Jully Pettijohn, a beloved former IndyPL staff member turned child therapist, journeyed from the Chin State of Burma to Greenville, South Carolina, and finally to Indianapolis' prominent southside Burmese community. After returning to Greenville as an adult, Jully recalls the process of finding her community and what it was like to grow up under her mother's roof surrounded by the comforting chatter of family and friends, and the smell of fresh-cooked rice. Finally, she offers advice on how to learn more about cultures that are different from our own and how to decide what home means for ourselves.  

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More Than a Place is a production by The Indianapolis Public Library. Learn more about the show at indypl.org/more-than-a-place. 

Koffi Koevi is cementing a place for himself in the Indianapolis community through a wide skill set in cyber security, fashion, anthropology, and cultural & language interpretation. Currently a student at IUPUI, Indianapolis has become Koffi's second home. But a light shines through his voice as he reminisces on the traditions of his home village in Togo.  

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More Than a Place is a production by The Indianapolis Public Library. Learn more about the show at indypl.org/more-than-a-place. 

Hiba Alalami took “a leap of faith” 20 years ago with her husband to leave Jordan and start a new life in the United States. In her time living in Indianapolis, Hiba has become a pillar in the Arab American and Muslim communities. She is a mother of three, a philanthropist, and leader focused on bringing visibility to her community, including as director of the Indiana Muslim Advocacy Network. In this conversation, Hiba describes the too often forgotten contributions of Arab immigrants to Indianapolis and explains why she is pursuing a doctorate in American studies. One reason, according to Hiba: "When we learn history, it can better prepare us for the future."  

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More Than a Place is a production by The Indianapolis Public Library. Learn more about the show at indypl.org/more-than-a-place. 

Listen as Maria Manalang begins her story in Indianapolis during the legendary Blizzard of 1978 and shares how her life has blossomed since through multiple career paths in healthcare, the arts, and outreach to fellow immigrants. Today, Maria calls both Indianapolis and the Philippines home. Through her work at Indianapolis' Global Village Welcome Center, Maria explains how she has gained a perspective on life that many can only dream of reaching--a true understanding of her identity and what it means to be a global citizen.  

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More Than a Place is a production by The Indianapolis Public Library. Learn more about the show at indypl.org/more-than-a-place. 

Dr. Svitlana Ramer has dedicated her life's work to her home country Ukraine, first through her career in Ukrainian tourism, and more recently by co-founding the Ukrainian Society of Indiana in response to the 2022 Russian military invasion. In this conversation, Dr. Ramer describes her experiences growing up in Fastiv and Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. She interweaves her family's history with the country's and adds essential context to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.  

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More Than a Place is a production by The Indianapolis Public Library. Learn more about the show at indypl.org/more-than-a-place. 

When Mestre Iuri Santos moved to Brown County, Indiana, he brought his lifelong practice of Angola capoeira with him. To this day, he uses the art form he learned as boy in Brazil to connect with people. As Mestre explains, the dance kept him rooted in his proud Brazilian history as he raised a family and built his career in the United States.  

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More Than a Place is a production by The Indianapolis Public Library. Learn more about the show at indypl.org/more-than-a-place. 

While a graduate student in public health at IUPUI, Mariam Sylla shares her life's journey from Guinea, to Belgium, and to the U.S., where she dreams of landing a job at global organizations like UNICEF. At a young age, Mariam realized the important issues facing students in the Indianapolis immigrant community because she faced them herself. She now emphasizes the importance of building a support system and the hurdles immigrant students face in education. Mariam also shares why she wants to use her training in public health to support her home country.  

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More Than a Place is a production by The Indianapolis Public Library. Learn more about the show at indypl.org/more-than-a-place. 

Kwan Hui’s immigration journey began two years after the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 was enacted, allowing more immigrants from different countries to enter the United States. Kwan arrived in New York in 1968 after immigrating from Hong Kong for educational opportunities. His decision to go to school and work in the U.S. provided him with the opportunity to buy his dream muscle car, create an abundant garden, and build the Indiana Association of Chinese Americans.  

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More Than a Place is a production by The Indianapolis Public Library. Learn more about the show at indypl.org/more-than-a-place. 

Gurinder Kaur shares her journey from New Delhi, India, to Detroit, and finally to Indianapolis to become a physical therapist when the position was in high demand. She is now the Chief Executive Officer of the Immigrant Welcome Center—the first immigrant, woman, and person of color to serve in the role. Gurinder reflects on what reminds her of home in New Delhi, including the smell of rain, chai, and Indian red beans and rice. She also describes the paradigm shift that helped her claim Indianapolis as home and the essential reality that immigrant stories exist on a spectrum.  

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More Than A Place is a production by The Indianapolis Public Library. Learn more about the show at indypl.org/more-than-a-place.

Indianapolis artist Vanessa Monfreda has lived in four different countries across her lifetime: Chile, Germany, Ecuador, and the United States. This journey provided her with a unique perspective on life. She thinks and dreams in different languages. Her experiences pushed her to explore her identity. Like many of us, childhood experiences shape who we are, and for Vanessa, her artistic expression followed her from country to country, guiding her through what she calls "intercontinental soul searching."

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More Than a Place is a production by The Indianapolis Public Library. Learn more about the show at indypl.org/more-than-a-place.