeking a sister city in Myanmar. Herr said this fall they would be traveling to Myanmar to find the location. Since 1956 the Sister Cities organization seeks to spread peace and cultural understanding through citizen diplomacy. Should the group be successful this will be the fifth sister city for Fort Wayne, following the sister cities in Japan, Germany, Poland and China.
Matt Schomburg, state refugee coordinator, United Nations and U.S., praised Fort Wayne for its resettlement program saying it is a model for how it should be done.
http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/bac-celebrates-achivements-with-burma-night/
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