Tolessa Gurmessa Company Profile

In a nation built by immigrants that remains the world’s beacon of success, the issue of immigration is a controversial one. In this memoir, Tolessa Gurmessa shares his journey from the Horn of Africa through the suburbs of Washington, D.C.; the rugged terrain of Kentucky; the plains of Texas; the mountains of Utah, and finally to Ohio, and it was not a smooth ride. Yet, despite his disappointment in his sponsors, the welcoming and generous culture of America restored his faith in humanity. In this story, little-known facts about the motivators for people who immigrate to Europe and America come to light. Even though economic factors are a major impetus, the search for freedom plays a significant role. Ethnocentric dictators have used the War on Terror as a tool to oppress their own people. The West opted for governmental stability instead of enforcing the principles they so cherish at home, and taxpayers’ money ended up funding human rights abuses. This in turn fueled the fleeing of people from torture and prison to refugee camps, which the UNHCR struggles to maintain. Being one of the lucky ones who made it to the United States, Tolessa puts all these circumstances into perspective.