American Heritage Project
St. Louis is currently experiencing a renaissance and it’s happening from the ground up, driven in part by immigrant innovators, doers and makers who have made St. Louis their home. These people are proof you don’t have to be born here to be STLMade. Because it’s about being part of our thriving community and collaborating in unique ways to keep it growing stronger. St. Louis welcomes them and works hard to make sure more just like them find their success here, too.
Share Your Family History and/or Traditions
- Share – Why did you or your family come to the US, or if applicable, to St. Louis in particular?
- Share – What were some challenges you or your family had to overcome when navigating a new culture or new city?
- Share – What was the most rewarding part about moving here?
- Share – In what ways do you express the culture and traditions of your family heritage?
Hungary to America
Pictured is the small trunk that carried all the belongings of part of my Hungarian side of the family. Great...
Through festivals and parties
One way my family and I keep our Indian traditions alive is by celebrating holidays and having parties. For example,...
“White-privileged” Northern European immigrants
My father's Norwegian parents and my mother's Scottish and English parents all came from countries that welcomed them. The Norwegians...
Easter Egg Cracking Contest
A portion of my family came to the US in the early 20th century from what is now Belarus. One...
I am Norwegian-American
I am second generation Norwegian American and I feel very fortunate to have a lot of Norwegian traditions and culture...
Worldwide Pride
Julio Zegarra-Ballon’s colorful fair trade merchandise supports artisans around the globe with a living wage. It’s a quiet morning, well...
Translating Support
Lourdes Bailón and Gabriela Ramírez-Arellano created STLJuntos, a Facebook page and website that has become an essential resource for Spanish-speaking...
Breaking Barriers
The Tran family risked everything to emigrate from Vietnam to the United States four decades ago. Forged through sacrifice and sweat...
A Global Community
As the St. Louis region recruits top international talent to its companies, Susan Gobbo is building a support system for...
Speaking the Language
St. Louis is positioning job seekers for global opportunities. Job competition can be tough, especially for younger people just entering...
A World of Knowledge
Attorney Nalini Mahadevan is helping St. Louis corporations attract and retain top international talent for the region’s growing industries. St....
Creating Through Crisis
Mee Jey, an immigrant artist from India, tells community stories through her art in St. Louis and abroad. When theSTL.com...
Sewing Hope
The Collective Thread’s small-batch manufacturing company was hard-hit by the pandemic, but once they pivoted to making and selling cloth...
It was here in St. Louis that he found his purpose.
Gedlu is one of many Ethiopians to seek refuge in the United States. For nearly twenty years, Ethiopia faced its...
Dr. Vanessa Vandergraaf, Laotian Refugee
Dr. Vanessa Vandergraaf, associate professor at Lindenwood University, spends much of her time with her mother, Homchanh. She takes her...
Peter Moszyk, German Immigrant
The end of World War II brought the beginning of the Cold War, and a defeated Germany was split between...
There is a time and season for everything.
Anne-Marie traveled to the U.S. from Port-Au-Prince, the largest metropolitan city on the western coast of Haiti. In 1949 her...
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We depend on generous gifts from supporters of the festival to ensure that the work of the International Institute of St. Louis continues, especially now during the COVID-19 pandemic when the need is greater and resources are less.