Today’s post is our first from our new Communications Intern, Andrew Chappelle. He is a graduate student at

By Ann Rynearson

This year’s stage line-ups are lead by several major dance performances. Eileen Wolfington is organizing a “Fiesta Mexicana” to celebrate, as she says, “the complex heritage of different regions of our neighbor to the south.”

By Ann Rynearson, Festival Director

As I write this, Festival of Nations is almost here– barely three weeks away! It’s going to be one of the most exciting in years. Last year’s fairgoers will be pleased to hear we have made major changes in the layout to accommodate our growing crowds. Please try to attend (or even better, volunteer), because the entertainment, food, gifts and children’s activities are all bigger and better than ever. 

Right now, I am working 24-7 on the artistic program. You’ll be glad to hear that a record ten refugee ethnic groups are represented: Afghani, Albanian, Bosnian, Colombian, Eritrean (though not Kunama yet), Ethiopian, Haitian, Liberian, Sierra Leonean, and Vietnamese. Despite strenuous effort on the part of caseworkers, artists from the Turkish, Kunama, Karenand Somali communities were not yet quite ready to play a role, though we will have a Burmese food booth.  

It typically takes at least three to four years after arrival for a new community to be ready to participate. I know we’re all eager to see more of the rich culture brought here by all the new groups. One of the advantages to the cycle is that it means the festival is always growing as refugee populations get settled. After a few years, they start restaurants or community organizations, and they want to sell their wares or share their unique spices with St. Louis! Some choose to do it to raise funds to support their organizations. Others use the experience as a starting-off point for their own small businesses.

Stay tuned for Diary of a Festival Director, Part 2, which will be posted on Friday, August 15

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 By Blake Gilmore          Last December, my principal sent me an email with the subject “Blake- you would love this!”  Intrigued, I opened the message, which redirected me to Bank of America’s internship page.  Thanks, but no thanks, Mr. Faulkner.  Interning at a bank?  I’m not exactly financially inclined.  I read on in amusement.  “Do you have what it takes to be a Bank of America Student Leader?  If you are a junior or senior in high school with a passion for improving your community, we would like to help you turn that passion into action.”  Okay, perhaps that does sound like me.  Then it dove into specifics.  Student leaders work at a nonprofit for eight weeks during the summer and get a week long, all-expenses paid trip to Washington D.C.  Sweet!            

I was notified of my selection in May.  Technically, I didn’t choose to intern at the International Institute; we were matched together because of my student council project to increase humanitarian aid to Darfur.  Neither my friends nor I had heard of it.  In fact, over the past two months, exchanges like this have been commonplace: Friend: “Let’s go to the mall tomorrow!  I need a bathing suit for Cancun!”

Me: “Sorry, I can’t.  I have to work.”

Friend: “Aww. That sucks,” they say, assuming work constitutes as saving small children from dirty pools or selling flat soda at a rec center. 

Me: “No, actually, it doesn’t.  I work at the International Institute.”

Friend: “Hm.  Never heard of it.”

Me: “It’s a nonprofit organization serving refugees, asylum-seekers, and immigrants.  I help in different departments in the morning and teach English in the afternoon.  You should come volunteer!”

Friend: “Asylum-seekers… aren’t those, like, crazy people?”

Me: “Err… no.”           

Thankfully, the people at the bank knew precisely what they were doing when they aligned me with the institute.  Its ever-pervasive mission, devoted staff, and strong-willed clientele continually amazed me.  I wasn’t simply regarded as the lowly intern.  Institute employees, especially Kate, included me on important projects and considered my input. They even made their own coffee!  Each deeply values the agency’s mission, a fact clear in their numerous overtime hours.  And there was never a dull moment.  There was constantly someone interesting to talk to and something new to learn.  Yes, my summer has largely consisted of work, but it hasn’t felt like I’ve been working!  Cheesy?  Yes.  Overstated?  Not in the slightest.          

Though my internship has come to a close, I plan on spending more time at the institute during the school year.  I’m forming an after school “tutoring team”, holding donation drives, and completing my photo documentary featuring clients from the institute.  An II high school/college faction modeled after I-Squared is also in the works.  My hope is to increase awareness of the institute and galvanize young people to get involved.  This remarkable organization- and all those associated with it- is long overdue for some recognition.