Citiscope

Plattsburgh, an American city in New York State, is tiny in size but big-hearted on combatting racism.

Zach Hirsch reports for North Country Public Radio that the city of nearly 20,000 is fighting back with love after an immigrant was harassed following the U. S. presidential election.

Originally from Bhutan, Tenzin Dorjee is a pillar of his community. He co-owns the Himalaya Restaurant in Plattsburgh with his wife and organizes an annual Tibetan arts and culture festival that draws artists and musicians from across the globe. He became a  U. S. citizen six years ago. Ironically, Dorjee says he fled Asia to escape persecution related to his Tibetan heritage. 

After a series of racially motivated incidents were directed at him following the election, Dorjee shared his fears on Facebook. The reaction from Plattsburgh residents, Hirsch writes, has been overwhelmingly supportive. “I’ve had community members come up to me and say ‘Tenzin, we are behind you all the way,’” Dorjee tells North Country Public Radio. Tenzin’s story attracted a wider audience after being picked up nationally by NPR.

To learn more about immigrants in U. S. cities, read this week’s Citiscope feature about a first-of-its-kind U. S. program that identifies leaders within Nashville’s immigrant communities.