A university community welcomes immigrants
Rahman believes that the Triangle area (Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina) is very welcoming to immigrants because of the diversity and cosmopolitanism of a university community.
Citing this Excerpt
Oral History Interview with Kanwal Rahman, July 15, 1999. Interview K-0817. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) in the Southern Oral History Program Collection, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Full Text of the Excerpt
Ahm. . ..
[pause]
just sort of a
general question about this, sort of, geographic area, in terms of
South Asian immigrants living in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, do you
think, do you think that these places in general are supportive
environments for people from our culture, and, er. . .. If they are,
why do you think they are, or if not, why not?
- KANWAL RAHMAN:
-
I think the Research Triangle Park Area, Raleigh/Durham, Chapel Hill,
is a good area for Asians to come in. Only because some of the best
universities are situated in this area. Duke University, UNC, this,
pioneering research going on in these universities, as well as Research
Triangle Park, and I do believe a lot of Asians will keep on coming to
this area—South-Asians—mainly, and a lot of
different, people from different countries of the world, and , er. . .
that will make this area cosmopolitan and which is what Asians or any
other continental person will need to be, to feel, er. . . not out of
place. But to be at place—. And then, this is the area that
is growing in that way. Ahm. . . I have done some
research all around North Carolina in collecting data for the dental
school and for the health promotion/disease prevention, and it was
actual data in real clinical and public health situations where, you
know, you don't have a very sophisticated equilibrium system
and all that. I do realize those other areas would be a little more
harder for Asians to adjust, only because those areas are not equally
acquainted with foreigners and, er. . . anywhere human beings will feel
differentiated at, they'll feel uncomfortable. Otherwise the
Research Triangle Park would be my choice to stay here, if I stay
forever in North Carolina.