Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship, on assignment for the Winooski News
WINOOSKI — The second Trump administration’s blitz to deport immigrants has stirred unease among Winooski’s immigrant and refugee families and their children.
More than 55,000 immigrants were in Immigrations and Customs Enforcement detention as of mid-June, according to researchers at Syracuse University, the majority of whom had not been convicted of a crime.
“Most of our students have immigration backgrounds … and it has not been easy,” said Stevya Mukuzo, an outreach counselor and educator at Winooski High School. “Students have expressed how frustrating it is, situations like people going to people’s doors, stopping people in the street. They talk about the fear that they have, and it’s scary.”
Winooski students may feel less comfortable expressing those fears in school because the majority of their teachers don’t understand the immigrant experience, according to Superintendent Wilmer Chavarria.
“There are many things that are too difficult to explain to people who have not experienced the world in your shoes,” said Chavarria, who himself grew up in a refugee camp in Nicaragua. “The presence of people that come from the same communities as our students adds a significant amount of value to our work but also makes it more likely that our students will feel like they belong.”
As a result, students from families who immigrated to the U.S. are working with staff — some of whom are immigrants themselves — to create outlets where they feel represented and can find shared experiences.
One such outlet — the student-made Unheard Stories Project — started in 2022. The project was designed for students to teach their peers, and the greater Winooski community, about their cultures. Recently, that entailed students producing a booklet of poems, performing dance numbers, putting together videos and pursuing other creative outlets. The goal — and result — has been newfound camaraderie.
“When one student shares something they’re like, ‘Oh, you’re also experiencing this. I’m not the only one,’” explained Mukuzo. “It gives them the confidence to continue to fight, to continue to be resilient, to continue to not give up, because this is not a one-person battle.”
There are no guidelines, and students are encouraged to be creative and show off what makes them unique.
“The texture of their hair, their flags. One of them shared a video of life in Tanzania. One girl would say something in Swahili and have the audience repeat it and teach them. The students are really proud of who they are,” Mukuzo said.
The Unheard Stories project was awarded the Outstanding Service Award by Kidsafe Collaborative — a nonprofit dedicated to preventing child neglect and abuse — back in April. Students and local leaders hope these creations can continue to bridge any disconnect between the school district and immigrant families.
“Giving students that platform to express their struggles and lens is a very powerful tool,” said Ruth Steinmetz, ambassador for the city’s Inclusion and Belonging Commission. “There needs to be more understanding from teachers who are not fully versed in the realities of being a New American student, as well as understanding their concerns, culture and expectations.”
And as the Unheard Stories project helps build a stronger-knit community, some students and staff hope Winooski can be a model for what more diverse representation can look like.
“We have an opportunity to show the rest of the state, or even the world, how a community can be diverse and welcoming,” Steinmetz said. “I’m really proud of my daughter, and the kids at school. They give us a sense of hope and possibility. When you look at these kids and the light that they hold, it makes you want to do better. The future is theirs, and we can do better for them.”