St Louis, MO
March 18 – 24, 2024
St. Louis’s growth and development has long been connected to its location on the vast and winding Mississippi River. This vital waterway not only provides power and ease of trade, but for over a thousand years it has offered passage for people seeking opportunities and safety.
The first nations of the Osage, Miami, Sioux, and Haudenosauneega settled in this region. Later came the Europeans, arriving at Eastern ports and traveling by train to the river’s tributaries. By 1860, more than half of the city’s population was not born in the United States. In the 20th century, German and Italian immigrants shaped the identity of St. Louis.
Long after the Mississippi River served as the primary passage to St. Louis, the city has become a site for refugee resettlement. Today, it has the third fastest growing immigrant population in the United States. Throughout recent decades refugees from Vietnam, Bosnia, Syria, Bhutan, and the Congo have worked to establish communities in St. Louis.
During this Long Trip, we will speak with immigrant rights activists, educators, artists, and business owners throughout St. Louis to explore the unique experiences of immigrant and refugee groups working to lay roots in St. Louis. We will also examine the cultural, economic, and humanitarian cost of denying entry to new immigrants.
Join us for this important experience.
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