Building America: Immigrant Stories of Hope and Hardship

In this era of Trumpism, immigrants in this country are isolated and alone. Though most Americans will say it is only illegal immigration that concerns them, the new restrictions on even legal immigration are appalling to many and leaves those recent emigres frightened for their jobs and families. Even for the young "dreamers" who have lived here for years, DACA (Deferred Action for Children Arrivals) remains unsettled.

It is worthy of note that all immigrants, even those ancestors of us who were born on this soil, leave their country of origins with “dreams” of starting anew in what they believe are the open arms of the land of the free.

Building America: Immigrant Stories of Hope and Hardship examines the stories of some of those immigrants who want to chronicle their or their family's origins in our great country. They want Americans to realize they love this country as much as we do, and maybe appreciate it more due to their personal trials in gaining citizenship and a restart for their family. All of the authors see the richness in the diverse cultures that come here and the special values of hard work, responsibility, and love of family that all seek, regardless from where they come.

The authors will donate their royalties to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) - Immigration Division in respect of their fight for individual rights of all people living in the United States of America.

Mary Assel, a Dearborn native is the retired Director of the English Language Institute at Henry Ford College (HFC). She established the institute in the fall of 2001. Her many faceted marketing and public relations efforts helped to expand the program and attract students from over eighty-two countries. She taught English as a Second language in Africa, the Middle East, and the US for over 32 years. Assel was the recipient of the 2007-8 Lectureship Award and the 2008 Women of the Year Award at HFC. She published and continues to publish articles on the brain anatomy, bereavement, cultural and socio-religious conditions of foreign students, and ESL teaching strategies. She is an active member of the interfaith communities and has presented numerous talks across the state. She served as Vice-Chairman of the Islamic Center of America Board of Education for ten years and Board member of Community Social Services of Wayne County (previously Catholic) for over three years.

L. Glenn O'Kray's passion is passing on stories. Previously, he co-edited three books on the lives of local residents: Best Dearborn Stories: Voices from Henry Ford's Hometown (volumes I, II, and III) and edited two books on historic homes and the people who lived in them-- Before Fair Lane: Historic Homes from Henry Ford's Hometown, Dearborn Michigan (1832-1916) and The Ford Homes: Assembling a Neighborhood. The Historical Society of Michigan awarded Before Fair Lane the State History Award. He has a cable television show, Through the Arsenal Gates, on which he discusses the lives of the residents of his fair city. O'Kray is an officer of the Dearborn Historical Commission, the Museum Guild of Dearborn, the Dearborn Democratic Club, and the Morley Area Residents Association. He is involved in activities promoting Muslim-Christian dialog. He is currently on a committee to get his neighborhood recognized as a historic district. Having received his bachelor's degree in history from the University of Detroit, O'Kray then received his master's degree in industrial relations from the University of Minnesota. He had been the director of financial aid at Henry Ford Community College for 30 years as well as an adjunct instructor for 15 years. He received several awards for his work in financial aid association activities, including his state association's coveted Torchbearer of Hope Award. O'Kray and his wife of 54 years, Jane, have two daughters. Sarah O'Kray Milewski teaches math in Orlando. Rebecca O'Kray-Murphy is an attorney in Temecula, California. O'Kray and his wife maintain a "Little Library" for the use of neighborhood walkers. The stories continue.

Grunow was born and raised in Scotland. She graduated from the University of Edinburgh with an MA in English Literature and Latin, and from the University of Aberdeen with a Dip. Ed. She volunteered for two years as a language teacher in St. Francis Xavier Junior Seminary in Wa, in the Upper Region of Ghana. It was there that she met her future husband, Ken Grunow, a native of Wayne, Michigan; they returned to Wa when their oldest child was six months old and stayed for two years before returning to Detroit and raising their three children. As a stay-at-home mother while their children were young, Grunow became a member of Amnesty International's (AI) Detroit Chapter. Both she and her husband appreciated AI's lens on world-wide human rights and, as coordinators of the group for over forty years, they have organized hundreds of meetings, presentations, conferences, vigils, and protests-as well as written many letters and postcards urging governments everywhere to adhere to international law. She and her husband have also worked for several years as sponsors for one of the groups of the Global Scholars Program at the University of Ann Arbor. Part-time teaching positions at the Center for Creative Studies and Henry Ford Community College led to a full time position at HFC in 1990. Grunow spent twenty-seven very happy years there as an instructor in the English Division; she enjoyed teaching courses in Children's Literature, English131 (Introduction to Composition), English 132, and Developmental Writing. In addition, Grunow was active in several non-teaching activities on Campus, including the Library Committee, the Cultural Activities Program, the Honors Program, and Local 1650 of the Michigan Federation of Teachers. She was honored to be recognized by the Focus on Women Program with an award and by the Union with a certificate when she retired in 2017. Grunow continues to focus on Amnesty International work, as well as grass-roots work for asylum-seekers through Freedom House Detroit and We Stand with Our Neighbors. Moving to Dearborn has made it convenient for her to support the work of the League of Women Voters and Friends of the Rouge. Like Ken, she wishes the current Pandemic wasn't making it so hard to spend real time with children, children-in-law, and grandchildren, whose company they delight in.