Sandis Wright and Alex Wu

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Sandis Wright was born in a rural Swedish community in northern Maine, where he always dreamed of living in the big city. After moving to both Chicago and Atlanta, and getting married, he decided to...

Ursula Furi-Perry and Alex Wu

Andover Stories of American Identity: Ursula retells a poignant story of her life of “grit and grace”. She emigrated to America from Budapest, Hungary as a gifted teenager. With classic American opportunities, Ursula became an accomplished published author, lawyer, professor,...

Xi Hua Zhao and Alex Wu

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Xi Hua Zhao was born in China, where he lived a happy and modest life. He moved to the United States over a decade ago to help his daughter take care of his grandchild, and...

Ajita Bhat and Alex Wu

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Ajita Bhat reflects on her immigration to America in the pursuit of higher education, and how her impressions of the country has evolved. After settling in Andover, she quickly found community, and eventually became the...

Linda Love Mesler and Alex Wu

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Linda Love Mesler, whose family has roots in rural Iowa for hundreds of years, talks about her global childhood, from New York to Cambodia. After becoming a technology lawyer, she settled in Andover and is...

Magda Parvey and Alex Wu

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: I met with Dr. Magda Parvey, a highly accomplished, passionate and pragmatic educator and leader, for a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about her New York City upbringing, her Haitian culture, her family and her career.

Leah Okimoto and Alex Wu

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Leah Okimoto was born in upstate New York, and after having to move to several places across the country, she settled in Marlboro, Massachusetts, where she cemented her childhood. In New York City, she pursued...

Eliud Felix and Alex Wu

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Eliud Felix discusses his journey from his life growing up in Manhattan and the Bronx to working at Andover High School. He has deep family values and traditions, and hopes to see them continue through...

Zhi Qing Chen and Alex Wu

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Zhi Qing Chen, born in Wuhan, China, talks about his life growing up amidst the violence of the Second Sino-Japanese War. He moved to America over a decade ago to care for his grandchild, and...

Nicolette Nordin Heavey and Alex Wu

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Nicolette Nordin Heavey was born Detroit, but spent the majority of her childhood in Belgium and England. After attending college in America, she moved to Andover to raise her family. Wanting to help contribute to...

On a Fourteenth

In this interview, conducted in January 2019 in York, Maine, Cary Drake (13) interviews Steve Brice (her Grandfather age 71) about his family, career, and childhood. In this interview Brice talks about how Drake’s mom painted their dog, how singing...

John Hess and Alex Wu

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: John Hess shares his story growing up in West Virginia, where his family valued traveling and spending time with relatives. After going to graduate school at Cornell, he moved to Andover with his family. He...

Ralph Bledsoe and Alex Wu

Andover Stories of American Identity: Born in Compton, California, Ralph Blesdoe, a descendant of slaves, recounts his amazing journey of becoming a beloved science teacher at Andover High School.

Janet Hamiln and Alex Wu

Andover Stories of American Identity: a conversation with Janet Hamlin about her extraordinary childhood and life that gives her perspective to be compassionate and passionate.

Kevin O'Leary and Alex Wu

Andover Stories of American Identity: Andover resident Kevin O'Leary shares his story about his worldly upbringing, and how it all led to his profession of becoming a psychologist to help wounded veterans heal.

Niru Aggarwal Part I

Niru’s life, advice to her descendants, and anecdotes.

David Vigorito and Alex Wu

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: IM David Vigorito talks about growing up in Massachusetts, to his brief time in Las Vegas, to returning to his home state. Although he discovered his passion for chess at the later age of 16,...