Yaw Bart Mine MuTeonna Cooksey
Yaw Bart Mine Mu came to the United States from Myanmar in 2010 after being uprooted from his hometown. At that time, he neither spoke any English, nor did he know how to read or write. In his home country, his parents were too poor to afford the education that he desperately wanted. When he came to the United States, he worked very hard, took advantage of the opportunities to learn and expand his horizons, enrolled in school, and studied diligently. Today, Mr. Bart Mine Mu speaks English and serves as a translator for other refugee members in Milwaukee. His hard work and perseverance have paid off. Mr. Bart Mine Mu loves Milwaukee. He feels a great sense of safety in his adopted community. In Myanmar, Mr. Mu experienced discrimination as a member of the minority Karen community. The Burmese Army decimated his village, forcing him to flee to Thailand. He lived in a refugee camp for a while before moving to the United States. Although he met people along the way who helped him survive, he also witnessed a lot of hardship, danger, and even deaths. Many people who were close to him did not survive the journey. Mr. Mu made it to the United States alone and decided to sacrifice himself for the improvement of his community. He is extremely grateful to have made it to the United States, and he has built a life for himself doing the things that he was once deprived of. Mr. Mu has become a community leader, helping other refugees find places of worship or bridge their language barrier. He meets members of his community at public venues such as the church, at soccer games, or during cultural events. Mr. Mu also gets to meet members of the refugee community during the annual Refugee Day celebrations in Milwaukee. Mr. Bart Mine Mu has taken full advantage of all the opportunities offered in the United States—learning English and going to school while keeping a job. He recently received his General Equivalency Diploma (GED) and is starting college in fall 2018. He will study information technology, and after obtaining his college degree, he plans on returning to Myanmar. He wishes to invest in his country by volunteering to teach children what he has learned. He wants to empower those who do not have the same opportunities he has experienced. His love for his community is expressed in his actions. Mr. Bart Mine Mu wants to spread the beauty of education to all, and he takes pride in serving his community. |
Opportunities in the U.S
Coming to the U.S.
Feeling of Safety in Neighborhood
Importance of Education
Why he Sacrifices his Time for Others
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