momo chang

Here’s my cover story in this week’s East Bay Express about new Burmese refugees — the Karenni people — and their struggles after arriving in the U.S. “Still Seeking Refuge: The East Bay’s new Burmese immigrants left their homes in Thai refugee camps only to find themselves in an even tougher spot — inner-city Oakland amidst a punishing recession that threatens the assistance they depend upon.”

The story took a while to report, write, re-write and edit, and I’m pretty proud of it. More importantly, I’m glad the Express gave me the space to cover the story in a meaningful way, and to humanize some of the refugees. I was also happy to read some of the comments, many who come from people familiar with the topic and who gave extra insight to the topic.