Ramisa Tasnim

This interview was conducted at Promise Neighborhood with Ramisa Tasnim, a 19 year old woman, who was born in Bangladesh and grew up in Hudson, New York. Ramisa identifies as both Bangladeshi and American, and is a practicing Muslim with a strong network of family, community, and spiritual support. Ramisa spent the first few years of her life with her mother and family in Bangladesh; during this time, her father sought employment in the United States, and worked in the Button Factory in Hudson. His wife and daughter joined him in Hudson when Ramisa was 4. When Ramisa began kindergarten in Hudson, she did not yet speak English, but by the end of her first year in school, she was fluently bi-lingual. Ramisa’s three younger sisters were born in Hudson after the family was reunited. Ramisa describes the struggles and sacrifices her parents made as working-class immigrants in Hudson; she emphasizes the love and support she received from her family, friends and community. She speaks of teachers, mentors, and strong female role models, including her mother. At the time of this interview, Ramisa was living in Hudson with her family for the summer and working at Promise Neighborhood, after completing her first year as a college student at Hamilton. She is the first member of her family to attend college in the United States. She describes the challenges facing her as a first-generation college student, and as a Muslim, in the United States in 2017. She also describes activities she enjoys with her other teenage friends in Hudson.

This interview may be of interest to researchers or listeners interested in the Bangladeshi, Muslim, working-class, and immigrant communities of Hudson, or the United States more broadly, particularly the experience of women, teenagers, and college students within these communities.