"I have always felt that immigrants’ stories are the story of our nation. Leaving home, family, culture, and country and then facing the unknown in hopes of a better life is a heroic act. These quest stories reveal our shared history and our humanity and they define us as a nation," writes Walter Gallacher.

Inspired by National Public Radio's Story Corps Project [1], Walter Gallacher took it upon himself to record the unique stories and lives of some of his fellow community members in the Roaring Fork Valley of western Colorado. While the backgrounds of his subjects are as diverse as the trials and triumphs that have filled their lives, each of the storytellers' accounts revisit a familiar theme--the journey of immigration to the United States.

Walter Gallacher began recording

the stories of immigrants in 2007.

His own father immigrated from

Scotland.

 

With the help of the Colorado Trus [2]t and the Community Integration Initiative, Gallacher put together the oral history project called Immigrant Stories [3] in 2007. The recorded accounts reflect the lives of recent immigrants as well as the experiences of families that have immigrated over generations. 

Recently, Gallacher shared with Not In Our Town aninterview with a young man, Antonio. When Antonio was 10, he crossed the border hidden on the floor of a car. Since his crossing a decade ago, he has excelled at school and athletics. In this interview, Antonio talks about learning English, and how his family and a special teacher inspired him to strive.

Listen to Antonio's story:

Read the transcript here. [4] 

To hear more Immigrant Stories, visit the Community Integration Initiative [5] or read the stories here [3].