Newly arrived Burmese refugee Niang Lun waits with her daughter Mercy Vaan, 6 months, for her caseworker to help her and her husband sign the lease to their new apartment on Friday, Nov. 30, 2018, in Bowling Green, Ky. A portrait of Lun and her husband taken on their wedding day in 2014 hangs in their nearly empty living room.
Seventh graders volunteer to share who their heroes are during a weekly workshop promoting academic achievement and excellence for students of African descent on Friday, Nov. 2, 2018, at Bowling Green Junior High School in Bowling Green, Ky.
Dayton Dragons' catcher Morgan Lofstrom argues his removal from the field after striking out on Friday, Aug. 16, 2019, at the Bowling Green Ballpark in Bowling Green, Ky. The Hot Rods defeated the Dayton Dragons 5-1.
Osmy Gregorio wears a Dominican flag that a fan gave him when he plays for the Bowling Green Hot Rods at the ballpark. Baseball is as much America’s pastime as it is the sport to play in the Dominican Republic. “Since I was little I dreamed of being a great professional baseball player playing for the major leagues and being able to help my family, you know, helping my mom and dad all that I can and it’s something beautiful to be someone great, but always humble,” Gregorio said. “I love to play, when I play I feel at my maximum.”
Liz Acevedo receives an embrace from a fellow protester outside the Tampa Convention Center where presidential candidate Donald Trump hosts a rally on March 14, 2016, in Tampa, Fla. "If the American dream is to be racist then I don't want it," she told rally supporters who approached the group.
Lauren Brown, 20, poses, with a photo of herself in her apartment. Brown hid the physical abuse she was subjected to by her ex-boyfriend. Instead of attempting suicide again, she decided to report to the police department on her first day of junior year at WKU. Brown recently went back to her natural brown hair color, because her ex told her that she was less attractive with it. "This is who I am," Brown said.
Race Aquatics swimmers cheer on Coach Bill Powell as he completes his 82nd lap to celebrate his 82nd birthday on Saturday, April, 13, 2019, at the swim club's pool. The revered Western Kentucky University swim coach started the tradition on his 46th birthday.
Gina Holmes, from Panama, serves about 300 Catholic families as the director of the Hispanic Ministry for St. Joseph Catholic Church in Bowling Green, Ky. Holmes holds a replica of Saint Mary the Ancient, Panama's version of the mother of Jesus, because the country was dedicated to her. She keeps the replica at her desk in the parish center. "I feel very proud of the Hispanic congregation here because they have a lot of talents, they're magnificent and dedicated people," Holmes said. "Their faith is most important to them. Faith is what always keeps us united no matter what country you're in, whatever tradition you have. Faith is what keeps us united and helps us survive and undergo all the difficulties that we undergo here because when you arrive in a country where you don't speak your language, you need to learn a new language, the culture is different, the food, the education system, the legal system, everything is different from our countries so to come here and start something new, leave everything and start again the only thing that keeps us united is faith because the church is the same no matter where you go."
Burmese refugees Thang Khup, Niang Lun and their two children Samuel Lian, 3, and six-months-old Mercy Vaan, play in their home while waiting for their case worker to arrive on Friday, Nov. 30, 2018. The young family began building a life in the United States on Nov. 9. “I don’t work, have any income, but the government, people around here providing me food, a place to stay that is a blessing beyond I can imagine,” Khup said.
Eva Andres dances traditional Guatemalan marimba music with her boys. Andres immigrated to the United States from Guatemala at the age of 20. She taught her four boys, the youngest 7 and oldest 25, to dance marimba, to speak Spanish and Akatek, an indigenous language of Mayan origin.