Oral history interview with Jenny Munezero

Collection

Identifier: SR12314

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This oral history interview with Jenny Munezero was conducted by Julianna Robidoux and Sankar Raman on May 2, 2019. The interview was recorded for The Immigrant Story, an organization that documents and archives the stories of immigrants and refugees in the United States.

In this interview, Munezero discusses her family background and early life as a Burundian refugee in the Kanembwa refugee camp in Tanzania. She describes living conditions in the camp, her family life, and her education. She describes the dangers of the camp, discusses her father’s business, and talks about the process of resettlement in the United States. She speaks about adjusting to life in Beaverton, Oregon, including her experience during her first Independence Day; talks about her high school and college education in the U.S.; and discusses her career after graduating with a degree in business management from Portland State University. She talks about her relationship with her fiance, Innocent Irakoze, and closes the interview by sharing advice for other immigrants and her plans for the future.

Dates

2019 May 2

Creator

Munezero, Jenny, 1993- (Interviewee, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Joint copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society and The Immigrant Story. Use is allowed according to the following statement: In Copyright – Educational Use Permitted, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/

Biographical note

Jenny Munezero was born in Burundi in 1993. Shortly after she was born, the Burundian Civil War began and her parents fled to Tanzania, leaving her behind. When she was two months old, her home was attacked; Munezero was the only survivor. Neighbors brought her to her parents in the Kanembwa refugee camp in Tanzania. Munezero's mother died the day after giving birth to Munezero's younger sister, and her father remarried a few years later. In 2007, her family was resettled in Beaverton, Oregon. In 2018, she earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Portland State University. In 2019, she and Innocent Irakoze were married.

Extent

1.11 Gigabytes (1 audio file (WAV, 1 hr., 43 min., 40 sec.))

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Oral history interview with Jenny Munezero conducted by Sankar Raman and Julianna Robidoux on May 2, 2019, for The Immigrant Story. Munezero discusses her experiences as a Burundian refugee in Tanzania and in Beaverton, Oregon.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Access to audio recording is provided online in OHS Digital Collections.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of The Immigrant Story, June 2021 (RL2021-057).

Publication note

An article about Jenny Munezero, "Hope for a New Generation" by Julianna Robidoux, was based on this interview and published on The Immigrant Story website at https://theimmigrantstory.org/hope-for-a-new-generation/.