The dominant culture in the United States likes to tell the story of a country built on freedom and opportunity. European-descended people often identify with this narrative.

It’s the story that was told to me about my family’s journey. We were immigrants from Germany looking for opportunities and freedom of religion. We arrived in the United States of America, and we worked the land.

What sometimes gets missed is that there are other truths about how people came to this land. For Black Americans, their families might have arrived not by choice but in shackles. This was not a land of opportunity but of oppression.

Immigration stories create a foundation for our identity. When these stories are challenged, it can feel disorienting, even threatening.

There isn’t just one true immigrant story. There are many — joyful, hopeful, painful, grief-filled and all the places in between. All remain true for immigrants today.

In this issue, we tell four immigration stories, representing just a few examples of Anabaptists on the move.

As I considered what I might contribute to this issue, I stumbled across a date relevant to immigration. July 7 is the day in 1946 that Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini became the first U.S. citizen canonized by the Roman Catholic Church. This past March, part of her life story was told in the movie Cabrini. She founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who focused on serving immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. At that time, Italian Americans were particularly mistreated.

The film depicts the tenacity and faith that many of us hope to embody. If you are looking for an inspiring film, I recommend Cabrini. Along with struggles and grueling experiences, it shows triumph in service to God’s love.

To finish up this column, I’d like to say a word about our membership program. If you subscribe to AW emails, you will likely see a few more come your way this month. We are in the midst of our summer membership drive, hoping to grow the AW Friends membership group. Members give monthly to Anabaptist World and receive exclusive AW swag, a monthly membership e-newsletter and unique opportunities to speak into AW’s work.

If you’ve considered becoming a member but just haven’t done it yet, please do. I’d love for you to join us.