Susannah Kay (Ohio University)
Golden City Mosaic
Award of Excellence
Interpretive Project
It takes faith and courage to leave the familiar and move halfway around the globe in hopes of building a new life. Yet, for these eleven immigrants, dreams of attending college, finding work, reconnecting with family, and exploring the world were reason enough to relocate to San Francisco, California, where they now contribute to the mosaic of interwoven cultures representing one of the most diverse cities in America.
Story: Golden City Mosaic
Golden City Mosaic
Drag queen Shela Magana, 28, strikes a pose on stage at Esta Noche, the only Latino gay club in San Francisco. Magana, originally from Mechoacan, Mexico, immigrated to the United States in 2000.
Story: Golden City Mosaic
Golden City Mosaic
Carlos Arteaga, 24, assistant manager of Mission Market Fish & Poultry in San Francisco, California, poses for a portrait with a fresh salmon. As a result of Arteaga being sick as a child, his mother moved him to the United States from Chalatenango, El Salvador, to retrieve proper medicine. "The first food I had here was fresh cherries. That was the best food I'd ever had up to that point," he said.
Story: Golden City Mosaic
Golden City Mosaic
"Famous Wayne", 56, takes a break from shining shoes on Market Street in San Francisco, California. Wayne, a local celebrity, moved from Ethiopia to the United States when he was only a few months old to be with his father who was a member of the Marines.
Story: Golden City Mosaic
Golden City Mosaic
Wing Ken Young, 90, poses for a portrait on Grant Street in San Francisco, California. Young immigrated from Southern China to the United States in 1981 to enjoy his retirement after many years of working in construction.
Story: Golden City Mosaic
Golden City Mosaic
John Davis, 76, poses for a portrait on the dock in Aquatic Park before swimming in the San Francisco Bay. Originally from London, England, Davis moved to San Francisco in 1963 and immediately fell in love. "You just get the feeling that nothing is impossible here, like you really can do anything," Davis said.
Story: Golden City Mosaic
Golden City Mosaic
Nancy Pomchan, 62, poses for a portrait in Ross Alley just outside the doors of the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory in San Francisco, California, where she has been working as assistant manager since 1980. Pomchan, originally from China, came to the United States to "find a better life."
Story: Golden City Mosaic
Golden City Mosaic
Vaughn Osmond Nixon, 59, manager of Duggan's Funeral Service in San Francisco, California, poses for a portrait in the funeral home chapel on June 4, 2013. Nixon moved from Grenada to the United States in 1976 to attend the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science, where his two brothers also attended. When recalling his first day in the United States, Nixon said, "It was a Tuesday afternoon and 64 degrees. That's the coldest I had ever been in my life."
Story: Golden City Mosaic
Golden City Mosaic
Era Osibe, 62, stretches on the dock in Aquatic Park before swimming in the bay in San Francisco, California. Era moved to the city from Tehran, Iran, in her early 20s, and immediately fell in love. She joined the Aquatic Park Dolphin Club swimming group in 1977, claiming fame for being one of it's first female members.
Story: Golden City Mosaic
Golden City Mosaic
Zinoviy Simkovich, 101, stands in the hallway of the Jewish Home of San Francisco. Simkovich came to the United States from the Ukraine in 2000 to be with his two daughters.
Story: Golden City Mosaic
Golden City Mosaic
Naoki Onodera, 32, sits among piles of donations at the Community Thrift Store in San Francisco, California. Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Onodera immigrated to the United States when he was 23-years-old to see more of the world. "When I first arrived in the United States, it was Independence Day," Onodera said. "It was a really sunny, bright day, and everyone was drunk walking on the street. I was pretty impressed."
Story: Golden City Mosaic
Golden City Mosaic
Estrella Dezaday, 65, takes a break from housekeeping at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, California. Dezaday moved from the Philippines to the United States in 1980 in order to find work. "My first memory in the United States is riding on a roller coaster at Disneyland."